"All men must die, Jon Snow.But first we'll live."

Of all the characters, Mary is the one who undergoes the greatest metamorphosis over the course of the three series. When we first met her she appeared to be a hard-hearted, rather cold and ambitious elder daughter of an earl. Blighted by having been born a girl rather than a boy, she needed to prove that she could make a success of herself just as much as any male heir would have. Mary’s closest relationships are with men: her father, Matthew and Carson. This stems, perhaps, from her feeling that she should have been born a boy. If she wasn’t one, then she was going to be as near as dammit. Her admirable qualities are ones that would have been considered masculine in 1920: she’s an adventurer, brave, an excellent horsewoman and a natural leader. In many ways, a woman of her disposition at that time would have been frustrated by the stemming of her potential. — Jessica Fellowes, The Chronicles of Downton Abbey

Of all the characters, Mary is the one who undergoes the greatest metamorphosis over the course of the three series. When we first met her she appeared to be a hard-hearted, rather cold and ambitious elder daughter of an earl. Blighted by having been born a girl rather than a boy, she needed to prove that she could make a success of herself just as much as any male heir would have. Mary’s closest relationships are with men: her father, Matthew and Carson. This stems, perhaps, from her feeling that she should have been born a boy. If she wasn’t one, then she was going to be as near as dammit. Her admirable qualities are ones that would have been considered masculine in 1920: she’s an adventurer, brave, an excellent horsewoman and a natural leader. In many ways, a woman of her disposition at that time would have been frustrated by the stemming of her potential. — Jessica Fellowes, The Chronicles of Downton Abbey

(Source: bodaciouscans)


Everything can seem so golden one moment, then turn to ashes the next.

(Source: marycrwly)


For the first time really…

(Source: ceciliatallis)


Downton Abbey Meme: Four Otps [3/4] → Mary & Matthew

You’ve lived your life and I’ve lived mine, now it’s time we live them together.