What is it about?
The First World War played an important role in the story lines of the television drama Downton Abbey. This article examines the accuracy and authenticity of three story lines about the medical history of the war to show the advantages and drawbacks of using such material in popular historical dramas.
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Why is it important?
Downton Abbey was an immensely popular drama that coincided with the centenary years of the First World War. This article shows how, in both succeeding and failing to represent the history of the war, the programme contributed to changing cultural understandings of the war and its legacy.
Perspectives
This article was a significant opportunity for me to develop my interest in the relationship between the First World War and popular culture, which I am now pursuing in other forms, including a podcast. It was a pleasure to work closely with colleagues across disciplines to link rigorous academic research with a hugely popular television programme.
Dr Jessica Meyer
University of Leeds
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Matthew's Legs and Thomas's Hand: Watching Downton Abbey as a First World War Historian, Journal of British Cinema and Television, January 2019, Edinburgh University Press,
DOI: 10.3366/jbctv.2019.0457.
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