Victorian Mourning was called by many the “cult of death”. This type of mourning existed as early as 1800, but it was popularized by Queen Victoria in 1861 after the death of Prince Albert (“Victorian Days: Victorian Death and Mourning”). Queen Victoria mourned her husband until his death, and most of England mourned with her for 40 years (Mitchel 163). If one did not strictly follow mourning customs, it was seen as a huge lack of respect and one ran the risk of being ostracized. Although the Victorians did not fear death, they feared not being properly mourned (Flanders 378). Most mourning customs were based on primitive superstitions, but even as the world advanced, these traditions remained true to families. Although there are some slight similarities between today's mourning customs and Victorian mourning customs, Victorian mourning customs were radically different from ours today. The Victorians had a specific view of the "perfect death" that was similar to society's current view of a good death. Most deaths occurred at home because hospitals would not admit extremely ill or dying patients if they knew medical care could not help them (Mitchel 160). The “perfect death” allowed a person to fall into death in the comfort of their own home, surrounded by their loved ones (Cedar Hill Cemetery). A dying person would be visited by all of their family and friends so that they could say goodbye and offer advice for the future. The Victorians did not fear death (Cedar Hill Cemetery). This idea fits with most people's current view of a good death; an unexpected death is as much feared today as it was then by most people. Once the “perfect death” occurred, families kept the body in their home before it was buried. Unlike modern ...... middle of paper ......fins who helped plan funerals ("The Hour of Mourning"). Although some do not realize the distinctiveness of Victorian mourning customs , they were extremely unique. Grieving can last anywhere from two years to the rest of your life. Men's grieving was much less harsh and they were not expected to conform perfectly, whereas all women, regardless of social class, were. Mourning clothing was one of the most important aspects of mourning. And this was considered “the last sign of respect and affection that [one] could give to the dead” (“The hour of mourning”). Warehouses have even been created to follow the new fashion for mourning. Some might consider different types of Memento Mori to be creepy, but at the time, it was a common way to memorialize loved ones. Some might find the so-called "death cult" disturbing, but it was a society's superstitious way of honoring the dead...