Was Punch and Judy always a children's entertainment? Or did it at some point during the 19th century transfer to a newly emerging nursury culture?
During a workshop we gave recently I briefly mentioned that Punch and Judy was in fact an adult oriented puppet show and that prior to the Victorian era the notion of children's entertainment did not exist. I even said that childhood was a construct of the 19th century. Where did I get this notion from?
Well while wondering about after the workshop I was approached by someone who just happened to have been researching that topic and he told me the theory originated with one Philippe Aries who wrote a book called Centuries of Childhood in 1963. He also said that Aries theory had since been discredited. Apparently Aries referenced art work noting there were no children, babies are depicted but children are seen as little adults. (What Aries made of Breugel I do not know).
In the study of our peculiar subject we see alot of images from 1885 and throughout the nineteenth century and you can notice this development quite clearly.
Children in the later half of the 19th century and much of the 20th were "seen and not heard" and gradually through the later half of the 20th century the role of children in society became more participatory, in a manner of speaking. THis can be seen in the development of Children's television which was in the early days a lot quieter and gentler than it is today. Compare for instance Andy Pandy with the Muppets.
Is it possible that the the way children watch a Punch and Judy show today can be different from the way they watched it in the 50's and 60's. I once thought that Punch was a way to allow well dressed, well behaved and quiet children to let off some steam. But these days children dress more casually, and let off steam quite freely at any time.
I'd be interested in hearing impressions from those of you who did see shows in the middle of last century and how, now that televison has lost its lustre, things may have changed.