Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Season Three, Episode Four: A Birth and a Death


Jill:  "Class warfare" is evident as Sybil's labor progresses. The aristocratic Sir Phillip, "the childbirth expert"
       does not take lightly to his authority being questioned by the middle-class Dr.      Clarkson. LordGrantham cannot look past the class of the doctors and takes the side of Sir Phillip. This does not bode well for Sybil; after the birth of the baby she succumbs  to pre-eclampsia.  This "medical class warfare" ultimately leads to a major conflict between Cora and Richard.

Martha: Richard admits fault to some extent, but I have to wonder if he aware that his belief in the superiority of his class has impacted his thinking and decision-making. If Cora has not been so upset, would  Richard to have come to any level of taking responsibility. Cora's "American-ness" comes through as she only wants what is practical and expedient to be done rather than following the strict rules of class.

Jill: Class aside, Cora says we can't forge Tom, he is married to Sybil and his input must be considered as well. The Dowager says" yes, the decision lies with the chauffeur". Cora sees things as they are rather than through the rose-colored glasses of class.

Martha: The class issue concerning Tom and the baby are evident in the snobbery of Carson as well.
Carson inquires of Mrs. Hughes, "What will we do about Branson now?" To which Mrs. Hughes replies, " We will show him we are kind people".  Thomas takes Sybil's death very hard however. He and Sybil worked together at the hospital. He says Sybil was the only one who showed me kindness.

Jill: Mrs. Crawley takes it upon herself to bring Ethel into her house as an employee. This of course causes Mrs. Byrd to quit. Those at Downton Abbey are told that they cannot go to Mrs. Crawley's house for fear that Ethel's lifestyle will bring shame upon the ladies of the house.

Martha: Mrs. Crawley seems to feel that she is immune to the actions that she has taken with Ethel. In her mind, she feels superior to the upper class with their rules and regulations.

Jill: Edith is trying to recover from being jilted at the altar. However, when she is asked to write more, my writing is appreciated, her father disapproves and she feels that nothing she does is right. It seems that in the family's eyes, Edith is doomed to be a failure. Even though those outside the family don't perceive her that way.


Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Downton Abbey Season 3 Episode 3


Jill: I felt this episode was all about change and it foreshadowed that bigger changes were coming. We have a change for Anna and Bates; they are getting mail and soon they will be able to see each other again. We have new, handsome footman, James Kent. The seemingly innocent electric toaster is a big change, Carson does not care for it in the least bit. Edith gets a letter published in the newspaper about women's rights.

Martha: I feel much the same way. With the revolution occurring in Ireland, major changes will occur in the British Empire. This of course has a major impact upon Tom, Sybil and the rest of the family. The larger social changes that are occurring after the Great War are starting to make cracks in the traditional British society. The attitudes of working class men who fought in the Great War as well as the rising sentiment of women that they must experience more freedom are evidence of this change.

Jill: With the Irish issue moldering, Lord Grantham talks of Irish Catholics as there being something "Johnny foreigner" about them. Tom then has three strikes against him in Lord Grantham's eyes; he is a chauffeur, Irish, and a Catholic. When the deal to save Tom is cut, he strips Tom of his homeland. To me, this will be a point of friction between Tom and Lord Grantham until something bigger brings them together.

Martha: Related to the Irish situation, Lord Grantham says "what a harsh world you live in". To which Tom replies, "we all live in a harsh world, but at least I know I do". In finding that Tom was implicated in the fire of the Anglo-Irish castle, Mary could not fathom that Tom would be involved in doing something of a violent nature to " a family like ours".  The family went on about the beautiful castle that was burned; Tom suggested that while the "castle" meant  one thing to them, it meant something very different to him.This episode brought out how very  different the views of the world are of the dominant class and those who feel oppressed by it. ( Except for the Dowager who said, " that is the best thing that could happen to that place, it was hideous.")

Jill: I think this episode is just the beginning of many changes that will be coming to Downtown Abbey as well as the United Kingdom.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Downton Abbey Season Three: Episode Two

Upstairs:

Martha:  So Matthew has given in to Mary's wishes and will save Downton. At least he was true to his own moral compass. It was only after hearing the contents of Lavina's letter and knowing that she had actually written it that he made the decision. In Episode 1 of Season 3, I was quite annoyed with the selfishness of Mary. She was of course concerned about losing her home; but her concern was motivated by the humiliation that the family was suffer as a result.

Jill: I was not surprised by Matthew's final decision about the money, like you, I was happy to see he was true to his moral compass. Mary has gotten her way, but at what price to her personal growth and self-awareness?

Jill: Although I applaud Matthew's decision based on his morals, I wonder if he was thinking of the impact on the servants of Downton Abbey in regards to having to sell and relocate the family to the smaller country house (to be called Downton Place) and displace the majority servants of Downton Abbey. Lord Grantham states that they could "get by with 8 servants" when they moved to the smaller house.

Martha: Well, in Matthew's defense, this is a new reality for him. I'm sure he has never had to make these decisions before. On the other hand, he may take the moral high ground in that he may believe that he is morally superior to  the other Upstairs crowd.

Jill: Now that Matthew is co-owner of Downton Abbey, he will begin to experience first-hand what the Grantham legacy means.

Jill: Poor Edith. Left at the altar. Always the bridesmaid and never the bride. The family seems to be taking this on the chin and keeping a stiff upper lip. Edith, being the middle child, will hopefully weather this chapter in her life and move on. Keep calm and carrying on.

Martha: Somehow to me Edith appears to be that "outside" child who receives less emotional support than Mary or Sybil. She is not as pretty as Mary nor as feisty as Sybil; and as a result is treated differently by her family. I believe that she is neglected emotionally by the family.

Jill: The Dowager steps onto the altar and forces Sir Anthony's hand. Unmarried daughters are a financial burden who need support all their lives, so why was the marriage to a wealthy lord so discouraged? Is it possibly because Lord Anthony was Edith's choice and not Lord Grantham's or the Dowager's?


Downstairs:

Jill: We have Thomas vs. O'Brien and we will have to keep an eye on those shenanigans. The biggest happening currently is Mrs. Hughes' illness. The butler is the head of all servants but Mr. Carson's concern seems much more personal than that of "Downstairs Boss". He sings a little happy tune upon learning that Mrs. Hughes does not have cancer. We will have to keep and eye on their personal relationship to see where it takes them.

Martha: Well, Anna's visit certainly did not provide the definitive answer that she was seeking. Mr. Bates does however, seem to a guardian angel. He was saved from who knows what awful consequences could have occurred if the contraband was found under his bunk. What is the motivation of this cellmate to cause Mr. Bates such grief?

Martha: In regards to Mrs. Hughes's illness, when Cora finds out, being the "benevolent mistress", tells Mrs. Hughes that she will be taken care of  for the rest of her life.




Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Addicted To Downton Abbey?

Are you one of the millions of Americans who tuned in to Season 3 of Downton Abbey? Some of us are just downright "addicted" to this lavish historical series. What is it that makes it so appealing to American audiences? What makes the "toffs" or the upstairs tick? And of course, what goes through the minds of those downstairs?

 Masters and servants lived under one roof, but each group with different expectations and experiences. Upstairs and downstairs functioned in a symbiotic relationship; neither class could exist without the other. In this blog, we will explore the time, place, and conditions that created the "great age of servants". We will analyze the mindset of both the upstairs and downstairs and explore the dynamics of the master/servant relationship. Join us weekly as we examine the psychology of the upstairs and downstairs.

Martha and Jill



(picture taken from the Internet)