Inklings Link-Up~November 2020

Yahh! The Inklings Link-Up has become a series that I always look forward too! Here are my link-ups from September and October. 

1. At any time during the month, on your own blog post a scene from a book or film that matches the prompt, including a link back here in your post.

2. Link-back to Heidi's blog in the comments section with a link to you Inklings prompt.

November Prompt

A character making an undignified splash in book or film (i.e. landing in the likes of mud, or water dumped over their head etc.)

Downton Abbey: Season 1-Episode 5

Lady Sybil Crawley and Gwen Dawson fall in the mud

Nothing says equality between the social classes like falling in the mud. Very reminiscent of the famous cow chasing scene from Anne of Avonlea, where Anne Shirley and her bosom friend, Diana Berry attempt to chase a cow from a field, only to land in the mud (in front of Gilbert Blythe), Downton Abbey took its own spin on the classic scene. 

Beautiful and free thinking Lady Sybil Crawley, the youngest daughter of Robert and Cora Crawley, the Earl and Countess of Grantham who reside in Downton Abbey, has befriended her maid, Miss Gwen Dawson and is delighted when she learns of Gwen's desire to make more of herself than just being a servant. Gwen has been secretly taking typing classes in her free time in hopes of gaining a secretarial position. 

Sybil has become interested in politics, especially the women's suffrage movement. and also believes in equality between the upstairs/downstairs hierarchy of the aristocratic homes. Not only does she encourage her maid to continue her classes, she also helps to seek employment for her. When Gwen gets a job interview, Sybil drives her out in the governess carriage (unbeknownst her family, who would die of shock if they found out).

On the way home, the carriage gets stuck. In normal situations, Gwen would be expected to get out and move the carriage while her mistress waited. Yet, Lady Sybil is hardly a conventional women and gets out and helps her. The carriage finally moves, but at the humiliating cost of both maid and lady falling face first in the mud. For a few minutes, the barriers are broken down and it's just two women working together with no thought of where they fall on the social ladder.