Mary, Mary, (often contrary)...
The eldest of the three Grantham daughters never - not even for a moment - lets anyone forget that she was there first and, therefore, has a right to that haughty attitude of hers. She has perfected that time-honored skill of looking down one's nose at others and does so on a regular basis, often accompanied by a smart toss of her head. Although, as of late, she's adopted a more active role in the running of the estate and has opened up her once closely shuttered mind to accept new ideas about running the business so that they don't lose the whole kit and caboodle. Still, she can be a pill. A big one.
She's had great story lines...the Mr. Pamuk scandal threatened to ruin her chances of ever finding a suitable husband. Today that situation wouldn't be given a second thought. Well, maybe a second thought - a dead man in a woman's bed is always good fodder for at least one news cycle. The beautiful and drawn out "getting to know you" relationship with Matthew was a joy to watch and even harder to accept when it was stopped it its tracks a couple of seasons ago (Devastated, I was. Positively devastated) Last season it was the "dueling suitors" saga and Mary did a grand job of keeping them both dangling. However, Lady Mary is now 32. It's time to *blank* or get off the pot, girlie. Of course, she has produced a male heir so her role in that department has been filled. Now she can marry just for the fun of it!
Edith (aka Poor Edith)...
As often happens with middle children, Edith somehow manages to get lost in the sea of nobles at Downton. Deliberately portrayed as dowdy (actress Laura Carmichael is really quite lovely), Edith always seems to grab the short end of the stick and any redeeming qualities she might have (and she does have some) are overlooked by the family.
I imagine she feels quite a bit like Jan Brady.
Edith also has some good story lines, but more often than not I find myself wringing my hands and dabbing the corners of my eyes with a finely embroidered hankie. She's come so close to happiness, but then...it's snatched out of her delicate, white fingers. There are a plethora of cliches that apply to Edith...always a bridesmaid, never the bride, a rose whose bloom has passed, unlucky in love, the one with the unfortunate face...alas, Poor Edith.
And I should also mention that there's a healthy does of sibling rivalry between Mary and Edith. Mary's got quite an acerbic tongue and Edith can be quite crafty and deceptive, especially if she thinks she can take a rung out of Mary's elevated status. During a particularly difficult moment for the family, Edith beseeches Mary, asking her if they can't put aside their differences and try to get along. Mary responds with, "I highly doubt it." Or something like that. Perfectly touching moment ruined.
Sybil (the wild child)...
I knew Sybil was a rebel in the making when she donned that beautiful Moroccan-style outfit in season one. Of course she got a way with it because she's the youngest and is expected to flaunt convention at every turn. When she claps her eyes on the family chauffeur for the first time and sparks fly, you could almost hear the collective gasp of the entire county. Forbidden love is always the tastiest and Downton devotees were not disappointed. Of all the girls, Sybil was the one who inherited her mother's brash American heritage and was not going to be bound by the social norms of the day. You go, girl! Her departure from the show was one of the most heart-wrenching scenes I've ever watched.
Rose (not really a Crawley, but close enough)
Cousin Rose has brought youth back into the lives of the Crawley's (if you don't count Sybie and George) and she is a lively little thing. What with sneaking out to local pubs and posh London clubs, she finds herself in a whole slew of sticky wickets. She invites a jazz band with a black lead singer to perform at Lord Grantham's birthday, which almost makes him (the Earl) keel over from shock...imagine what his reaction would be if he knew what was going on below stairs with the pair of them!!!
Being as young as she is, she can play the innocent and get away with it most of the time. And she's very persuasive...getting some of the below stairs folks to aid and abet her mischievousness and finally, after much hinting and eye batting, haranguing Uncle Robert to get a wireless...just to hear the King make a speech.
One of the most beautiful scenes in the entire series is Rose's debut into London society. It was a lush, glittery and spectacular affair, full of high society pomp and circumstance. It astonishes me to think how much money was (maybe still is) poured into those affairs. Now that she's "out," Rose is prime marriage material, but don't count on her making a good match for the family's sake...it's love or nothin' at all with her.
Next time...The Dowager Countess
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