the representation of class within the 'Titanic' and 'Downton Abbey'

After all of the research i have done i have decided to evaluate it all into this blog post.

I have chosen to do it on the representation of Class within 1910 -1920 as there was a massive split within this time. The reason I am using the 'Titanic' and 'Downton Abbey' is because I feel these shows best show the difference between social classes at that time and also, as this is apart of my Media Production course i think it fits well with my work so far on the course.

I am going to use some of my research that i have found for the other pages to build up some ideas and facts from the time that have been used within these films and shows.

In the Titanic film, the Passengers were segregated depending on their class. The third class passengers were less important and therefore were kept in the bottom decks of the boat and away from the first and second class passengers. 'Third class passengers were legally required by US Emigration laws to be physically segregated from first and second class passengers in order to prevent the spread of disease' - http://livingtitanic.com/myths--faqs.html. as stated in the quote, it was to ensure there was no spread of diseases however, this segregation between classes was being used in other situations as well, such as buses, houses, jobs etc. could it all be because of the spread of disease? or was it just a way to keep the upper class superior to the working class?

The working class worked in industrial cities such as Liverpool and Manchester, this included jobs such as mining and textile workers. Studies have shown jobs like this carried quite bad mortality rates with them, this also included the areas the work was in.

http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=0l3wMZBq3hgC&oi=fnd&pg=PA129&dq=social+class+segregation+1910+england&ots=9YZFsY_3FX&sig=zmgACYDqe7faGodNwYiIY55-C9k#v=onepage&q=class%20segregation&f=false

Obviously the working class (third class) did carry diseases with them due to the conditions they lived in and worked in over the period of 1910 - 1920. However, this does not mean they would be completely to blame for carrying disease as 'the standard of living by the end of the 19th century changed as most of the working class enjoyed a better standard of living however still over a quarter lived in poverty'. - Thackray Museum exhibit. The majority of the working class did live in better areas and in better environments which would suggest their disease carrying rate would have dropped and most likely would have been highly similar to the upper classes.

Within the film 'The Titanic' the classes didn't seem to want to mix due to not wanting to ruin their own representation which is clear in many scenes throughout. Obviously in 1910 there was still many diseases going around and it would have got anybody ill who had come into contact with it. The ship attendants will have carried around all the floors. This was purely segregation to keep classes seperate and prevent socialisation.

boarding the Titanic - On the blog page - Titanic (Film, scenes and notes)

Within this Video there is a clear division, the 1st class are allowed on the Ship first, they are also taken to the higher decks, where as the 3rd class get on last and on to the bottom decks.

Now in Downton Abbey, this was slightly different. Yes, there was segregation within the house between the work staff and the family however, they did cross paths in and around the house. In fact, the staff and family seemed to get along with each other.
Thought this was the case, there was a clear split between the two, The staff had their own plain sleeping quarters away from the family, they also had to eat and leisure separately as well. This kept the staff as workers and not friends.

How the Castle was used in Downton Abbeys Christmas Special - http://www.gadailynews.com/news/regional/200528-revealed-downton-s-intimate-secrets-in-3d.html

Highclere castle foor plan - Highclere castle and Gardens

There was a major controversy within Downton Abbey where a servant and a family member fell in love; This meant the servant becoming part of the family. Usually this wouldn't have been accepted as it was seen as an embarrassment to the family if other wealthy families found out. However in the series it was eventually accepted and the couple got married and had a child. The segregation could have also prevented the working class marrying into a wealthy family and giving that family a potential bad name.

Tom and Lady Sybil love affair/ servant and family member - Downton Abbey

Tom and Sybil - Accepted by the family - Downton Abbey

Tom and Lady Sybil with child - Downton Abbey

In the 'Titanic' film there is also a main storyline about a love and romance between two young adults from different social classes. Rose is from a 1st Class family and when on board the Titanic, she is in the top decks where as Jack is third class and is secluded to the bottom decks. When Jack saves her from death he is invited to a family meal in the first class restaurant. There is a major divide between him and Roses Mother who wants nothing to do with the commoners and makes this perfectly clear to him.

First Class Dinner - On Blog page - Titanic (Film, Scenes and notes)

Jack in Bottom Left of picture

Jack isn't accepted by many of the first class passengers however, this isn't the same for Rose when she goes down into third class.

third class party - Youtube video

Obviously there was only really a problem for the 1st class with the 3rd class in this decade and it did cause a split between them both.

Both productions have used Social class in their story lines which makes me think that it was a big problem within the 19th Century. The fact it is used obviously makes it a good storyline for films based in this time.

The classes were also separated in smaller ways such as Clothes, personal items and more.

When watching Titanic there is a difference just looking at the first class compared to the the working class. The 1st class are dressed formal the majority of the time with jewellery and accessories to accompany them. The lower class however are dressed down and their outfits are pretty plain and dull in colour.

There are a couple of pictures here.

 Working class attire - 1900's

1st class attire - 1900's (outfit used in the titanic)

As the 1st class could afford better clothing, they used this to their advantage by making themselves look better and more important than the working class passengers. The film 'Titanic' uses this to their advantage to keep segregation.

This is also the case in 'Downton Abbey' however, instead of the working class staff being in their own clothes; they are in plain, dark uniforms.
This shows a clear divide between the staff and the family, the staff they know they are their workers and not friends (discussed in Downton Abbey page of blog).

Living/sleeping areas in Both the Film 'The Titanic' and Tv series 'Downton Abbey' between the two social classes was very different as well.

Starting with the Titanic, the first class get every luxury possible, from their own private bedrooms to grand furnishings and round the clock help from Titanic maids. The third class however, had to share rooms (4 to a room within the film) with strangers and literally had only what they needed; no luxuries what so ever.

Recreation Titanic First class cabin - Titanic Las vegas (own photograph)

Third Class Cabin - Titanic Las Vegas (own Photograph)

This i believe kept a divide as the third class could only dream of the luxuries the 1st class got, they could not afford them. I think this made it clear to the third class they were nothing compared to the upper classes and therefore began a self-fulfilling Prophecy; The first class keep reinforcing their hierarchy on the lower classes and making sure they feel they can never achieve it. As stated in the Great War Documentary on the Documentary page 'There was a major Class Struggle that kept the working class in poverty' The working class were trying to break free of the way they lived but were kept down due to capitalism and politics.

This is also clear in Downton Abbey, The family live in the top part of the house, where as the maids and workers live in the bottom part of the house with hardly anything. This is shown in the floor plan above.

First class dining - Downton Abbey

Servant Quarter - Downton Abbey

As you can see in these photographs and the photographs above in the titanic section we can see their is a clear difference between the two social classes, from the way they live, dress, dine and spend. When making a film production about this decade it shows production teams have to consider how far the split was between the two classes as it wouldn't be authentic putting a working class family friends with an upper class one - the only involvement could be in a work related manner. 

Conclusion and reflection

Though these are fictitious films, we know from other sources such as books, museums and the internet that have been used throughout my blog and within this page itself that there was a divide between the two Social classes and that the film, 'The Titanic' and Tv series 'Downton Abbey' are using real problems in their productions and if anyone was to make a film based in the 1910 and 1920's they would have to consider all these issues and include them into apart of their production's story lines. If not in the storyline exactly, they would have to at least consider what family they would base it on and keep the other social class away as they would not socialise at all.

Reflecting back through my Projects work I can see amazing progress and the information i have about the decade and the films i have examined has helped me a lot to understand what went on and how people have been able to make authentic films about this decade. Though some of my work may not be completely related to the subject i ended up working towards, they still helped me create a feeling for the decade and the work could come in use within another project in the future.