Wright, Lori

English

UNH Scholars' Repository

UNH British Historian Explains Appeal of Downton Abbey  Thursday, January 24, 2013 •  •  •   NICOLETTA GULLACE, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF HISTORY When World War I hero Matthew Crawley dropped to one knee in the swirling snow and finally proposed to Lady Mary Crawley in the season two finale of the popular PBS drama “Downton Abbey,” it was the culmination of a romance ensconced in an elegant and nostalgic lifestyle that has captured the imaginations of American viewers. But what was it like to live in 20th century Edwardian England, especially for women, and why does it intrigue so many of us? Today’s independent women would be hard pressed to live with the constraints experienced by early 20th century women of the Edwardian era, according to Nicoletta Gullace, associate professor of history at the University of New Hampshire, who studies 20th century British history. “We view a series like Downton Abbey with tremendous nostalgia and women, in particular, find themselves wishing they could recapture some of those traditions. What we modern viewers forget, though, is that the vast majority of us would have been Daisys, not Marys,” Gullace says, referring to Daisy, the kitchen maid for the Crawley family, and Lady Mary Crawley. “The equality of opportunity we strive for today comes at a cost, and that cost is the vast inequality that made it possible for the likes of the Crawleys to live so well. There is no harm, though, in watching a wonderful series like Downton Abbey and living that lifestyle vicariously,” she says. According to Gullace, while today we still have extremes of wealth and poverty in the United States, as they did in the Edwardian era, most young women are much more independent than they would have been in the early 20th century. Today, all women can go to college, have a career, vote, join the military, practice medicine, and travel alone without chaperones. “Women in the early 20th century were just beginning to explore those options, with a vocal minority demanding education, professional opportunities, and the vote. What we’ve given up, though, is a certain gentility and graciousness of living,” she says. “When women view Downton Abbey and feel nostalgic, they are not only nostalgic for the sumptuous way of life, the beautiful clothes, and the glittering parties, but for a different kind of relationship with men. Lord Crawley is noble and paternalistic, without being unkind or authoritarian, and Matthew is everything a woman could wish for – handsome, independent, noble of character, brave, and harboring an undying love for Mary,” Gullace says. Americans also may be intrigued by Downton Abbey and that period of British history because of its combination of tradition and modernity. “It is full of familiar things like running water, telephones, indoor plumbing, central heat, and steam travel, yet the very rich still displayed courtly manners and lived in unimaginable luxury and opulence. We are also connected to that time period more intimately, since it was not, in fact, so very long ago,” Gullace says. Gullace explains that her godfather was the same age as Matthew Crawley, fought in World War I, practiced medicine on Harley Street in London, and dressed for dinner every night. And while it was not Downton Abbey, Gullace’s godfather’s house was beautiful and richly appointed with silver, impressionist paintings, a lavish wine cellar, and numerous gardens, attended by a gardener. “Our table manners were always a cause for anxiety to my parents when we were there. Yet, when he died, so did the tradition of dressing for dinner. Eventually the silver, paintings, and wine were divided up among children who would rarely use them,” she says. Written by Lori Wright SUCCESS  SUBSCRIBE TO THE UNH TODAY NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBE TO  UNH TODAY RSS   UNH Today is produced for the UNH community and for friends of UNH. The stories are written by the staff of UNH Communications and Public Affairs. Email us: unhtoday.editor@unh.edu. MANAGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION      CONTACT US    Like us on Facebook   Follow us on Twitter   Follow us on YouTube   Follow us on Instagram   Find us on LinkIn   UNH Today RSS feeds UNH Today  •  UNH Main Directory: 603-862-1234 Copyright © 2021  •  TTY Users: 7-1-1 or 800-735-2964 (Relay NH) USNH Privacy Policies  •  USNH Terms of Use  •  ADA Acknowledgement  

