Sean Walker
November 8th, 2016
Dr. Tracey Penny Light
HIST 1120
Reading Log #8
Greer, “From Folklore to Revolution”
Depending on who you are, you may see the practice of the Charivari as a harmless piece of folklore tradition that is important to local history and the well being of a community, or you may see it as a barbaric practice that is harmful to its victims and a detriment to society, but no matter who you are it is hard to deny that there is a connection between the tradition of Charivari and the forcing of commissions from Canadian- British loyalist’s by patriots.
The first piece of evidence that you will have to see is accounts from an Englishman who is observing a Charivari and a victim of patriot mobs. The first account will be from an Englishman who is observing the event in question take place “The young men assemble at some friend’s house, and disguise themselves… having provided a coffin and large paper lanthorns, in the evening they sally out… They proceed to the dwelling of the new married couple, performing discordantly on drums, fifes, horns, and tin pots”[1]. Now we look at the second account, this one from a lieutenant in the militia, by the name of Dudley Summers. Now he says that a group of gentlemen came to his house one afternoon and “demanded my commission”[2], the good lieutenant did not give up his commission but that only caused the gentlemen to return that night and in his own words “they began yelling in the most frightful manner. And threw stones at my house and broke the greatest part of my windows.”[3]. Now they may seem different and they are in some ways there are a lot of similarities such as the yelling and insults, they would also continue to return until Dudley fell to their demands much like the people who are part of a Charivari would return until they let them into their home.
There is a lot of speculation in this essay, and while it is speculation backed up with firsthand accounts, it is still speculation. So I encourage you to go to the article and read for yourself and come to your own conclusions
[1] Bibliography
Greer, Allan. “From Folklore to Revolution: Charivaris and the Lower Canadian Rebellion of 1837.” Social History, 1990., 25, JSTOR Journals, EBSCOhost (accessed November 8, 2016). Pg.26
[2] Pg.37
[3] Pg.37
Bibliography
Greer, Allan. “From Folklore to Revolution: Charivaris and the Lower Canadian Rebellion of 1837.” Social History, 1990., 25, JSTOR Journals, EBSCOhost (accessed November 8, 2016).