Category: Downton Abbey

BATES, NULL

If we’re going to talk about criminals, which I did with Baxter, then we’d better get to Bates. Actually, he commits no crime, but he does go to prison.

He’s difficult for me because his and Anna’s story is very soap opera. Like Sybil and Tom, some parts of their characters only exist to further plot tension. Finding the Enneagram requires extra digging.

He limps, the result of a war wound. Anyone can have an injury, but I want to say he’s a Body Type simply because he seems defined by it. I feel sure that the writers invented this character trait for dramatic purposes, but it becomes more than that. He spends one season using some newfangled corrective leg brace that tortures him. 

Eight? He can be impetuous and intemperate about his first wife, which leads him into trouble. Also, Anna refuses to confide in him about her rape because she fears he’ll kill the man.

However . . . in the later seasons the limp is only incidental. We forget about it and so do the storylines. Nothing else about Bates is particularly physical. Okay, look. He can’t be a Heart Type; he has no Envy. He’s no Head Type; the life of the mind never influences him. He’s obviously not a One. That only leaves Eight or Nine.

Wow, is Bates a Null? He’s a kind of Eight/Nine amalgam. Sometimes he’s volatile, sometimes he’s easygoing. Sometimes he’s reactive, and sometimes he’s measured. He takes on an awful lot of conflict for a Nine, yet he doesn’t have the vibrancy of an Eight. Holy cow. No wonder his character bugs me, even though I couldn’t put my finger on why. Interesting.

ANNA, ONE

She’s so efficient that we never get a plotline about her job at Downton. All of Anna’s troubles are personal. I’m immediately thinking about a One. She feels like a small, cheerful dynamo. And she has that moral comfort a One or a Six possesses. She’s not a worrier, though (beyond regular human emotion) as a Six would be. It doesn’t define her. 

So, a One.

Nobody in this era is going to jog about the park, but Anna is often shown walking to town. A Body Type would have few other outlets for exercise. She’s physically vibrant and brisk. Also, lol, I think she manages the finances for her marriage (a One trait). Everyone upstairs and downstairs is at ease around her. She has no Envy in her, so she can’t be a Three. Like a Three, though, a One is universally liked and successful. It makes her a useful character to the writers for a terrible rape plotline. No one wants to see Anna harmed, and her physical exuberance is convenient as a pivot point to put her in danger. That’s the dramatic nature of a soap opera, and I can’t complain that the showrunners have integrated Anna’s Enneagram into the story. I just don’t want to watch it.

Baxter, Nine

Since Baxter came up during the Molesley examination, let’s discuss her. She’s the one who eventually becomes Cora’s lady’s maid after O’Brien leaves. Thomas recommends her for the job; in exchange he holds her hostage. He wants to know the gossip upstairs and he’ll reveal her secret if she won’t dish.

And what is her secret? In a previous household she was convinced by an unscrupulous man to steal her employer’s jewelry. She served time and he went away free.

So, Baxter is malleable. She’s no Eight, One, or Three. She’s genuinely kind to others, even Thomas. This is a character with no Envy, so not a Two or Four. Because of her romantic feelings with Molesley, let’s rule out a Six (his Enneagram).

Five, Seven, or Nine? I want to say Nine. First of all, I like it as a companion number to Molesley. Also, I think the conflict inherent in Baxter’s crime is what torments her the most. Of course she’s embarrassed to confess to Cora, but upsetting the household balance, of putting Cora in the difficult position of deciding her fate, is more offensive to her. Molesley’s support — I would say his moral clarity, which is a source of peace for him — lends Baxter strength. Her past is not a drama for him, which makes it less of a drama for her.

MOLESLEY, SIX

If ever a character was pitiable and heroic at the same time! At first he’s a man in service looking to better his position. It seems like he’s good at it, too, but his personality is always awkward at putting himself forward.

Isn’t Molesley a Six? Need we delve further, lol? 

He’s a worrier. He’s a forelock-puller (if he’d lived in an earlier era). He’s never going to be head butler. It isn’t until Baxter joins the household that we see the depth of his character. Before that, he seems more like a comedic foil for the downstairs plots. With Baxter, though, he shows the black-and-white moral code that Sixes do so well. He likes her romantically, but he also just stands by what is right, and his influence helps Baxter take back her life.

