Downton Abbey Class and Status stereotypes

Downton Abbey is set in 1912 within which a set of maids and housekeepers work and live for keeping their "Ladyships" and "Lordships" happy. It is set in a classic Georgian country house in England, North Hampshire. In this scene, the Titanic has just sunk and the horrific news has just hit the house and everyone within the house is shocked and felling very sympathetic to the people that were living upon the Titanic, especially as the high class people that own the house may know and have associated themselves with individuals that may be aboard the Titanic. The house is very manic and there are various different jobs going on in the different rooms to keep the Lord and Ladyships happy and content. The classes are placed in different sections of the hotel as the higher class are upstairs in the Master bedrooms and the lower class are downstairs in basic beds and have basic necessary needs. 

The first editing technique that was used is fast paced editing when all of the events are going on within the house and all the different jobs need doing. The bells keep going off for all the different rooms of people who are in need of service and everyone is moving around rapidly trying to serve. People are eating at the breakfast table all calmly and the maids and housekeepers around them are running around rapidly trying to please them and making sure that their tea cup is full and their food is done to the standard that they would expect. This shows a huge contrast between each event that is happening within the house and is an example of a class stereotype as all the Lord and Ladyships are up in their bedrooms ringing for assistance whilst the maids and servants are downstairs awaiting their call and running around after whoever needs them or whoever they are serving that day. It is a stereotype as the people that are dressed formally within a Grand house would be expected to be the Upper class and be expected to have people waiting upon them yet the people with scruffy clothes or dirty outfits due to cleaning or food stains would be seen as Lower Class and would not be expected to have any rights or respects within that house in anyway. The writer would have done this to signify the upper and lower classes and to ensure that this is remembered and considered throughout the programme. It also makes people aware of how different people of different classes live. 


Two further editing techniques that were used were Cross cutting and L-cut. Cross cutting was used when the postman is delivering the newspaper and all of the work colleagues are inside prepping and preparing the food. This shows a contrast in jobs that people of the lower class can have and take part in. Some are able to live a more free life by delivering newspapers and associating less with the higher class. Whereas, the people work in the Abbey are having to associate with people in the higher class much more as they live with them and do all of their jobs for them. The Directors intentions for this was to ensure that the audience will see the difference and job types and the way that people are treated in a  different contrasts.


An L-cut was also strategically placed when the two woman on the bottom floor cooking the breakfast are talking to each other and when the camera switched to the younger maid, the older maid was still talking through her scene. This shows an overlap in speech. This was done by the Director so that the intensity can be shown and how manic the scene really is for them. By them talking over each other, it can also show an overlap in the jobs that they have to do and how many there are. This shows that all maids jobs have to overlap each other so that they can get their daily tasks done.

Cuts were also frequently used within this first section of the scene as it moved from each section of work. For example, it moved between the breakfast table, to the kitchen, to the hallway and finally back into the breakfast room where the Lordship has finally awoken and made his way downstairs. Cuts are useful as they collaborate with the fast paced editing well to speed up the scene and show a sense of urgency and desperation within the maids and housekeepers jobs. This could also communicate the desperation in a housekeeper’s mind when they have to serve their Master and how they feel the need to rush around so that they do not displease them.

Shot-reverse-shot was also a technique involved in this scene when the Lord and Ladyship are in their bedroom and they are having a conversation involving somebody that they know aboard the Titanic. The camera switches between both characters after they have finished their section of speech. This would help a conversation flow naturally and help an audience to follow the duologue in the most understanding way.

Shot-reverse-shot also links to continuity editing as the editing technique continues the scene and duologue and helps the scene to carry on and move on after the conversation. This would have been done in the slow manner that it was to prove to the audience that this is a very upsetting conversation for these two characters to have had and the slow movement of the scene would enhance the idea that they are distressed and upset regarding the fact that they don’t know the state and welfare of the people that they know aboard the Titanic. By completely slowing the scene down, it enhances the effect of stillness and tension between the two character’s conversation.

The first camera technique that is used is within the first 10 seconds of the scene when the cyclist is biking along the long stretch road to the Grand Georgian House. An Establishing Shot is used to show the sheer size and proportion of the house compared to the cyclist and the grounds that surround the house. This shot would instantly tell an audience that the people living within this house were of a higher class and had many riches and maybe were inherited a lot of money. It could also trigger in an audience’s mind what the series is going to be about and who the series will follow. Housekeepers and maid are the first that would come into mind as people living within a house like that would stereotypically have maids and people waiting on them as they either don’t want to do it themselves or can’t do it themselves. It starts the series off with a typical stereotype that higher class people live in huge houses and have lots of money to pay for housekeepers and keep such a huge house running in the way that they like.

