BBCNews影评：Servants:Alifebelowstairs

原作者：ByLucyWallis链接：http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19544309正文：FromUpstairs,DownstairstoGosfordParkandDowntonAbbey,TVdramasandfilmshavemadeuscareaboutthecharactersbelowstairs.DomesticservicewasBritainsbiggestemployeracenturyago,buthowhavethingschangedovertheyears?quot;Itisaformofmarriagetoapointasyouaredevotedtothatfamily,quot;says78-year-oldRickFink.Finkhasmorethan55yearsofexperiencemanagingestatesandworkingasabutler.HestartedoffintheRoyalNavyin1953,andoneofthefirstguestsheservedasayoungstewardwasPrincePhillip.quot;Iwaspetrified,butthiswastheQueenshusband.HejustcameaboardandhewastannedwithblondehairandlookedfabulousandIhadtoaskhimwhathewantedtodrink.quot;NowFinkrunstheButler-ValetSchool,trainingbutlersforserviceinstatelyhomesandprivateresidencies.Someaspectsoftherolearetimelessandgovernedbyanunspokenetiquetteandcodeofconduct.quot;[Abutler]needstobereliable,discreet,trustworthy,andyourliferevolvesaroundyouremployer,quot;saysFink.quot;Iwouldneversitinthedrawingroomorhavedinnerattheirdiningroomtable.Ikeepmyselftheothersideofthebaizedoor.quot;Thereisagreatdealofnostalgiasurroundingthetraditionalnotionofdomesticservice,withthescandalsaboveandbelowstairsinITVsDowntonAbbeyprovingaratingssuccess.Butlifeforadomesticworkerhasevolved.Withthehelpoflabour-savingdevices,ahouseholdcannowberunbyfewerpeople.Employerscancontactstaffonamobilephoneratherthanhavetoringabellortrackthemdowninthegroundsoftheestate.Theinventoryisitemisedonacomputersothereisnoneedtocountthesilverwareandthedishwashertakesontheburdenofwashingup.AlthoughnottheWaterfordCrystal.AccordingtotheOfficeforNationalStatisticsfromthe2012LabourForceSurvey,about65,000peopleareemployedasdomesticworkersbyhouseholdsintheUK.Thisincludesdomesticpersonnelquot;suchasmaids,cooks,waiters,valets,butlers,laundresses,gardeners,gatekeepers,stable-lads,chauffeurs,caretakers,governesses,babysitters,tutors,secretariesquot;,tonamejustafew.Itexcludestheprovisionofservicessuchascooking,gardeningetcbyindependentserviceproviders(companiesorindividuals).Thefigureincludesthosewhomayworkformorethanonehouseholdandmayliveinorawayfromtheiremployer.Finkissurprisedatjusthowmanyjobadvertsheseesthesedaysforquot;live-outquot;domesticworkers.Thesituationwasverydifferentin1901whenthevastmajorityofthe1.5millionpeopleemployedasdomesticservantsinBritainwouldhavelivedwiththeiremployertoattendtotheireverywhim,whateverthetimeofday.Manyaristocratscouldaffordalargeteamoflive-inservantsattheircountryestate,andtherewasadistinctsocialhierarchyintheservantsquarters.AccordingtoDrLucyDelap,directorofstudiesinhistoryatStCatharinesCollege,Cambridge,servantstatuswasreinforcedatmealtimes.quot;Therewouldbeastrictorderofcomingintoeatandstrictrulesaboutwheredifferentranksofservantssit,andyoumightalsohaverulessuchasnospeakingunlessyouwereaddressedbyoneoftheseniorservants,quot;saysDelap.quot;Theseniorservantshadagreatdealofpower,sothebutlerforexampleinsomehouseholdswouldputdownhisknifeandfork,andeveryoneelsehadtofitinwhetheryouhadfinishedornot.Soservantshadtolearntobefasteaters.quot;AccordingtoDelap,thecookandherkitchenstaffwereabletoeatinthekitchenwheretheotherservantsalwayssuspectedtheyweregettingbetterfood.Uniformwasanotherwayofmaintainingrank.Servantsdressedalittlemoreindividuallyinthe18thCentury.Theblackdress,whiteapronandwhitecapwornbymaidsinthe19thCenturywasaVictoriancreation,awayofdisguisingpersonalidentities.AccordingtotheVictorianauthorMrsBeeton,inTheBookofHouseholdManagement,themaidofallworkwastobepitied.quot;Thegeneralservantormaidofallworkisperhapstheonlyoneofherclassdeservingofcommiseration.Herlifeisasolitaryoneandinsomeplacesherworkisneverdone.quot;Thisrelentlessdrudgeryplayedapartindwindlingservantnumbersandtherewerenewopportunitiesinfactoriesandshopswhereworkersreceivedsomethingunheardofindomesticservice-eveningsandweekendoffs.quot;Ifwelookatthe1891and1911censusweseeareallyinterestingfactemerging.In1891,thenumberofindoordomesticservantsis1.38million,whichisaprettyhighnumber,quot;saysDrPamelaCox,seniorlecturerinsociologyattheUniversityofEssex.quot;Ifwejumpto1911ithasgonedownto1.27m.Thepopulationisexpanding,themiddleclassisexpandingthereforethedemandforserviceisexpanding,butthesupplyofservantsisshrinking.quot;EmployingyoungpeoplefromtheVictorianworkhouseswasthoughttobeonewayofresolvingtheservantcrisis.Pooranddestituteorphanswerequot;rescuedquot;fromalifeinthegutter,educatedandsenttoworkasservants.quot;Theywerelegallyemployedbutthiswaschildlabour,quot;saysCox.Thenumbersofservantscontinuedtodwindleinthe20thCentury,particularlyforthemiddleclasses,andWorldWarIandIIhadaprofoundeffect.Withthemensentofftofight,womendominatedtraditionalmaleworkingrolesinmunitionsfactories,makingaeroplanesanduniforms.AfterWorldWarII,manywomendidnotreturntotheirdomesticserviceroles.Graduallythequot;modernhomequot;ofthemiddleclasseswasupdatedwithnewequipmenttoaccommodatetheshortageofservants-theintroductionofflushingtoilets,washingmachinesandmicrowaveovens.The21stCenturydomesticworkersnowtendtobeself-employedentrepreneurs,runningtheirownironingbusinessesfromhomeortheirowncleaningservicefranchise.Themaster/servantrelationshiphasbecomelessdefined.WhateverwouldMrsBeetonmakeofthat?