Can we say that The Fool is often a Six? Isn’t that interesting! Character tropes that may match up with the Enneagram! Molesley is most definitely a Fool archetype. And then, like every great Fool, he tells the truth when no one else will take the risk. After all, the Fool is one of the most heroic types in fiction. No one else is willing to annoy a king day in and out.

MATTHEW CRAWLEY, NINE

He’s a tough bird to pin down. At first Matthew is the usurper. Legally he is the heir to Downton, but the family doesn’t know him. Mary had plans, all ruined by the sinking of Titanic. Then he goes to war as an officer. He and Mary obviously have feelings for each other at this point because she gives him the fuzzy bunny for luck. But isn’t he also engaged to Lavinia? Lol, what a soap opera! And then he’s paralyzed, but then he recovers. Eventually, after many tribulations, he and Mary get married, only for him to die smiling in a car crash.

Does a character this chaotic have a clear arc?

Before the Downton writers put him through the wringer, Matthew’s a lawyer with no aspirations to the aristocracy. He lives with his mother, the Four. Wait, is he a Nine? That would explain why he and Robert, who only clash due to generational misunderstandings, basically feel the same way about the estate and duty. It would also explain why Mary is drawn to and repelled by him. Marrying a version of your father is a complicated prospect!

He and his mother are in that classic Four/Nine relationship where she experiences enough feelings for both of them, allowing him to keep a superior distance from all that emotional unpleasantness. It’s also why he can’t settle on a fiancee. Lavinia seems so peaceful and uncomplicated, right until she dies and dumps conflict all over Matthew’s lap. He loves Mary, but she’s an endless basket of conflict. When he finally stops dodging all the turmoil, he and Mary become a calm couple, bringing out the best in each other. Of course the writers must kill him at that point, lol. He’s gotten boring. (I think the actor ended his contract, but the writers were relieved, believe me! Heh.)

So, when all is said and done, Matthew ends up being a mini-Robert. Instead of a clash between the Earl and his heir — a more traditional plot choice — the show rolls Matthew around in a rain barrel. Hmph. Well, it worked for many seasons, although I will say that the racing car driver made for a more interesting Mary-husband. Sadly, I’m not sure he got enough screen time to develop an Enneagram.

Haha, I can’t even stay focused on Matthew during his own write-up. Sorry, my dear boy.

ISOBEL CRAWLEY, FOUR

Matthew’s mother and a trained nurse, Isobel is an opinionated and knowledgeable character who feels no great loyalty to propriety and aristocratic tradition. She’s often written as the foil to the family, especially the Dowager Countess, and will express a more modern perspective on whatever plot trouble is around. In some of my episode breakdowns I complain about this. She feels forced to do things against her nature so that other characters can react and advance a conflict.

If I look past what I consider to be unfair writing for her, who is Isobel? She’s competent and, let’s be fair, bossy. She wants her way with the doctor and the hospital management. She’s very respectful of Matthew’s independence. Whoever he loves, Isobel will love. However involved he wants to be in the Downton estate, Isobel is supportive.

The key to her, as I mentioned under the Dowager Countess’ page, is the friendship between these women. At first, they’re adversarial. Some of that is the writers making them represent different perspectives for the audience. Underneath, though, their antagonism is due to them both being strong leaders. It’s natural they would clash. When Violet becomes ill and Isobel is the one trained and willing to nurse her through it, their friendship advances. Isobel is a genuinely giving person. Although she often disagrees with the Dowager, she will still befriend her.

I’m leaning toward a Four. Envy does eat at her, although Isobel isn’t consumed by it. She is absolutely Heart, needing to connect with family and community. I would say Two, but she’s too confrontational. When she feels she’s right, she’ll fight for it. When Lord Merton’s children are cruel to her, though, she retreats. Their feelings get priority. Isobel doesn’t have the black and white standards of a Six. Her heart rules her reactions, and she is a woman with passion. The world can wound her, but she rallies. Very Four.

THE DOWAGER COUNTESS, EIGHT

If ever anyone was an Eight, right? She says whatever she likes, which could just be the privilege of age, but it does seem like it’s part of her character. Although she’s proper, she’s also not overly surprised or horrified by sexual impropriety. Edith’s pregnancy, Mary’s affair — she rolls with it. 

