Title: Downton Abbey, Season 2 Episode 8 (25:39-27:10)
Tags: Power Elites, Power Positions, Social hierarchy, Social norms, social structure, Access to power,
Author: T. Stachowiak
Date: April 27th, 2015
Downton Abbey:
The PBS and BBC Masterpiece
drama, Downton Abbey, focuses on the Crawley family and residents of the
household during 1912-1924. It is a perfect example of Mills classical power
display, focusing on how the aristocracy and the household staff interact.
Focusing on Mills’ Theory of Balance and how the characters uphold and
challenge their society’s social structures. “It is very difficult to give up
the old model of power as an automatic balance, with its assumptions of a
plurality of independent, relatively equal, and conflicting groups of the
balancing society.” (p.234) Thus, we can see Mills’
theories enacted in which all social classes work to maintain the norm. Mills’ theory of balance includes Tom Branson, a chauffeur, and Lady Sybil,
daughter of Lord Grantham. They, unlike Carson, challenge the balance because
they fall in love and want to be married. They try to change the minds of the
aristocracy, however Lord Grantham greatly opposes because he thinks he knows
what is best for Sybil. In his efforts to stop the marriage he tries to pay off
Tom so he will leave the family alone. Tom doesn’t take the money and he states
that he will not take the money because not everyone can be paid off like
‘people of his kind’ think is possible for every situation. This statement also shows that Branson tries to show that he deserves social power although he is 'under' Lord Grantham. This scene also displays the transition of power happening during the time.
