How is the Representation of Social Class and Status constructed in the clip from TV drama Downton Abbey?
The extract begins with somebody waking other workers up to begin a day of work, it is quiet and Diegetic sounds being only whispered, this portrays how the mornings are calm before work. With the use of an establishing shot of the room we can see the characters here are not upper class, defiantly working class, its dark and untidy to suggest they don't have enough to clean their own personal living areas. A close up is used on this particular worker awaking and getting out of bed, the use of the close up shows not only the Claustrophobia of the character in the small, dark room but also how she feels when she's tired and that she's probably over worked. The scene quickly cuts to a loud busy kitchen, though mise- en- scene we as the audience sees the facilities as dark and, even though well looked after, dated. The kitchen scene shows one worker ordering another worker around the area, this shows the hierarchy in the workplace that even though she is also a worker by wearing the uniform and the way she talks (loud and informal) she is still on a higher level, the younger woman is seen kneeling on the ground whilst being ordered by the other, older woman, the way the camera positioned the younger woman on the ground while the older woman is above her shows how she is lower in influence in the workplace.
The scene ends with the audience following the younger female worker moving around the house, this is shown though a tracking shot as we see all the different sections of the house. the tracking shot cuts from behind, to in front, to behind again of the character, this is used to place the character in the environment, the working class outfit contrasts with the changing scene of the house and how she reacts to the change in surroundings. When the worker we're following enters the more higher class areas of the house the music of the scene changes to the classic Downton Abby theme song to convey the changing classes of the show to suggest this is their area. The different areas of the house is seen in this scene and contrast with the changing mood of the scene from the dark kitchen scenery to the comfortable living areas we find ourselves now. When entering the upper class areas and follow the character we'd been doing since the beginning, however, once there the character switch mid way though tracking shot and follow a servant of the upper class in more upper class working. Not only do the character, atmosphere and costumes change but the audience can hear the change in accents with the new group of workers speaking more formally than previously seen.
In the next scene a character is seen working in a fireplace whilst interacting with other workers, when the other worker are around the camera takes a medium shot between the both of them, this shows they are on the same part of the hierarchy. The workers discuss electricity and explain why they don't use it even when working, this shows the traditional workforce of the year 1912. Mid way though the scene it cuts to a close up of a woman walking towards the workforce holding keys, the key could portray a sense of power that the other workers do not possess, this makes this character seem imposing compared to the other characters we have been introduced thus far as she is able to influence the workers and clearly a upper class resident. When this character enters she begins to set orders to the other workers and interacts with the one in the fireplace, at this point the camera uses a high angle to show the upper class resident is in most power and appears as if the worker is cowering in the dark fireplace.
The final scene starts with a tracking shot of a bike to display the local environment which moves into an establishing shot to showcase the Abby for the first time, shows how this is a upper class area which makes people work for them. Cut to a quiet bedroom, the first moment of peace in the whole extract, this could portray how she is part of the upper class, and not needing to work, then quickly cut back to the working environment of the workers dinner hall at breakfast which is loud and frantic, this part of the extract contains some fast paced editing to show the interaction of everybody around the table and how they interact with each other. The hierarchy is seen once again with mise- en- scene showing us the upper class being harsh and short with the paper boy. The sound in the scene is a mixture of the diegetic and non- diegetic sounds being used, from the sounds of the bells that signals the attention of the workers on different members of the upper class, yet again showing the hierarchy of the people, as well as for the first time in the extract the upper and the lower class worker interacting with one another, this is a contrast of both formal and informal language being spoken together in conversation. A Times newspaper is being given to a member of the upper class, the Times is commonly known for its upper class audience and seems fitting for the people it is intended for. When somebody reads the newspaper a close up is shown as a reaction shot the display the characters emotion at the news, this news is kept from the audience. The last time we see the working class interacting is when a worker is described as having "black hands" this shows the hierarchy and conditions of the working class with their work being dirty and hardworking.
In conclusion, the representation of class and status is constructed in the extract by the inclusion of scenes where the working class contrasts with the upper class, the clothing, conditions of both classes working areas and the way they talk to one another which the audience was able to see from the four different media areas. The main thing that stood out was the idea of a divided status within the classes and the sense of a bigger hierarchy, members of the working class seemed more influential to the workforce than the others there.
