A Village That Transcends Time

NOV / DEC 2017: BY MARIANNA KAPLUN

Far, far away in Britain there is a beautiful place called Gretna Green. This small village in the south of Scotland famous for its runaway weddings and romantic wedding traditions dating back over centuries, which originated from cross-border elopements stemming from differences between Scottish marriage laws and those in neighboring countries. So why does this unremarkable village have a wedding capital’s reputation? Let’s try to understand.

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The Crawley Family: Downton Abbey

NOV / DEC 2014: BY ROSIE WILSON

If there’s one PBS show we all know and love, it is Downton Abbey. Somehow, all the classic period dramas hail from across the pond, but we don’t mind. In fact, it would be difficult for me to find another fictional family from that era that I might enjoy more. The Crawleys, after all, are a stalwart bunch. They keep calm and press on, even when it’s hard, but they haven’t always been so tightly knit. There was a time when relationships were strained (some still are) and tensions were high.

Edith Crawley: Ask Lydia

MARCH / APRIL 2012: BY LYDIA M.

Everyone always seems to expect growing up with sisters to be like Little Women, all sweet games and playing in the attic.

I do believe Mama was hoping it would be like that as she read it to us several times as girls. Subtlety is not one of her strong points.

A Modern Woman: Sybil Crawley

MARCH / APRIL 2012: BY HANNAH KINGSLEY

There are several kinds of female characters in books and movies, perhaps more reflective of real women than we would like to admit.

Some fall into the damsels in distress category, women ever in need of rescue. There are also “tomboys” who shy away from womanly pursuits such as the “Jo’s” from Little Women, and the women who dress as men to go on adventures. Then there are women who are (sometimes anachronously) against the historical tide. In Downton Abbey, the plucky Lady Sybil Crawley falls into the latter category.

Social Distinctions: The World of Downton Abbey

MARCH / APRIL 2012: BY RISSI C.

One of the things that has survived through the ages, and is still a major social issue in politics today, is the distinction between the “upper class” and those who are considered “middle class.”

The biggest part of the debate seems to be whether or not people who have some affluence should have an easier time of it in the current economy or be made to pay more taxes. These separations might have evolved and changed in the years since World War I but there was a time when life was not merely a matter of politics and the gap between wealth and those who would do well to become a footman in a grand house were much greater. Such a scenario is told in the beautiful, Emmy award-winning drama Downton Abbey.

Redeeming Love: Matthew & Mary Crawley

MARCH / APRIL 2012: BY CHARITY BISHOP

From first impression to last, Mary Crawley equally attracts and frustrates us.

She appears to be cold and withdrawn, uncertain of her own emotions and of what is expected of her, and utterly unworthy of the love of her cousin Matthew, whose charm and selflessness stand out in sharp contrast to her petty insecurities. Yet theirs is the romance that most captured our hearts as Downton Abbey unfolded, a “will they or won’t they?” that came to a conclusion at last with a proposal in a snowy courtyard.