Is It Possible to Speak of an English Culture?

What is it that defines "Englishness"? From creating empires, tea on the lawn, days at the races, keeping a stiff upper limit, Shakespeare, Queen Victoria, thatched country cottages to bingo; is this is a true reflection of Englishness or merely another contrived example of packaged heritage, harking back to an Englishness that perhaps never was. What signs are there today in the English nation of great traditions, empire building, and the pioneering spirit? If you are English how do you feel about being English in the new millennium? If you are not English what are your perceptions of Englishness? Do they differ from your perceptions before you arrived in England? With such a broad subject to cover the following areas need to be considered: The imagery of Englishness, the sound of Englishness and the language.…