Stiff-Upper-Lip Brits
Just look at him that old chap sitting by a fireplace smoking his pipe fitting his cupatea right up his stiff upper lip. The gentleman is traditionally considering that he should go and eat his eggs and bacon before his bulldog starts seriously considering the same subject. What nation might the man represent according to this quite old-fashioned description? He's 'responsible for' Englishmen of course! This universal image of a classical English gentleman wearing a bowler on his head, monocle on his eye and a pipe in-between his teeth, slightly boring and conservatively phlegmatic – was immortalized by many films about Brits.
It's not that the Brits are no longer conservative, unemotional, unruffled gentlemen nowadays, it's just that some stereotypes alter with time. What you've read above is one of the most conservative (read as: corny) stereotypes about Englishmen. One of their relatively brand new images turns them into cheeky naughty hooligans. Such a dubious perception, isn't' it? But let's try and find a way to the truth regarding these British people – either they really are hooligans or devious bores working undercover, who knows maybe they're oh so skilful at confusing the world with their controversial behaviour.
The United Kingdom resembles a historical and cultural cocktail where quite strict and stable traditions coexist with brand new trends. They hardly ever get on well which explains such contradictory views on British national character.
If we jump down from our stereotypical cloud number nine and switch to less exaggerated opinions, we can say that Englishmen are very fond of theatre and literature. They spend too much time watching TV – three hours and fifty minutes a day – according to the statistics.
Needless to say that many Englishmen are stereotyped as anti-American (the stereotype is mutual).
'I don't drink coffee I take tea my dear I like my toast done on one side, you can hear it in the accent when I talk I'm an Englishman in New York. See me walking down Fifth Avenue, a walking cane here at my side, I take it everywhere I walk, I'm an Englishman in New York'. The image is quite stereotypical as well, - just the way we see a modern Englishman. However, according to his words, he feels like an alien in New York, oh well, the English vs. American feeling has always been mutual, and it's not love unfortunately. It's not hatred either; it's just that they are not always tolerant towards each other.
That's why it will be especially interesting to dwell upon American stereotypic perception of English chaps. A typical Englishman nowadays – according to Americans – has a British accent and speaks super proper, has tea and crumpets for breakfast every morning, sits around in his mansion reading classic literature all day, is very pale and thin, doesn't give a damn about all sports but is obsessed with football, swears constantly, smokes a pipe, has teenage kids who go clubbing every night and are obsessed with techno...Regarding traits of character and appearance, a typical Englishman (according to Americans) is proper and snooty, boastful and artistic. He's a deep thinker and a heavy (beer) drinker and also has bad yellow teeth.
No shadow of a doubt that Americans have hugely contributed their negative points to the universal stereotype of the English nation. However, we should treat these opinions as just stereotypes which are only half-true and mostly are highly exaggerated. Plus – Brits made the most of the splendid stereotypical opportunity to enjoy their unruffled revenge.