By Linda Wood Rondeau
What better place to demonstrate emerging societal changes than an
old world English manor, where nobility rubs constantly against the middle and
lower classes—tools used by classic writers such as Jane Austen, the Brontes,
Dickens, and R.F. Delderfield (God Is an Englishman) to name a few.
Murry Pura accidentally chose the same setting, in his book, Ashton Park /Harvest House Publishers
(January 1, 2013) in roughly the same time period as Downton Abbey, a time of
much social upheaval: war, the Irish Uprising, and the Spanish flu epidemic. It
was also a time of social change: pursuit of equal rights for women, and the
dwindling power of the nobility. Pura believes this backdrop of political
change in rural setting of a noble family in crisis provides an ideal setting
for the development of conflict.
Characters
Downton Abbey is rich in
unforgettably believable characters from the upper, middle, and lower classes.
Such a conglomeration creates high drama and conflict. Fellowes craftily
utilizes the cleverly designed idiosyncrasies to create biting drama to fit his
theme. By their very nature, each character will eventually come into conflict
with any other given character, whether from hidden desires, former scandal, or
future hopes. Violet is irascible, Isobel is meddling, Mary is assertive, Sybil
is rebellious, Carson is stodgy, Lord Grantham is honorable, and so on. Yet,
each character shows their humanity by stepping outside their box: Obrien
repents, Lord Grantham skirts around a possible affair, and Violet demonstrates
unexpected compassion. When a character is well crafted, the element of
surprise enriches rather than detracts.
Plot/Conflict
Every character seems to
be embroiled in at least one triangle of testing and turmoil. Julian
Fellowes states that his favorite characters are Anna and Bates who habitually
struggle against external forces seemingly destined to tear their romance to
shreds. “These are two people
who have not been given all that much in life,” Fellowes says, “but what they
have been given is a real love. I wouldn’t ever want to undermine that. But
they’ve got to suffer a little. Nothing harder to dramatize than happiness.”
Dialogue
Downton Abbey masters the use of dialogue to reveal a character’s
personality, likes, ambitions, and moral compass. Many say that the best lines
are given to Maggie Smith’s character, the Dowager Countess of Grantham. Her
quips demonstrate her pride in her status. For example:
“Don’t be defeated, dear, it’s very middle class.”
Fellowes masterful use of creative dialogue, true to the character,
yet witty and sharp keeps the viewer attached to the story.
What can writes learn?
Ultimately, the praise Downton Abbey receives is the praise we
strive for in our fiction. Veronica says it best. “Most of all I love the story
line that does not sugar coat life. This is fiction at its best on television.”
SIDEEBAR-A DEFENSE OF LAST
SEASON’S ENDING
With two cast members leaving the show,
Fellowes was faced with a huge challenge. “When an actor playing a
servant wants to leave, there isn’t really a problem – [that character gets]
another job. With members of the family, once they’re not prepared to come back
for any episodes at all, then it means death. Because how believable would it
be that Matthew never wanted to see the baby, never wanted to see his wife? And
was never seen again at the estate that he was the heir to? So we didn’t have
any option, really. I was as sorry as everyone else.”
Wouldn’t you love to create a character that
everyone hated to see die?
______________________________________________________________________
Linda Wood Rondeau is a
native of Central New York, she graduated from North Syracuse High School and
later Houghton College. She moved to Northern New York where she met and
married Steve Rondeau, her best friend in life, and managed a career in human
services before tackling professional writing. After thirty-four years she and
her husband have relocated to Jacksonville, Florida to start a new
adventure...leaving rural America to live in a city of one million. Of course,
the more favorable temperatures allow her to follow another great passion--golf.
Rondeau's romantic suspense, The Other Side of Darkness, is the winner of the
2012 Selah Award for best first novel. Her romance, It Really IS a Wonderful Life is already a best seller. Joining her contemporary works is her first
non-fiction, I Prayed for Patience/God Gave Me Children. Her paranormal
suspense, Days of Vines and Roses is now available in both book and ebook
format. Find her at http://www.lindarondeau.com/ and http://fullflavoredliving.blogspot.com/ and http://lindarondeau.blogspot.com/
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