3. Where gender stereotypes
are pushed
• Within the time of when downton Abbey is
set, which is between 1912 and 1925 there were
some very strictly followed gender roles which
are shown throughout all of the six series of
the show. Within the clip you have just
watched there is evidence to show that as the
time came more towards the modern year of
1925 that these gender roles were starting to
develop.
4. Family Shot
• This is evident firstly from the very beginning of the clip when the butler leaves the house and there is a shot
of Lady Mary a daughter of the Lord of the house on a horse in riding gear, looking like she is about to go
hunting appearing behind her father. Also included within the shot is her mother who is facing the edge of
the shot looking up at someone who isn’t included within the shot. Within this shot there are the expected
types of gender activities and the unexpected ones. This is because Lord Grantham is sitting on a horse
waiting to go off hunting with his companions, whilst his wife is stood on the ground looking up to another
rider as she waits for them to set off. The unexpected element within this shot is that Lady Mary who is
placed in the background of the shot near the center is also on a horse event though she is a female ready to
go hunting.
• The horse Lady Mary is on is white this can be looked at as though she was put on a white horse to still show
her purity and feminine side, whilst going against the gender roles of the time. A noticable element that still
segregates Mary from the male riders is that she is dressed in black and cream, where as all of the males are
dressed in red and cream making them look more eye catching. This automatically gives the audience the
impression that she isn’t very important and isn’t really meant to be there within this situation as she is not as
noticable. Within this shot Lady Mary appears to have a more equal amount of power and status with her
father than normal within the Downton Abbey world, as she is able to prove she can go hunting and do the
more “manly” activities, which is confirmed mainly by her being on the pedestal that is her horse whereas,
her mother is showing the opposite by only interacting with the riders from a lower level showing the
audience that she doesn’t have the knowledge within the clip and isn’t controling how the coversation is
developing.
5. Increasing Numbers
• Within the clip there is evidence that the genders are starting to become more and more
equal within this time setting, as there is actually more than one female rider within the large
group going hunting. This insinuates that as more and more time goes on, and as more and
more women want to adapt what activities they take part in the numbers of male to female
riders will become more equal.
• By having these women on the platform caused by the horses it clearly shows the audience
that women are starting to gain more and more knowledge and power, as within one of the
shots the second female rider within the group is emulating the actions previously shown
within the clip which are performed by males. These actions include the lady looking down
from her horses view to Lord Grantham’s wife. At this point it is eveident she has more power
within the interaction because she is seen to be nodding and controlling the conversation,
whilst Lord Grantham’s wife is at a safe distance away from the horse again looking up to the
more powerful individuals at the time showing respect as well as looking after her own safety.
6. Lord and Lady Grantham
• Included in the clip are a small number of shots showing an interaction between Lord
Grantham and his wife. The setup for this interaction is made up of lord Grantham sat
on his horse ready to go riding whilst talking and looking down on his wife. At this time
we switch to a shot of her looking up at him, shouting in reply so that she can definitely
be heard. Especially when she is talking about an event that he should attend but he
doesn’t want to. This set up is showing an example of the more common gender roles
that would apply at that time.
• Within this interaction it would be automatically assumed by many that Lord Grantham
would have all of the power within the communication. This thought can be assisted by
the different camera angles used on the characters. The one for Lord Grantham is
slightly angled up to instigate that he has knowledge and control, where as his wife’s is
an eye-level shot at all time. But this interaction actually has the opposite showing that
even with his appearance causing him to look like he has more power it is actually his
wife that has all of the knowledge within the interaction. This automatically gives her
the power within this interaction, because she is already expecting the reply from her
husband that she gets even though she is reminding him of the event he is missing.
7. Lord Grantham and Lady
Mary
At the end of the clip there is evidence of gender
boundaries attempting to be put back to normal and to
have power levels return to males having more. This is
done by Lord Grantham asking his daughter if she is
comfortable sitting with a leg on either side of her horse
instead of side saddle. This causes the gender boundaries
to start to shift again but she soon stops them returning to
normal, when she replies very confidently and purposefully
that it is much more dangerous to sit sidesaddle, evidently
showing that she has the knowledge within the interaction
because she has the confidence to state her answer to her
father which is something she must have been very
passionate at the time to talk to father in that way.
