The Culture of the Island Country
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The Culture of the Island Country Island country sharps a nation’s characters and influences the system of the government. Britain is an island country. Britain is situated on the British Isles in the west part of the Europe, including Rockall and Shetland Islands. The English Channel is between the Britain and continental Europe. All the sea is around the Britain. The first aspect is the British characters. It forms a safety circumstance originally because of the surrounding sea. This geographical conditions supply the British the protection naturally. So they are self-confident and arrogant. The history of the Britain indicates that the unique geographic position gives many changes and glorious for the Britain’s development over the long course of history. So the British forms a deep-set superiority feeling and dependence feeling to their country. At the same time, the British became more self-confident, democratic and creative. Among these feelings, there is a character of exclusionism. The feelings of this island country were gradually growing and mature and continued to today. Some of these feelings were showed in the Shakespeare’s works. As for the exclusionism, it isn’t difficult to find. For example, the Britain sets a high requirement for the foreign players in the Europe’s soccer ball competition. Obviously it is a problem in law, but it reflects the British’s exclusionism and arrogance. The British look down upon the foreigners in their daily life. They describe “like the French does” for the steak that is not fragrant and delicious. When they speak rudely and want to be forgiven, they will say “please pardon me for using French”. A Germany writer commented that the British are arrogance and they don’t respect the foreigners. The second aspect is adventure literature and travel notes. The thoughts of the island country make the British imaginative, brave and innovative. It has far-reaching influences in England literature. The British always thought that a magical island than theirs stood in somewhere in the wide sea and the island was full of wealth and hope. The unknown island is not only the inspiration and source of the creative work also emerges the journals works. The English advanced and journal literature is well known in the whole world. In the 17 century, New West Continent written by Francis Bacon conceived a technological and developed ideal country. In the 18 century, Robinson Crusoe written by Daniel Dafoe took the sailor Alexander Saierkeke as the story material. And this work is the typical of the island theme in that time. Following Robinson Crusoe, Gulliver’s travels written by Jonathan Swift appeared and also Treasure Island written by Robert Louis Stevenson and The Pickwick Papers written by Charles Dickens. All of these are the main peak in travel notes and advanced literature. The third aspect is the Britain politics. The British stress the traditional and unique feature in their politics. One side, they pay more attention to the experience and the convention and obey the laws and rulers. The other side, they choice the better way and form characteristic system. In the political system, they carry out the constitutional monarchy and parliamentary system. The Britain put the monarch in a skillful position. In this way can the British follow their tradition that don’t de away with the monarchism. In addition, the monarchs don’t control the real power. The British parliament divides into House of Lords and House of Commons. In the parliament, the power moves to the House of Common from the House of Lords, which are the political features. The thought of the island has effects on the society at the present time. The feeling is playing an important role in the relationship between the Britain and the Europe continental. The distance away from the Europe continental and the blood relationship make them to think they are a nation of the Europe and they don’t belong to the continent. In that case, the British look on and do nothing when the wars and disputes break out on the continent. In the meantime, the British improve themselves during