As soon as the scene enters further into the house and the Lordship is walking downstairs with his dog, stedicam is used as it produces a smooth and even shot when he is walking downstairs to show elegance and grace of the upper class. This is in complete contrast to the fast paced editing shown in the kitchen which also shows the difference in pace between each classes as the lower class have to work fast to please the higher class and the higher class go slow and everybody waits on them. This is a stereotype as when the camera is downstairs the camera seems hand-held as everybody is rushing and doesn’t show a posture as much as what the Upper Class do. This would have been done to show that the classes are extremely different and even their posture can vary as they both have different jobs and responsibilities and hold themselves depending on what environment within which they grew up in.

A medium shot was also used but this time in the bedroom when they are having the conversation about the people on the Titanic. This shot would have been used to show how the Ladyship is sitting up in bed and how she never slouches no matter what position she is in. Lordship is also stood straight up right and has his hands behind his back which is a stereotypical stance for someone of a higher class as it is a sign of respect. When reflecting on a stereotypical higher class male or female, they tend to always be associated with a certain stance or position that they stand in and in this situation the male is standing in this stance to show authority to his wife and to also reflect his class and status.

A high shot was used when the maid is cleaning the fire pit and the central maid walks in to check on her. The angle faces down at the maid and this signifies that she could be scared of the high mistress and wants to do what she can to please her. This could have been done by the Director to show that she is weak and has less authority than anybody else in the frame. They would have done it to ensure that her class was noticed to a significant amount. Tracking Shots were used as the younger housemaid walked through the house to her station. During her shot all of the maids and butlers were shown doing their jobs and each room in the house was shown in the shot. This was done to shown how many different jobs there are to be done in the house and how each maid and butler can be ranked In a system. The ranking is shown through the costumes that they are wearing and how smart each maid and butler looks. A Wide shot was used when the man is cycling down the path to the Abbey house with the newspapers. This was used to set the scene and to show how excessive the house is and how posh it is. This would then lead an audience on to thinking that the house is owned by people of a higher class and they have people waiting on them. Therefore, this shot is able to set a storyline as well as a scene.

The final camera technique that was used is a canted angle. This is used when a servant is ironing the newspaper for the Lordship. As he reads about the Titanic’s sinking the camera is looking up purely at his facial expression and the paper is large. The focus point is on the man’s facial expression as he portrays both shock and distress after seeing such awful news. This angle would have been used to show that all classes do think the same and they all have the same feelings and emotions that a class above them would have even though they don’t have the luxuries do. He also shows on his face how scared he is to tell his Lordship what has happened when he passes the paper on as he knows this big event will affect him a lot and he will definitely know people aboard as most people aboard were of a higher class. He could also be thinking of his situation as well as if he wasn’t with this particular family, he could have been abroad that ship and maybe lost his life as well. He would have thought this as first class people had priority over the lifeboats as they are deemed “more important”.

Diegetic sound was the first technique that was used in this scene as it helped to add atmosphere and a sense of urgency to the scene in the kitchen when all the maids and housekeepers are running around starting their daily duties. The sounds that are heard are pots clanging together and people shouting at each other under the stress of the kitchen job roles and the sounds of plates being banged together whilst they are being washed. These are also stereotypical sounds within a kitchen scene as when pots are being washed they are expected to be hit together when people through them in if they are in a rush. When people think of washing up, instead of dishwashers, they think of the middle or lower class as sometimes it isn’t seen as necessary or is of a too higher expense to have one fitted. So this would be a noise and class stereotype and would only be lined to the housekeepers as they are doing the cleaning and are lower class. If the Lady and Lordships were doing the washing of pots, then they would more than likely use a dishwasher for the speed of it and it is cost effective due to the amount of pots and cutlery that they use when they are eating and drinking.

Non-diegetic sound is also used through the scenes as there is constant music repeating. This music is also a stereotype to the higher class as it is playing classical music and consists of violins and other string instruments. This is a stereotype as it is usual to hear classical music when associated with higher class people yet the middle and lower classes are more likely to listen to rock or pop music. This would also help to set the scene as this is the type of music that was created back in the early 20^th century and thoroughly enjoyed. As this episode is the start of a season, it would help the audience to understand background knowledge and help them to understand what may be about to happen in this series and what maybe entailed through the music as it is able to set a scene.

This then also leads onto a sound bridge as the same music does continue through the first series of scenes to show continuity and that all of these jobs and events can go on in this household in the space of a song length. Having music carrying on through can also help an audience to relate to a scene as this audience can be for any audience type but through the music could maybe communicate more heavily with the older generation as they may have been brought up around this music and would enjoy it better more than what the newest generation could. This could then also maybe impact on the type of audience that they then have.

