Reading Log Nine: The Influence of the Past and Present

A duel in the 1800s was a legal way to physically resolve disputes between citizens in a community. These duels most likely went to court where judges validated these disputes. The “…jury decided [if the duel] had been conducted properly and according to the code of honour”.  This century was very much centred around being proper and honourable but yet events such as duels occurred where murder was pardoned if happened during a so called duel. In the article “‘In Search of the Phantom Misnamed Honour’: Duelling in Upper Canada” by Cecilia Morgan analyzes the social and political aspects in depth concerning the Jarvis-Ridout duel. The literature by Stephen Brown focuses on a different duel between two men named Robert Lyon and John Wilson. Brown also gives a brief synpeoses on duels during the period at the end of his article. This specific duel resulted from a dispute consequently concerning a woman.

It was quite the drama that occurred in this little down of Ontario between men on June 12th 1829. After information was shared to Wilson about a girl he was courting he became very angry with Lyon, who claimed the statement was simply a “…lighthearted joke…”. After a violent encounter between the two they scheduled a date and time to duel. After proceeding with this violent duel Wilson was put into jail on charges of murder to await trial. During trial the judge emphasized how murder was allowed if the code for duelling was followed properly and that Wilson was of “…humble origin…”. A reverend during this time period, William Bell, claimed  that duels were a result “…of [the] indulging the pride of the human heart, and a false sense of honour”. Duels did not emerge during this time but originated in the late fifteenth century. It then spread throughout Europe and was usually considered a crime but was irregularity enforced. Duels began to appear in Canada in 1646 asa the last fatal duel cored in 1838 in Verdun Lower Canada.

The article by Cecilia Morgan focuses on duelling as a whole rather than an individual story.  Duels didn’t just occur from romance problems but form political and social issues as well. The men that were involved with duels were usually of the same “…socio-econmic, racial, or ethnic backgrounds: upper or middle class, white, and Anglo-American or British”. These duels occur for multiple reasons but it mainly had to due with “…masculine honour..”. Rejecting duels also had a symbolic quality. It was “…a way of defending familiar and professional honour”. Duels also contributed to the budding concept of patriarchy and gender roles of women. The first recorded duel in Upper Canada was fought in 1793 in Kingston, Ontario. There are many aspects that played into the occurrences of duels during this time period.  “…It is clear that, in the colonial context of Upper Canada, duelling and the code of ho our held broad social and cultural meanings for both its adherents and its opponents”. Duels were not simply held because of simple arguments between citizens but were a result of complex issues.

Not everybody took part in duels or approved of them. Those who did not believed true manhood was found in non-violence and the care of their wives and children. “For its supporters, it was tied to perceptions of men as patriarchal heads of households whose duties as fathers and husbands included the responsibility of a physical defence of both farmland professional reputations”. This century was so centred around honour and duels were a large part of this aspect. They were very socially acceptable where murder was even pardoned which we saw in two different historical duels in the articles from this week. Duels were a way to deal with all sorts of problems but they also represented a certain social honour and prestige.

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