Polite Britons Died on Titanic

[DanaC]

"There was one gentleman who was rather wealthy... who went back downstairs after he put his wife on the [life] boat... put on his tuxedo...went back upstairs and smoked... with the idea that if I am going die, I may as well die as a gentleman and well-dressed."

That's class in a glass.

Not to be picky...I realise this is just shits and giggles, but that isn't really about 'politeness', its about notions of gender roles and responsibilities. Get the women off the ship, and the children: not just your own children and wives. Save all of them if you can.

I realise it's a little skewed (the infantilised, domesticated wife etc) but that's still a brand of courage I can respect. Duty, not politeness. The man put his wife onto that boat and walked away so that another man's dependents might also be saved. He and all those other men did no differently than a militia man or soldier when they placed themselves in death's way to protect their wives and children and homes.