UNH British Historian Explains Appeal of Downton Abbey

University of New HampshireUniversity of New Hampshire Scholars' RepositoryMedia Relations Administrative Offices12-13-2012UNH British Historian Explains Appeal ofDownton AbbeyLori WrightUNH Media RelationsFollow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/newsThis News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Administrative Offices at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It hasbeen accepted for inclusion in Media Relations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For moreinformation, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.Recommended CitationWright, Lori, "UNH British Historian Explains Appeal of Downton Abbey" (2012). UNH Today. 4105.https://scholars.unh.edu/news/4105December 13, 2012 UNH British Historian Explains Appeal of Downton AbbeyDURHAM, N.H. – When World War I hero Matthew Crawley dropped to one knee in the swirling snow and finally proposed to Lady Mary Crawley in the season two finale of the popular PBS drama “Downton Abbey,” it was the culmination of a romance ensconced in an elegant and nostalgic lifestyle that has captured the imaginations of American viewers.But what was it like to live in 20th century Edwardian England, especially for women, and why does it intrigue so many of us? Today’s independent women would be hard pressed to live with the constraints experienced by early 20th century women of the Edwardian era, according to Nicoletta Gullace, associate professor of history at the University of New Hampshire, who studies 20th century British history.“We view a series like Downton Abbey with tremendous nostalgia and women, in particular, find themselves wishing they could recapture some of those traditions. What we modern viewers forget, though, is that the vast majority of us would have been Daisys, not Marys,” Gullace says, referring to Daisy, the kitchen maid for the Crawley family, and Lady Mary Crawley. “The equality of opportunity we strive for today comes at a cost, and that cost is the vast inequality that made it possible for the likes of the Crawleys to live so well. There is no harm, though, in watching a wonderful series like Downton Abbey and living that lifestyle vicariously,” she says.According to Gullace, while today we still have extremes of wealth and poverty in the United States, as they did in the Edwardian era, most young women are much more independent than they would have been in the early 20th century. Today, all women can go to college, have a career, vote, join the military, practice medicine, and travel alone without chaperones. “Women in the early 20th century were just beginning to explore those options, with a vocal minority demanding education, professional opportunities, and the vote. What we’ve given up, though, is a certain gentility and graciousness of living,” she says. “When women view Downton Abbey and feel nostalgic, they are not only nostalgic for the sumptuous way of life, the beautiful clothes, and the glittering parties, but for a different kind of relationship with men. Lord Crawley is noble and paternalistic, without being unkind or authoritarian, and Matthew is everything a woman could wish for – handsome, independent, noble of character, brave, and harboring an undying love for Mary,” Gullace says.Americans also may be intrigued by Downton Abbey and that period of British history because of its combination of tradition and modernity. “It is full of familiar things like running water, telephones, indoor plumbing, central heat, and steam travel, yet the very rich still displayed courtly manners and Media RelationsPage 1 of 2UNH News: UNH British Historian Explains Appeal of Downton Abbey2/6/2018http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/releases/2012/dec/lw13downton.cfm.htmllived in unimaginable luxury and opulence. We are also connected to that time period more intimately, since it was not, in fact, so very long ago,” Gullace says. Gullace explains that her godfather was the same age as Matthew Crawley, fought in World War I, practiced medicine on Harley Street in London, and dressed for dinner every night. And while it was not Downton Abbey, Gullace’s godfather’s house was beautiful and richly appointed with silver, impressionist paintings, a lavish wine cellar, and numerous gardens, attended by a gardener. “Our table manners were always a cause for anxiety to my parents when we were there. Yet, when he died, so did the tradition of dressing for dinner. Eventually the silver, paintings, and wine were divided up among children who would rarely use them,” she says. The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world­class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space­grant university, UNH is the state's flagship public institution, enrolling 12,200 undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students.­30­Media Contact: Lori Wright | 603­862­0574 | UNH Media Relations Copyright © 2018, The University of New Hampshire  •  Durham, NH 03824  •  UNH main directory: (603) 862­1234. Media Relations is a unit of Communications & Public Affairs which is a division of University Advancement. ADA Acknowledgement | Contact the Webmaster | UNH Today | UNH Social Media IndexPage 2 of 2UNH News: UNH British Historian Explains Appeal of Downton Abbey2/6/2018http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/releases/2012/dec/lw13downton.cfm.html

