Downton Abbey - The sad story of Ethel, who just wanted more from life
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- Опубліковано 20 сер 2024
- Ethel Parks came to work at Downton as a housemaid. However, she did not want to be in service her whole life and dreamed of a different life. When Downton was turned into a convalescent home she met Major Bryant who was being treated there. One night Mrs. Hughes found Ethel and Bryant having sex and summarily dismissed Ethel. Ethel later returned to Downton seeking Mrs. Hughes help as she was pregnant with Bryant's child. It went downhill from there...
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Ethel was ultimately lucky that Isobel took pity on her, and that Mrs. Hughes showed her kindness. But Ethel should have just moved away, and told people that she was a married woman, who lost her husband in the war. No one would look down on a widower
If she'd been a war widow, she would have had money from the army to support herself and the child. Which she didn't. At the time, a woman who had a child was expected to stay at home, not work. There weren't jobs for mothers.
With what money?????
I always roll my eyes at Ethel, even after her downfall she was still demanding 'youve got to help me'
I used to find Ethel rather annoying, but after watching downtown several times she’s really grown on me. I fee a large amount of sympathy for her; she just wanted to be a star after the war and instead she fades away. So sad especially considering this would’ve happened to many people during the war so so terribly sad.
Ethel did nothing that Lady Edith didn’t. The only difference is that Michael Gregson (probably) had more honourable intentions than Major Bryant. Ethel was dismissed without a reference, left to a life of servitude, and had to give up her son. Lady Edith on the other hand, who was born privileged, managed to have a successful career, raise her daughter as her own, and live a life of luxury as the wife of one of the grandest men in the country.
One difference though and a major one. Ethel chose major Bryant to socially elevate herself… he was her way out. Edith simply loved Michael Gregson, she wasn’t using him
Yeah. But tons of people kept warning her and she still got herself in trouble. This was the way things were for women in that time. Edith was rich and she had family who supported her. Unfortunately, Ethel had none. I don't want to blame her too much, as I think at her age, she is probably so desperate because she thinks time is running away. But that was unfortubatelg how things were, and are even today. Things might be bettef today, but an unmarried woman who gets pregnant still has to think hard about the choices she made and the way she can taje going forward.
So? Boohoo Ethel got treated different because she's poor? It's sad but that is how the world is back then. We can't change it. Even in this day and age, us poor people can't just act as frivolous as rich folk. Conseqiences are different for us. She should've known better. I pity her child.
I felt bad for Ethel and her story was definitely sugar-coated compared to what women in her position would have gone through at the time. She had a lot of kindness and help from Mrs Hughes, Isobel, Cora and even Violet (pretty sure a Countess/Dowager Countess at the time wouldn’t have given a fig about a previous housemaid who got in trouble).
I do think they dragged the story on for way longer then necessary. It got to the point that every time she popped up in the servant’s corridor and we heard Mrs Hughes say, ‘Ethel!’ in that shocked way I found myself rolling my eyes and going, ‘Oh what now?!’. Like when everyone was grieving for Lady Sybil and there she was again wanting help. It just got a bit annoying after a while.
She had to give her child away in the end, wouldn't say that's ''sugarcoated''...
They definitely dragged it. They should've kept more to Sybil and the following storylines regarding her death, Robert and Cora, etc.. Ethel's should've remained downstairs until it reached its culmination.
I fully sympathise with Ethel, though I cannot help but say that oversmart people end up being in situations like this all the time. And I'm quite sure that the officer she slept with probably wouldn't marry her even if he hadn't been killed.
IKR he was a total player
I sympathise a little later in the story but damm she was annoying in the beginning
@@dreamsteddybearsmaster British playboy 🤣🤣
@@EstherHulst-Artist exactly 😆
@@shadow-spirit5870 Tbh Major Bryant was even more annoying and nauseating, she was willing take responsibility of the results of their act, he wasn't.
Sadly I feel like Ethel's story happened a lot IRL. Times of war bring out the most desperate and worst of people
What would you know about times of war, sweetheart? It also brings the best out of people, and then people adapt and brings out absolutely nothing.
Sure I don't know much but I would expect you wouldn't either. @@yevgeniyaleshchenko849
Mrs Crawley, an Angel.
00:03:45
"You're upsetting Mrs Bryant"
"But I..."
"I said you are upsetting Mrs. Bryant."
Everytime laughing at this :D
Mrs. hughes could've at least stood up for her and be the witness in the dining table
When Mr. Bryant asked about the 'proof', Mrs. Hughes should've said that she saw them together and that's why she fired her. I don't know how right it would've been but that's most of a proof if they counted the days since it happened and when Ethel reached Mrs. Hughes.
@@kawaiimatilda That's not something that could have been brought up at a lord's table. And it would have equally been proof against Ethel - in their eyes, if a woman slept with one man unwed, she could have slept with others.