Stereotypes about Northerners are reinforced in the scene Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez in the film “Brassed Off”

Abstract or Introduction

Stereotypes are human nature and can never be avoided
completely. However, stereotypes about Northern England and
Northerners seem to be particularly deep-rooted and longlasting.
There is general agreement that they date from the 18th
and 19th century when Northern England was the starting point
of the Industrial Revolution (Jewell 2). “When we speak of
stereotyped characters we are dealing, in particular, with […]
traditions deriving from the effects of the Industrial Revolution”
(Morris 9). The stereotypical “Northerners” are working-class
people, not well educated, and their lives are full of struggle and
conflict. According to many preconceptions a male Northerner
is unhealthy, badly dressed and frank about sex. Further cliché
attributes are pragmatic, direct and even rude, but also downto-
earth, passionate and heartily. Northerners feel alienated
from the government in the “centre” London and distinguish
between “us” and “them” which creates to a strong sense of
community.
In today’s pop culture these stereotypes are
predominantly media-transmitted. By using a certain mode of
presenting Northern English reality and its inhabitants
stereotypes are rather reinforced than replaced in the media.
Hence, there is a specific pattern used to reinforce stereotypes
about Northern England and Northerners in films such as in the
film “Brassed off”. The most striking features that intensify these
clichés in “Brassed off” are setting, language, protagonists and
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topics. All these characteristics can be found in the scene when
the Grimley Colliery Band practices Rodrigo’s “Concierto de
Aranjuez”; thus this scene reinforces stereotypes about
Northern England to a large extent.