I've been thinking about the differences between Downton Abbey and Upstairs Downstairs. Specifically I'm pondering the attitudes of the characters and wondering what the reasons are for changes in attitude.
Both storylines are exploring the class system in England. Downton Abbey is set in 1913, ten years later than the beginning period of Upstairs Downstairs. One obvious difference is that the servants are beginning to question their positions and opportunities in Downton Abbey. One of the maids, for example, is taking a correspondence course so that she can become a secretary. (When her typewriter is found, some of the other servants are outraged. This kind of reaction often occurs because social tradition and custom obscure the natural order of things.)
One of the biggest indicators of change in this show is when Mrs. Isobel Crawley (Penelope Wilton) the widow of a doctor, demands that the current doctor perform a procedure on a patient with "dropsy" in order to save his life. The Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith) feels that this distant relative has no business making such a demand. The Dowager, as president of the board of the hospital, refuses to allow the doctor to proceed. However, he does and the patient is saved.
It seems to me that this is an example of the aristocracy losing its power because it has lost its purpose. Noblesse oblige was the custom for centuries: The aristocracy had a moral obligation and duty to protect the "poorer classes." In this example it is the "middle class" woman who fulfills that obligation.
More pondering is required.
No comments:
Post a Comment