English High Culture

In effect, the court was the center of high culture, as its superiority and marvelous existence was expressed in its magnificient buildings, ornate tapestries, lavish decoration and exquisite collections of wonderful paintings, all of which was made a glittering stage on which the drama and magic of monarchy was represented. Many people are even hooked at the nobility of being in the palace as it was indeed a display of great power and fame. However, in the late seventeenth century this setting dramatically changed as high culture moved out of the narrow confines of the court and into diverse spaces in London. At this time around, many public places were made as center of social interactions. Coffee houses, reading societies, debating clubs, assembly rooms, galleries and concert halls are sprouting as places of cultural diversion.

These places ceased to be the hand-maiden of royal politics since it became the partner of commerce. This is because no matter how abrupt the changes, people tend to adapt the same. But before that, people at the time were much struck by this remarkable change. The reason is that they were used to the culture of making the palace a center of their lives.

The effect is that, the cultural life of London and its new institutions gripped the people whether or not they greeted it with enthusiasm or complained at the loss of a better age. It is true that artists and even novelists had once devoted themselves in depicting and presenting the court and its values, however, as it was mentioned here, London was now repeatedly represented on the stage, in poetry, in painting and engraved images.

Consequently, the city had become not only the centre of culture but one of its key subjects. Being one of its key subjects, many stage plays, poems and paintings are depicting the life in the city making it obvious that the people were able to adapt the same eventually.

Aside from that, buildings have also a unique cultural touch in England. The designs of different buildings represents so many stories of cultural diversities and complexities but mainly on the people's ability to remain resilient to whatever situation they may encounter.

In connection with these, England actually entered the eighteenth century with swift changes as it look beyond its borders. It has been pointed out that coming outside a period of civil strife, England gained readiness to participate in international affairs. This civil strife left a mark on the hearts of the people but it was healed as they assimilate with other cultural profile. Furthermore, one of the foremost factors in the changing English society was the increase in commerce with the Far East making it more vulnerable to cultural assimilation.