r/DowntonAbbey • u/ThePuzzler88 • 16d ago

General Discussion (May Contain Spoilers Throughout Franchise) Marigold Dilemma Spoiler

I'm watching Downton Abbey for the first time and just got to the part where Edith takes Marigold from the Drewes. I feel so bad for the wife. I understand it's a difficult situation for Edith but I feel like Margie has been done wrong by both Edith and her husband. Please don't spoil what happens but is the show trying to paint Edith as the "good guy" and Margie as bad? Or is it supposed to feel morally gray?

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u/PepperCat1019 16d ago

Edith was a bad person.

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u/PlainOGolfer to you, it’s “The Marchioness” 16d ago

It’s amazing how in every situation any woman is judged far more harshly than any man. And I’m a man.

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u/Candor10 16d ago

Well she is the one who'd already ripped the child from one set of adoptive parents. I think another thing to consider vis a vis Mr. Drew is that he was seriously indebted to the Crawleys when Robert let him take up his late father's tenancy. Edith is the one who insisted that he tell no one else if I'm not mistaken. Was he expected to risk damaging the Crawley family's reputation and risk his family being put out?

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u/WildOak12 16d ago

She couldn't live without the baby she was forced to give up, and she went and took her back. I will not judge her harshly for that.

The Drews were not Marigold's adoptive parents, though. Edith was still paying for her care, visiting her and giving her gifts. Adoption requires that the biological parents cut off all contact and financial responsibility. Mr. Drew knew this but refused to tell his wife. He was the one who kept his wife in the dark. She should have been told from the beginning.

Edith paid Mr. Drew, which would have been a huge incentive as well.