Award-winning author Ginger Monette enjoys
dancing on the treadmill, watching period dramas, public speaking, and
reading—a full-length novel every Sunday afternoon. Learn more about her
and her books at her website.
Is Downton Abbey a
Copycat of Pride & Prejudice?
One Sunday
night while watching season 2 of Downton Abbey, it dawned on me:
Downton Abbey is a
copycat of Pride & Prejudice! Now, whether Julian Fellowes really did look to
Jane Austen's classic as inspiration, I cannot say, but let's look at some of
the similarities.
A houseful
of daughters with no heir
Both
storylines are built on the premise of impending doom due to the family's
misgivings about the unfamiliar heir. In Pride & Prejudice, Austen
placed a cast of five daughters at risk of being “thrown to the hedgerows” should
their father die before they are wed. Julian Fellowes chose three sisters for Downton
Abbey's cast, although they seem more concerned for the future of their physical home
and the general uncertainty brought about by the new heir rather than their
personal futures.
Similar
characters
Both Austen
and Fellowes chose a heroine who is an “obstinate, headstrong girl.” Downton Abbey's
Lady Mary Crawley was never one to hold her tongue. And certainly Austen's
Elizabeth Bennet never hesitated to voice her opinion on everyone and everything!
Perhaps the
most similar characters in the two stories is a domineering matriarch. The
outspoken dowager Lady Grantham is one of Downton Abbey's most colorful
characters. But I believe Fitzwilliam Darcy's imperious aunt, Lady Catherine de
Bourgh, could have given even Violet Crawley a run for her money!
An
attempted elopement
Both dramas
include an attempted elopement that spawns uproar in the respective families.
Readers are aghast when Austen's rogue, George Wickham, runs off with
Elizabeth's younger sister, nearly ruining the Bennet family's reputation.
Conversely, Downton Abbey fans
cheered when daughter-of-the-manor Lady Sybil and chauffeur-servant Branson
finally kissed. But their pairing and attempted elopement was scandalous
nonetheless, and sent Sybil's sisters hurrying after her and their father into
a thunderous outage.
Both Austen
and Fellowes used the scandalous union as a clever plot device to not only
create drama, but to keep audiences on the edge of their seats. Would the
scandalous pair remain together? How would the scandal drive future storylines
and affect the other characters?
A grand
estate
In both Pride
& Prejudice and Downton Abbey, a grand house is a silent, yet
central character. For nearly 200 years women have been swooning over
Pemberley, the estate of Austen's heartthrob Fitzwilliam Darcy. And Highclere
Castle's gold rectangular structure topped with corner towers and spires is
instantly recognizable as the Crawley's beloved family home on Downton
Abbey.
These lavish
homes set our hearts to dreaming and become a beloved character in and of
themselves. But the Austen/Fellowes parallels don't stop there. It is worth
noting that the name Downton Abbey is suspiciously similar to Donwell
Abbey, the name Austen chose for George Knightley's estate in her classic
work, Emma.
An
entailed estate with an “unsuitable” heir
In Pride
& Prejudice,
the unsuitable heir is the obnoxious rector William Collins, whose marriage
proposal to Elizabeth Bennet is flatly refused. In Downton Abbey, Matthew Crawley is a dashing, but
lowly solicitor. And although both “unsuitable heirs” go on to propose to other women, in the
case of Downton Abbey, viewers are thrilled when the love struck hero and heroine
eventually marry.
High
society characters falling in love with, well, those not so high society
Fitzwilliam
Darcy is downright disgusted with himself for falling in love with Elizabeth
Bennet, a woman so decidedly beneath him. And in Downton Abbey, Lady Mary Crawley is incensed that
a man in trade will inherit her family home. But in the end, fans are delighted
when love wins out for both couples.
We may never
know if Julian Fellowes was inspired by Jane Austen, but certainly in both
cases, the premise has enchanted millions and proven to be a blockbuster
success in both literature and film.
Darcy's Hope ~
Beauty from Ashes
A Pride &
Prejudice Great War Romance (Volume 1)
Escape to the
era of Downton Abbey and experience all the drama of World War 1 alongside
literature's iconic Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy. You'll watch
their tender love unfold as they learn to work together and reconcile their
differences at a field hospital only miles from the Front.
1916. World War
1 has turned French chateaux into bloody field hospitals, British gentlemen
into lice-infested soldiers, and left Elizabeth Bennet's life in tatters. Her father is
dead and her home destroyed. Never again will Elizabeth depend on a man to
secure her future! But when an
opportunity arises to advance her dreams of becoming a doctor, she is
elated--until HE arrives....
Heartbroken.
Devastated. Captain Fitzwilliam Darcy is left rejected by the woman he loved
and reeling from the slaughter of his men on the battlefield.
"Enough!" Darcy vows. "No more sentimental attachments!" But arriving at
a field hospital to pursue a covert investigation, Darcy discovers his beloved
Elizabeth training with a dashing American doctor and embroiled in an espionage
conspiracy. With only a few
months to expose the plot, Darcy is forced to grapple with his feelings for
Elizabeth while uncovering the truth. Is she indeed innocent? Darcy can only
hope....
Note: Darcy's Hope has a happy ending but continues
in Darcy's Hope at Donwell Abbey. In the sequel, readers will
experience the full resolution of the mystery, and our beloved couple's love
will face a new, tragic test.
Buy Links
3 comments:
Thank you, Lois, for hosting Darcy's Hope on your blog today!
~Ginger Monette
Ginger, we think alike. I made similar comparisons between "Downtown" and "Pride" to family and friends. Few agreed with me. Thanks for the post, and have a great weekend!
Indeed! When I've pointed out the similarities, most people say, "Oh! You're right! They ARE similar...."
On another note, I just saw that a Downton Abbey movie may be in the works! http://bit.ly/2i0yhwh
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