National Identity

What does collective National identity mean?
What examples of collective National identity can be found on British television?

National identity usually refers to the people who live in a nation and how they are distinguished, usually through ancestry, parentage or descent. It also refers to distinguishing features such as skin colour or native language. However national identity usually goes on the person themselves and what they feel they are, what they believe they are and where they are from. For example a person born and living in Britain may see themselves as being English because that is the country in the nation of Britain that they were born in. When correctly by law they are classed as British, not English. As English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish does not in fact count as a National identity. However we never choose to argue against what a person feels that they truly are.
National identity can be and is shown and expressed through television programmes, whether it’s ‘Night at the Proms’ playing classical old British themed music that everyone immediately links to being British. Or more traditional programmes such as ‘Match of the Day’ which has been part of British television for decades, since its first broadcasting on August 22nd 1964. People relate to it and see it as being English, as it is on every weekend during the football season showing games from the English Premiership. Any football fan will watch ‘Match of the Day’ and take it as a necessity that it is on and almost miss it once the football season is over or even when they are away from the UK. However unlike ‘Match of the Day’ ‘Night at the Proms’ is considered to be aimed more directly at upper class audiences or people who have an acquired taste to music, one that the majority of the Britain isn’t in to and doesn’t come under that bracket at all. We are more told that ‘Night at the Proms’ is a symbol and represents are national identity.
As a Nation we see the first and second world wars as historic events that bring us together and show our National identity. Perhaps only because we were victorious in the war is the reason why we go on about it. The majority of us weren’t even around at the time and don’t know a great deal about it at all. It is only really through television dramas and documentaries do we have an understanding of the event at all. ‘Remembrance Sunday’ is a good example of a nation coming together to reflect and look back on the ‘heroes’ who have fallen in previous wars. However this usually only applies to people who contribute to wars or people who have known someone who has died whilst serving in a war. Most war dramas/programmes are portrayed with a more serious approach to them. However ‘Black Adder the Fourth’ (1989) portrays a more comical view and approach to war. The series focusses and looks at poor leadership of the British armed forces and the campaign. The series won an award for the best comedy series in 1989, showing how we as a nation like to laugh and feel relaxed about important events, even though it was criticised by Historians for portraying an over simplified view of war. War is a part of showing British National identity, whether it’s taken seriously or more relaxed like most of us who were too young to be a part of it.
The British Monarchy is important and are seen as figure heads for Britain as a nation. Many people love and respect the British Monarchy; whether it’s the Queen herself or Prince William it’s hard for anyone to say that they dislike the Royal family. The BBC hit drama ‘The Tudors’ was a big success in the UK. It gave people a History lesson about the Tudors and what King Henry VIII was like, based on historic facts and events. The Tudors was popular because it was a periodic drama which also showed the Kings relationships and a closer look on why he had six wives, as well as making him seem like a normal person. Our National identity is linked to the Royal family as it makes some people feel important as there aren’t many countries who still have a royal family existing.
British National identity is often associated with large old Buildings and estates e.g. Victorian, Tudor or Stuart. These Buildings are automatically linked in to Britain. ‘Antiques Road show’ is always filmed at a large classic British house or estate, the programme itself is classically British, by adding the location it just makes the programme seem completely British and make the viewer’s feel British when watching it with upper class people showing off there antiques being evaluated by classic modern antique experts. The whole programme itself is classically British. Showing National identity.