영국 노동계층의 차문화 연구

A Study on the British Tea Culture of Working Class - Particularly Focusing on the Victorian Age -

The tea culture of the working class in the Victorian Age resulted from the combination of charity works of evangelical Christians, the spirit of philanthropy, and teetotalism based on prevailing self-help movements. Churches and charities heartily embraced poor laborers who led a miserable lives and made them taste of a caring and humane society. These workers were the driving force behind the richer and more powerful Britain and “tea” appeased their anxiety and hunger. The Victorian tea culture, being ushered out by the temperance movement that urged Britons to abstain from alcoholic drinks and to chose tea instead, played an important role in reconciling people from all walks of life and leading to an increased tea consumption as well. Thus, tea would be said to be a spiritual drink of Britons and that reflected the universal tea culture with the spirit of the Victorian times. As seen from the example of the British tea culture, a mere tea drinking practice could not be set as a culture until people of all ranks and classes adopted as a popular culture. The working class had five meals a day: breakfast, lunch or luncheon, dinner (midday meal), tea, supper, among which lunch and tea was refreshment between main meals. Judging from tea typically being served at all meal, it is now safe to conclude that tea was indispensable to the British isles.