The umbrella today is a device that protects us from the rain or for others protection from the sun. To many of us, the umbrella is just an afterthought. It is a device that is not very important, but one is handy to have around whenever we might need it. We even lose our umbrellas often. When we need an umbrella, we cannot find one. Once a required fashion element, the umbrella has transformed into an item of convenience. We do not entertain any thought to fashion the umbrella with our ensemble, but what fun it would be if we did!
The history of the umbrella is quite a long one. The earliest account of an umbrella dates to ancient Egypt, around 1,000 B.C. Over the centuries, the umbrella was not only used to protect one from the threatening sun and rain, but also held many secrets, stories and names. What we today identify as an umbrella was instead a fan, then later on a parasol, sun shade, and brolly. In the nineteenth century, it gained the nickname of “Gamp” after the Charles Dickens character “Mrs. Gamp” an untrained, incompetent, drunk nurse in the novel "Martin Chuzzlewit". Another nickname, "Hanway", came from Jonas Hanway who, in the eighteenth century, was the first man in England to be unashamed to carry an umbrella in public. In the twentieth century, the umbrella became a featured "character" in the1952 film Singing in the Rain and came to life in Mary Poppins (1964) with a talking head shaped like a parrot.
Throughout history, umbrellas were made of many textiles, woods, and precious metals. In addition to its practical functions, the umbrella also has had signfigant symbolic status in different cultures. Ancient fans possessed religious and mythological symbolism. Later parasols indicated one's status and wealth and was a symbol of dignity. Being shaded by an umbrella was reserved exclusively for the great men of the land and was a symbol of sovereignty. Finally, let us not forget the poorly paid umbrella maker, meticulously crafting umbrellas from the ferrule tip down to the handle.
Today the umbrella may be an after thought, but it is still a useful device that protects us from the rain. With new materials and technologies constantly being invented, what do you think the future of the umbrella will be?
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