Virtual funerals: A dramaturgical analysis of participants’ experiences

In 2020 virtual funerals became a widely utilized format for conducting funeral services as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. To better understand the phenomenon of virtual funerals, this study explores the experiences of virtual funeral participants. It analyzes the positive and negative effects of it while elucidating participants’ self-impressions and those of others during the service. The sociological theory of Dramaturgy was applied to the data, and a typology of participants’ experiences was derived. The findings suggest a varying degree of technology-based limitations and opportunities that attend virtual funerals. Perceptions of practicality and authenticity are salient features of the experience.