Comments on: Amy Henderson: “Downton Abbey” and the Dollar Princesses http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/aroundthemall/2012/03/amy-henderson-downton-abbey-and-the-dollar-princesses/ A new Smithsonian blog covering scenes and sightings from the Smithsonian museums and beyond. Mon, 20 May 2013 19:14:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4 By: Evangeline Holland http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/aroundthemall/2012/03/amy-henderson-downton-abbey-and-the-dollar-princesses/comment-page-1/#comment-9069 Evangeline Holland Wed, 14 Mar 2012 23:04:26 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/aroundthemall/?p=26388#comment-9069 Regarding Cora's surname, I assume her possibly being Jewish-American was scrapped after the press packets for S1 were released, just like Lady Rosamund's children were scrapped from the show. However, unlike in Edwardian Britain, wealthy Jews were not accepted in Gilded Age American society (Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth gives a wince-inducing portrait of a Jewish financier's attempt to climb the social ladder), and the American heiresses who married into the British and European aristocracy were largely of English or Irish extraction. Regarding Cora’s surname, I assume her possibly being Jewish-American was scrapped after the press packets for S1 were released, just like Lady Rosamund’s children were scrapped from the show. However, unlike in Edwardian Britain, wealthy Jews were not accepted in Gilded Age American society (Edith Wharton’s The House of Mirth gives a wince-inducing portrait of a Jewish financier’s attempt to climb the social ladder), and the American heiresses who married into the British and European aristocracy were largely of English or Irish extraction.

]]> By: DeWayne Reeves http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/aroundthemall/2012/03/amy-henderson-downton-abbey-and-the-dollar-princesses/comment-page-1/#comment-9068 DeWayne Reeves Wed, 14 Mar 2012 17:37:13 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/aroundthemall/?p=26388#comment-9068 Season 1 of Downton Abbey is now available on Netflix. Season 1 & 2 are both available on iTunes via a Season's Pass. The show has become an international hit. Season 1 of Downton Abbey is now available on Netflix. Season 1 & 2 are both available on iTunes via a Season’s Pass. The show has become an international hit.

]]> By: Rebecca http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/aroundthemall/2012/03/amy-henderson-downton-abbey-and-the-dollar-princesses/comment-page-1/#comment-9067 Rebecca Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:36:27 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/aroundthemall/?p=26388#comment-9067 There's an interesting discussion going on about Cora's heritage, namely whether or not she's Jewish. See: http://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/89419/a-rigorous-inquiry-into-lady-grantham%E2%80%99s-jewishnss/ Were the dollar princesses often Jewish, given the shift in the merchant class in the US at that time? There’s an interesting discussion going on about Cora’s heritage, namely whether or not she’s Jewish. See: http://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/89419/a-rigorous-inquiry-into-lady-grantham%E2%80%99s-jewishnss/

Were the dollar princesses often Jewish, given the shift in the merchant class in the US at that time?

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