Is anyone else watching this on PBS's Masterpiece Theater? I enjoy all the shows Masterpiece Theater does but this seems to be an especially good one. I love Maggie Smiths role. These British historical dramas show well what became of so many of the landed aristocrats and their society after the wars when so many of the male heirs to the estates were killed. I wonder what will become of Mary?
Sorry, Diane. Bball takes precedence until say the middle of March. See ya then! 8)
The best Sunday nights years ago were watching Masterpiece Theater. I learned to appreciate many authors especially Dickens. I will watch and we can discuss it.
I found the site where you can view the entire episodes.
Saw episode one today. What a compelling story. Felt very sad for Bates and for Mary. Plan to watch episodes two and three on Sunday.
Diane, did you see A Tale of Two Cities ? This was one they produced many years ago and it was really good.
"Tis a far far better thing I do than I have ever done"...sure did, extremely well done. I think kids today should get to see all the good ones along with the books when they are studying literature, really makes it come alive for them.
Loved this show and really enjoyed it. I fell asleep before the end last night , but the entire episode is on the website.
Oh I think so. I would never read Dickens voluntarily, but once I saw Masterpiece, he became one of my favorites. The themes are the very same today as they were then. The times change but human motivations are much the same.
My belief is that kids are into drugs, sex and violence because they do not know about the past. They have not received education about music history, poetry and literature.
Also they do not know about or honor their own family history.
It may have to do somewhat with how it's presented. I know we had some art and music history in high school ,which some of the boys immediately labeled as sissy stuff. Any boy who actually liked it wouldn't have dared to admit it. But the one music teacher, Pat Canfield, knew how to get to the boys and they would do anything for him. He also started our first marching band in 1956. He is still alive and always comes to our reunions. As for literature, Mr. Wakefield knew how to make it come alive and everyone enjoyed all the classics we got to read because he knew how to explain the time periods they were set in. Of course the college courses were great and I had many, as I was carrying a double minor in art and music.
Getting to travel has been good too, as I've been able to see some of the real places where some of the stories happened, London, Avon, Canterbury etc. As far as family history ,I wish more people would tell their kids more . Mom and Daddy did and I was able to find the old family place in Scotland where Mom's people were from. I know some about Daddy's side but haven't been to Alsace where they were from. There is a town up in the mountains called Amberg.
Tell me more about how you liked Downton Abbey. Now what will happen to the cook? They certainly didn't seem to have any problems yet having enough food.
I think it a wonderful thing if a person can see their own family in terms of literary history or any kind of history. Can you imagine your own family being a part of what Dickens wrote about in his novels? Or perhaps just living in England during that time? Many of our real life families did come from England and they have a rich heritage from that time.
Diane I have not watched the entire show as I fell asleep. But will as soon as I can get to it. I saw the part where the cook was losing her eyesight and dropped the chicken on the floor. I did wonder how they could pay such a big staff !!
Don't know what happened to Mary yet. The show had feminist theme as I remember Mary said she did not have a life beyond trying on dresses and going to events. Also transition from the old life to new as Dr. Crawley expressed.
More later.
Al looked up Highclere House were the film was made. It has an interesting history of it's own. As far as living in that time, considering how many people died of diseases back then it's a wonder any of our families made it to this day.
So true Diane. I have studied geneology a lot and I think the women who had many children kept the population going. One of my gggrandfathers had 12 with his first wife and 6 with his second wife.
Just finished the third episode. " Forty years of boredom and duty" was one memorable qoute. Really enjoyed how the flower show turned out. Also shows the development of the love relationships as they are in real life. Sometimes rocky and up and down. Looks like Matthew may get together with Mary after all.
It was really great to see Bates fall in love, and to see him so gingerly describe his state of being. He seemed to be hoping she would understand and I think she did. Also enjoyed seeing her tell him directly that she loved him. Now what is coming next?
Do hope they marry.
What is the website you are watcing it on?
PBS Masterpiece. key this into google.
Someone had that many children, I didn't know anyone had that many. Think of how many Grandchildren Greats and so on, the compound affect would be massive.
Quote from: twirldoggy on January 25, 2011, 04:49:56 PM
So true Diane. I have studied geneology a lot and I think the women who had many children kept the population going. One of my gggrandfathers had 12 with his first wife and 6 with his second wife.
My maternal grandparents had 14 children, all of whom lived to adulthood. However, the grandchildren count wasn't much as most of them limited their families to less than 3 children. I lost count of the great granchildren a long time ago.
Frank, did you have tongue in cheek when you said,"Someone had that many children, I didn't know anyone had that many."?
Wilma, the devil made me do it.