Orchestrating comfort: The role of funeral directors
Title:
Orchestrating comfort: The role of funeral directors
Author:
Hyland, Liam Morse, Janice M.
Appeared in:
Death studies
Paging:
Volume 19 (1995) nr. 5 pages 453-474
Year:
1995-09-01
Contents:
In this ethnography, the affective role that funeral directors assume in comforting mourners is examined. Comforting strategies include mechanistic camfort (i.e., separating the ceremonial aspects of funerals from the technical aspects of embalming by demarcating “frontstage/backstage” work areas, controlling the frontstage environment with an aura of dignity and respect, and the mechanistic pacing of events); personal comfort (i.e., vigilant by surveilling mourners and tactfully providing support and control without intruding into the family group), and technical comfort (i.e., the embalming and restorative work on the deceased that enables the family to view death as a peaceful state). The authors conclude that funeral directors fill an extraordinary role in society as professional comforters of the bereaved. As frequently there is no previous relationship between the client and the professional, this is a unique, short-term, professional caring relationship that occurs between strangers.
Journal description