Synchronous Sound was also used at the start of the scene when the bike is travelling to the house. The noise is one that would be expected to be viewed as you can hear the tyres travelling on the gravel and it makes the expected noise that would follow on from this. The young boy who is travelling on the bike is of a middle or lower class and this can be told through the fact that he is travelling on a bike. People of a higher class would travel with horses to pull them along or have a person leading those horses with a cart following behind that they are sat in. The higher class would have everything done for them so wouldn’t feel it necessary to go around on a bike, hence why the young boy on the bike is delivering papers. The sound would make the scene more realistic and believable as the bike is making the noise that you would hear in everyday life when walking down the street so by adding in the effect it helps the audience to relate and come to terms with the series more.

The dialogue that is used is also in a very stereotypical manner as when the Lordship is talking about the Titanic sinking and the passengers on board, he says “You mean the Ladies in first class”. This line would tell an audience that this is what a man of higher class would expect to happen, when an event such as the Titanic sinking takes place, to happen. He knows that the higher class people are treated with more respect and are shown as more important so he expects that the first class ladies were saved first as in his world this would be normal for him.
They also show that they associate themselves with many other higher class people as when a housekeeper asks them if they are likely to know anybody aboard the Titanic they simply say “We had dinner with a couple just last week” so they’re friendships and relationships with other couples are broad and they feel they have a duty to protect that. This is also shown when her Ladyship says “You must tell Mary; she shouldn’t find out from anybody else”. This shows that they are close with other people and they feel obliged to care and protect their friends. This can be compared to the lower class, through dialogue, as a maid goes on to say “Why are the papers ironed?” This would have been done to show that they don’t have as much care and knowledge surrounding small gestures such as the higher class do as they would never dream of ironing a newspaper considering they can’t even iron their own clothes. She also says it in a more common accent compared to the articulate way that the people of the higher class speak. This is done to show that they do have different ways of life and they are brought up in completely different environments and societies with different morals.

Lighting is the most noticeable technique that is used in this scene as in the kitchen, which is downstairs, it is a very dark area which could represent low income and a dismal atmosphere. With the lighting being low it shows that hardly any money is spent on essentials and care is not taken for the environment that they have to work in. This could show that people of a higher class and authority can be very snobby and only care for the people that are closest to them. This contrasts with the lighting that is upstairs as there are various lamps and chandeliers which adds colour and light to their room and enhances their dress and decoration in their room which would also be a way of showing off their earnings and proving that they are better people. It is a stereotype for higher class people to have numerous chandeliers and fancy lamps all around their rooms because they are expensive and they can afford these items and make them last. They also take special care of them so that they will never need to buy another.

There are also silver decanters next to the breakfast set that is silver plates and numerous knives and forks and glasses. Everything is made of glass and they are of a small proportion. Every ornament around the grand building also seems to be gold and of an expensive nature so is placed very delicately. These gold and silver ornaments would have been places in the scene to show their expenses and are also props that would be expected in such a huge house so it would portray reality.

At the entrance of the room there are huge mirrors so that they can view what they are wearing and ensure that they look acceptable to make their way downstairs. These huge mirrors are gold plated and show that they are also putting their expenses into all sorts of items to yet again show off their wealth. Downstairs there isn’t even a pocket mirror for the housekeepers to look at themselves in so they would just turn up to work looking however they feel looks acceptable for them.

This then leads on to what each class types are wearing. The waiters and head maids are wearing suits that look pristine and acceptable to enter the house itself and appear in their lady and Lordships bedrooms and look acceptable but more than likely, they would have had to have earn this position, and dress, to be allowed to dress in that manner. The hair is also a good factor to look at as all of the people who own the house, so the Lord and Lady ships, and the higher up maids have pristine hairstyles, that have quite clearly had time and effort put into them, yet the maids that are in the kitchen and cleaning rooms have hair falling out of their buns and looks as though it hasn’t been brushed at all.

The maids also have a stereotypical uniform which includes a bonnet and bowties. This is very typical as they would always be seen in black and white uniforms which are extremely formal. The maids that wear these outfits would be the ones that associate themselves with the Lord and Lady ships and maybe take their breakfast to them, yet again on a silver tray. The other maids would be in a stereotypical lower class maids outfit which is grey and whiten and is scruffy as it isn’t as cared for and looked after as they are just hidden away downstairs doing their jobs. This would also have been done to portray how each maids are treated to yet again follow the stereotypical idea of the higher and lower class.