We’ll have to take a look at Isobel Crawley, because the friendship between these two, unlikely women is fascinating. Also, I didn’t intend to dig into Spratt and Denker, the Dowager’s household staff, but her complacency with them, with their arguments and petty grievances, seems Eight-ish. Eights aren’t driven by social niceties. The staff can tussle in the dirt for all the Dowager cares, as long as they do their jobs properly when asked and don’t bother her with the details.

When the Dowager must give up her crown of Winner of the Village Flower Show (whatever it’s called, lol) to Molesley’s father, she eventually becomes very gracious about it. It’s hard to lose — that would be her Eight leadership — but when she realizes what’s fair and just, she lets go of any resentment or anger. This is also Eight-like. Move on emotionally when an issue has been settled.

She is a matriarch, and not just by birth. Releasing authority to Cora is very difficult for her. If Cora weren’t truly competent and deserving, Violet wouldn’t step back. Very Eight. As for Isobel, the distance between a Four (which I’ll get to next time) and an an Eight on the Enneagram wheel is a few steps removed. It explains why they took so long to find a camaraderie.

TOM BRANSON, SEVEN

Chauffeur, socialist, Irish rebel. In the end he’s a reliable, beloved son-in-law who happily works for the Downton estate. What an arc!

He feels very strongly about things, and isn’t afraid to speak his mind. Part of his confrontational style is just writers stirring the pot and creating conflict, but it’s also baked into his character.  When he becomes the backbone of the Crawley family, we believe it. All of his commitment has been redirected into loyalty to the people of Downton.

What number is this principled person? Well, he isn’t afraid to rock the boat or speak his mind. He can’t be intimidated. He’s as successful as a car mechanic as he is an estate manager.

Is Branson a Seven? He remakes himself more than once. His life is full of challenges: master the new automotive tech, woo an earl’s daughter, defy the family, raise a child, completely switch careers, and form a bond with the aristocracy. Sounds Seven-ish to me, lol.

But wait. It’s not his fault he was born a lowly Irishman. He rises and succeeds. Isn’t that Three-ish? His romance with Sybil has always been awkward to me. It feels very “author’s message” in that they’re supposed to be shipped, whether they fit together or not. What if they’re both Threes? That would explain why they seem forced as a couple.

Here’s why he’s a Seven, though: the other women. After Sybil passes, maids and revolutionaries are thrown in his path, tempting him. He’s just too nice to tell them to get lost. A Three wouldn’t put up with it. He would know how these women damage his reputation upstairs and downstairs, and he would stop them in their tracks. Sevens aren’t that ruthless, and they’re not that focused on presentation. Branson has too much sympathy for human foibles to be a Three. It’s not just the writers creating drama by making his character dither, lol. His spirit for adventure, regardless of cost, makes him a Seven.

LADY GRANTHAM, SEVEN

The genteel American with an abrasive mother, lol. Mostly I forget that Cora wasn’t born English. The aristocracy suits her.

She’s kind and easygoing. She does like to work, to get involved, and she’s good at it. Her role on the hospital board is a bone of contention in the family, but she’s insistent in a very mild way. Peace is important to her.

I want to say Nine, but that’s not possible. Robert is a Nine. Numbers don’t marry each other; it’s too much like marrying yourself. Also, Cora isn’t a Body Type. She doesn’t engage in the world physically. If anything, she’s social, although I can’t think of her showing envy.

She’s a Seven. It’s that calm effectualness. She has zero interest in drama. When trouble strikes, though — think of Mary and the Turkish diplomat — she gets the job done. (It’s possible that’s why she and O’Brien are a pair. They understand each other without trying.) Cora will go along, content to stay in the background, and then become super competent when the need arises. That’s quite Seven.

LORD GRANTHAM, NINE

My first instinct is that Robert is a Nine. He likes to keep the peace and avoid conflict. He also tries to be a fair manager of his household staff and his tenants. Every now and then he’ll go off, but mostly he likes it calm. Isis the dog is one of his coping mechanisms, and his ulcer is a sign that he doesn’t always succeed.

He kind of snaps into place, doesn’t he? I suppose he could possibly be a Two. All of the above traits could also fit. I’m going to say no, though. He attends and gives parties without a social person’s joy. His attitude is more one of duty. A Nine is always a good host, hoping to put people at ease and give them a good time. He’s also the only other family member who rides with the hunt.

Daughters who are an Eight, a Two, and a Three align with a Nine father, as well. Now I wonder about Cora!