Heritage and Englishness as depicted in 'Downton Abbey'

Essay from the year 2016 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: A-, University of Leipzig (Anglistik), course: Literaturwissenschaft, language: English, abstract: Downton Abbey has become, without a doubt, one of the most popular series in the history of British television. Brought to life under the wings of ITV, it became a method of preserving history and national identity of Great Britain. By watching Downton, people not only spend some quality time entertaining themselves, they also learn about history of their own country and compare the life of the main characters with their own. Downton Abbey is one of the latest examples of a screen genre that flourished mainly in 1980s and 1990s in Britain during the ´Thatcher´ years. The on-screen representation of the past became favourite way how to preserve history and 'Britishness'. Thatcher´s National Heritage Acts of 1980 and 1983 became some kind of a catalyst for producing heritage films and series. For cultural critics the heritage genre was a means for government to create a great ´heritage industry´ that would push Britain under the spotlight of international audiences and help develop interest in Britain´s tourism. Nowadays, the heritage films and dramas are easily recognisable. It all started with Jane Austen television adaptations by BBC. They portrayed aristocratic mansions and middle-class homes and examined privileged lives of those living in them. Merchant Ivory, Howards End and many more followed, showing precisely the same things. A heritage consumer industry was formed, that ´sold´ the past to audiences not only as an experience, but also as a product that could be bought and enjoyed. The main purpose of the paper is to discuss the way how the series portraits the remains of a way of life that is no longer lived; the historical setting and characters, the relationship between aristocracy and servants and the impact of historical details that shaped the period and brought significant changes.