The latest season of ‘Downton Abbey’ had strongly highlighted issues on female independence, series creator Julian Fellowes recently shared.
The fifth season showed a number of the program’s female characters challenging social norms and expectations to make and be content with their own decisions.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Fellowes explained that the storyline of Edith Crawley, portrayed by Laura Carmichael, sheds light on the important events that involve her choices of taking back custody of her illegitimate daughter Marigold.
"The show is about the discovery of female independence as much as any other single themes," Fellowes stated. "The changing role of women between 1912 and 1925 was fantastic, given that it was only 13 years.”
The 65-year-old director and screenwriter further explained that Marigold’s story highlights the old belief that having an illegitimate child takes away the respect that society should have for mothers.
"With the storyline of Marigold, we're reminding people that until comparatively recently, an illegitimate child was impossible if you wanted to maintain a respectable lifestyle,” he added.
Edith's situation represents the circumstances that many women have gone through in history, especially those who have felt forced to surrender their children, Fellowes noted.
"That culture was with us absolutely until the end of the '50s, and in all classes," he said. "Someone like Edith would have a great deal to lose because she would also have to pay the penalty of being a worldwide scandal.
Fellowes also gave an example, such as working class women who would have to pretend that her child was her sister of some sort in order to retain employability and overall decency as well as to hang on to her potential as a wife.
With these true-to-life incidents, Fellowes believes that ‘Downton Abbey’ has been illustrative in relation to one of the most important themes in society, and that is women’s independence.
‘Downton Abbey’ is set to return for its sixth and final season later this year, before airing its final Christmas special.
Meanwhile, it seems that majority of its cast members are still looking forward to come together and take part in a special adaptation of the series.
Fellowes has reportedly been working with the program’s composer John Lunn to develop a musical adaptation of the series which can be taken to the road, thereby enabling the stars of the period drama series tro perform live shows in numerous cities.
Lunn himself has already confirmed that: “Some of the actors will likely recite. We’ll have a screen. We may have the music live to several scenes. Julian may be the host. I’d say it’s a 75 percent chance it will happen.”
