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In Victorian society, what was the purpose of a professional mourner?

  1. To organize the funeral logistics

  2. To contribute to the mourning atmosphere

  3. To lead the procession

  4. To provide spiritual guidance

The correct answer is: To contribute to the mourning atmosphere

In Victorian society, the role of a professional mourner was to contribute to the mourning atmosphere at funerals. During this period, public displays of grief were highly ritualized, and the presence of mourners, including professionals, added to the solemnity and emotional weight of the event. Their crying or weeping was intended to evoke a sense of shared grief and to demonstrate the depth of loss being experienced, even if they did not personally know the deceased. Professional mourners served a practical purpose as well; they helped to affirm the status of the deceased and the mourning family within the community. By reinforcing the expected grief and sorrow, they contributed to the social norms surrounding death and mourning at the time. This practice was particularly notable in the Victorian era, where societal expectations placed significant emphasis on outward expressions of mourning.