Preface
As a 21-year-old journalist in the making, I have a lot of broad interests. I like reading and writing obviously, but I also love board games and people. However, something that really makes me proud to be who I am is the fact that my parents own a funeral home. They have since before I was born, and so I have grown up around death. I realized when I was about seven years old that this has given me an interesting relationship with death, in that I am fascinated by it but not really saddened because I accept that this is just a fact of life.
Being accustomed to death is what inspired me to edit and republish “London’s Mourning Garment.” This document is one of many death pamphlets distributed around this time (which will be explained in greater detail later). Having the opportunity to read and understand a death pamphlet from 1603 was an amazing experience to relate back to my understanding of the modern funeral industry. I loved being able to relate this back to my personal experiences, simply because I have a more unique perspective on death than a lot of people my age do. I have worked at funerals and visitations at Sundberg Funeral Home, and I listen to my parents’ discussion about funeral techniques that are common in today’s society, such as the choices between cremation and burial services. Upon further examination of the text, I realized that “London’s Mourning Garment” is good for more than one thing. Not only is it a possibility for academic research and information in the classroom, but it is also essential for understanding how the funeral industry has changed over the course of time.
I would like to thank my parents for giving me the knowledge necessary to work on this piece. Without them, I would not have the experiences I do, nor would I have the understanding of how to compare two different time periods related to death. Death was a big deal in 1603 because it related to Queen Elizabeth’s death, which happened a few months prior to the publication of “London’s Mourning Garment.” Additionally, without my parents I would not have the ability to keep pushing myself, since I felt very overwhelmed at some parts due to my inexperience in the bookmaking industry. Along those same lines, I’d like to acknowledge my boyfriend for his amazing support. He put up with me whenever I needed to talk about this project and how uncertain I was about different angles to go. Even though he studies a completely different area than I do, he offered support and advice as best he could, which I am very grateful for. He was a shoulder to cry on and a brain to pick whenever I needed one.
My lack of experience in the understanding of how to make a book would have been impossible without my professor, Dr. Ellison. I originally struggled with what to do with this document, knowing only that this was the document I wanted to work with. She offered suggestions of areas to research, and without that extra nudge, I’m not sure this document would be where it is today.
Being accustomed to death is what inspired me to edit and republish “London’s Mourning Garment.” This document is one of many death pamphlets distributed around this time (which will be explained in greater detail later). Having the opportunity to read and understand a death pamphlet from 1603 was an amazing experience to relate back to my understanding of the modern funeral industry. I loved being able to relate this back to my personal experiences, simply because I have a more unique perspective on death than a lot of people my age do. I have worked at funerals and visitations at Sundberg Funeral Home, and I listen to my parents’ discussion about funeral techniques that are common in today’s society, such as the choices between cremation and burial services. Upon further examination of the text, I realized that “London’s Mourning Garment” is good for more than one thing. Not only is it a possibility for academic research and information in the classroom, but it is also essential for understanding how the funeral industry has changed over the course of time.
I would like to thank my parents for giving me the knowledge necessary to work on this piece. Without them, I would not have the experiences I do, nor would I have the understanding of how to compare two different time periods related to death. Death was a big deal in 1603 because it related to Queen Elizabeth’s death, which happened a few months prior to the publication of “London’s Mourning Garment.” Additionally, without my parents I would not have the ability to keep pushing myself, since I felt very overwhelmed at some parts due to my inexperience in the bookmaking industry. Along those same lines, I’d like to acknowledge my boyfriend for his amazing support. He put up with me whenever I needed to talk about this project and how uncertain I was about different angles to go. Even though he studies a completely different area than I do, he offered support and advice as best he could, which I am very grateful for. He was a shoulder to cry on and a brain to pick whenever I needed one.
My lack of experience in the understanding of how to make a book would have been impossible without my professor, Dr. Ellison. I originally struggled with what to do with this document, knowing only that this was the document I wanted to work with. She offered suggestions of areas to research, and without that extra nudge, I’m not sure this document would be where it is today.