Downton Abbey Meaning Making Moments

Representational Issue of Class & Status; Downton Abbey

Argument:

The clip portrays a massive gulf in class between characters, despite an apparent theme of unity given the context.

 

Mis-en-scene:

- Servants gathered around a cramped wooden table in a downstairs kitchen eating porridge juxtaposed with the upper class lord and ladies of the manor eating at a grand table with a plethora of both cutlery and food types, immediately showing the gulfs in classes in the clip.

- Servants pictured in darker lighting behind more important higher classed characters such as the Lord, when a servant is pictured in the darkened background scurrying between jobs where as the lord is pictured in the light slowly descending the stairs.

 

Editing:

- Shot reverse shot with focus on the lard and lady whilst the servant is seemingly irrelevant.

- Pace changes between different scenes, identifying when  class and status changes between different characters and cliques. Such as the transition between the slow and deliberate stair scene and the hectic servant kitchen scene.

 

Camera:

- Tracking shot of lord going down stairs showing his status as an individual however, the use of shot reverse shot in breakfast scene between butler and lord shos equality as there are no angle changes, preventing the connotation of a character having greater authority or power, which can be shown in the use of high to low angles.
- Close up of the lord after reading telegram builds up suspense.

- Overshoulder shot of paper showing the article about the titanic giving purpose for the scene and reasoning for the reactions.

 

Sound:

- Non diegetic sound; Classical music during the stair scene connotively suggests the characters high class.

- Diegtic;  Constant dialogue drawing reference to 'his lordship' is cataphotic reference to a character of higher class and status to who will innevitably be introduced later in the clip, suggesting an apparent change in class.