Downton Abbey Season 2 Episode 2

This week's episode of Downton Abbey introduced a number of new characters as well as lost a favorite. It seems as though Bates' departure may have been for good considering he was not present at all in this episode. Lord Grantham still struggles with not being at the front lines during the war, much like William in the last episode. However, in an interesting turn of events, William has been called off to war and is much too pleased about it. Daisy likes William but is hesitant when he calls her his "sweetheart." This is surprising since she is the one who kissed William first. With so many people leaving the house, Carson is placed under a great deal of stress and almost has a heart attack from it. Lady Edith gets a job driving a tractor for a married couple but gets in too deep when she develops feelings for the husband and is dismissed from her work there. Sybil becomes more and more involved at the hospital caring for injured soldiers. Thomas returns to Downton when he is purposely injured at war and also helps at the hospital. One young soldier has become permanently blind while at war and ends up committing suicide at the hospital. He does this when he finds out he will be moved since his injures are healed and he needs only to learn how to live with his new disability. Another reasoning is that the hospital needs the bed for other injured soldiers. Thomas is extremely shaken up about this.As a result, Sybil is moved to take the matter up with the family. She requests that they open their home to more injured soldiers returning from war. Her grandmother, Violet, is appalled at the idea but Cora seems to begin thinking it over. As stated in my last blog, this war is bringing about some pretty drastic changes in Downton.

One theme that is present in this episode is the selfish attitude of the wealthy, particularly Violet. Perhaps it is because of the historic time and culture that she was raised in, but she has drastically different views than her granddaughter, Sybil. When This can be seen in the scene when Sybil presents her request to the family of opening their home to injured soldiers. Her heart behind the matter cannot be ignored. Her grandmother, on the other hand, does not take kindly to the request. She doesn't try to hid her scoffing in the slightest. This scene truly amazed me. Here was an upper class family sitting in a grossly large sized house with maids catering to their every need and they refuse to give up space to men who are literally dying for them and their country. In this sense, the minds of the wealthy are controlled with self-seeking ambitions  self-benefiting thoughts, and selfishness. Their first priority is to themselves. This is the theme that stuck out to me the most in this episode of Downton Abbey.

This idea of selfishness among the wealthy is definitely referred to in Scripture. In fact, Jesus addressed this issue within his own ministry. It may have been the more prominent issue he had with the Pharisees and other wealthy groups of people. In Matthew 12:41-44 Jesus uses a widow's offering to teach those around him about giving. Now in this passage it is stated that the wealthy gave large amounts (Matthew 12:41). In this sense one would think that they were not being selfish at all. However, when the widow gives just two small copper coins she is praised for it (Matthew 12:42-43). The rich gave out of their wealth, but the widow gave out of her poverty. Jesus says that "she, out of her poverty, put in everything- all she had to live on" (Matthew 12:44). Obviously the widow possessed much less than the rich people, yet she gave so much more. She gave everything she had, and Lady Violet cannot manage to give up even the smallest space of their home for the injured. In Matthew 25:40 Jesus explains that what we do for others, we do unto him. This includes clothing those who are in need of clothing, feeding the hungry, and taking care of the sick (Matthew 25:35-36). Not only is the family being selfish by not allowing injured soldiers into their home but they are also going against the commands of Jesus in the biblical text.