University of New Hampshire

University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository
Media Relations Administrative Offices
12-13-2012
UNH British Historian Explains Appeal of
Downton Abbey
Lori Wright
UNH Media Relations
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/news
This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Administrative Offices at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It has
been accepted for inclusion in Media Relations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more
information, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.
Recommended Citation
Wright, Lori, "UNH British Historian Explains Appeal of Downton Abbey" (2012). UNH Today. 4105.
https://scholars.unh.edu/news/4105
December 13, 2012 
UNH British Historian Explains Appeal of Downton Abbey
DURHAM, N.H. – When World War I hero Matthew Crawley dropped to one knee in the swirling 
snow and finally proposed to Lady Mary Crawley in the season two finale of the popular PBS drama 
“Downton Abbey,” it was the culmination of a romance ensconced in an elegant and nostalgic 
lifestyle that has captured the imaginations of American viewers.
But what was it like to live in 20th century Edwardian England, especially for women, and why does 
it intrigue so many of us? 
Today’s independent women would be hard pressed to live with the constraints experienced by 
early 20th century women of the Edwardian era, according to Nicoletta Gullace, associate professor 
of history at the University of New Hampshire, who studies 20th century British history.
“We view a series like Downton Abbey with tremendous nostalgia and women, in particular, find 
themselves wishing they could recapture some of those traditions. What we modern viewers forget, 
though, is that the vast majority of us would have been Daisys, not Marys,” Gullace says, referring to 
Daisy, the kitchen maid for the Crawley family, and Lady Mary Crawley. 
“The equality of opportunity we strive for today comes at a cost, and that cost is the vast inequality 
that made it possible for the likes of the Crawleys to live so well. There is no harm, though, in 
watching a wonderful series like Downton Abbey and living that lifestyle vicariously,” she says.
According to Gullace, while today we still have extremes of wealth and poverty in the United States, 
as they did in the Edwardian era, most young women are much more independent than they would 
have been in the early 20th century. Today, all women can go to college, have a career, vote, join the 
military, practice medicine, and travel alone without chaperones. 
“Women in the early 20th century were just beginning to explore those options, with a vocal 
minority demanding education, professional opportunities, and the vote. What we’ve given up, 
though, is a certain gentility and graciousness of living,” she says. 
“When women view Downton Abbey and feel nostalgic, they are not only nostalgic for the 
sumptuous way of life, the beautiful clothes, and the glittering parties, but for a different kind of 
relationship with men. Lord Crawley is noble and paternalistic, without being unkind or 
authoritarian, and Matthew is everything a woman could wish for – handsome, independent, noble 
of character, brave, and harboring an undying love for Mary,” Gullace says.
Americans also may be intrigued by Downton Abbey and that period of British history because of its 
combination of tradition and modernity. “It is full of familiar things like running water, telephones, 
indoor plumbing, central heat, and steam travel, yet the very rich still displayed courtly manners and 
Media Relations
Page 1 of 2UNH News: UNH British Historian Explains Appeal of Downton Abbey
2/6/2018http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/releases/2012/dec/lw13downton.cfm.html
lived in unimaginable luxury and opulence. We are also connected to that time period more 
intimately, since it was not, in fact, so very long ago,” Gullace says. 
Gullace explains that her godfather was the same age as Matthew Crawley, fought in World War I, 
practiced medicine on Harley Street in London, and dressed for dinner every night. And while it was 
not Downton Abbey, Gullace’s godfather’s house was beautiful and richly appointed with silver, 
impressionist paintings, a lavish wine cellar, and numerous gardens, attended by a gardener. 
“Our table manners were always a cause for anxiety to my parents when we were there. Yet, when 
he died, so did the tradition of dressing for dinner. Eventually the silver, paintings, and wine were 
divided up among children who would rarely use them,” she says. 
The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world­class public research university with 
the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space­grant university, UNH is the 
state's flagship public institution, enrolling 12,200 undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students.
­30­
Media Contact: Lori Wright | 603­862­0574 | UNH Media Relations 
Copyright © 2018, The University of New Hampshire  •  Durham, NH 03824  •  UNH main directory: (603) 862­1234. 
Media Relations is a unit of Communications & Public Affairs which is a division of University Advancement. 
ADA Acknowledgement | Contact the Webmaster | UNH Today | UNH Social Media Index
Page 2 of 2UNH News: UNH British Historian Explains Appeal of Downton Abbey
2/6/2018http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/releases/2012/dec/lw13downton.cfm.html


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UNH British Historian Explains Appeal of Downton Abbey

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