- O'Brien: "Friends! Who does she think she's fooling. We're not friends."
- Anna: "No?"
- O'Brien: "No. And you're not friends with the girls, neither. We're servants, you and me, and they pay us to do as we're told. That's all."
- — O'Brien to Anna after being reprimanded by Cora for insulting Matthew[src]
Sarah O'Brien, also known as Miss O'Brien or simply O'Brien, was lady's maid to Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham. She is never particularly happy, and although she sometimes flatters the ladies of the house, she rarely means it. On the other hand she has obtained a very high position and is a woman with a career, something many women were unable to have. Miss O'Brien formerly was allies with Thomas Barrow but when her nephew came in for a high position their friendship terminated.
Background
Sarah O'Brien was born into a farming family and would have followed tradition to go into service and send money back home to her family. She had a brother who was her favourite brother and who thought of her as his favourite. He suffered from shell-shock and was later killed in action. Her sister writes to her to find a position for her son, Alfred Nugent.[1]. Perhaps due to being her brother's favourite siblings, Sarah seems to get along with the younger male servants more so than the female ones - becoming very friendly with Thomas Barrow, identifying with Henry Lang, whom she seems to particularly admire, and showing sympathy for William Mason in his frustration prior to his enlistment. Her nephew, Alfred, who is the child of her currently unseen sister, comes to work at Downton Abbey as first footman in 1920. Sarah O'Brien has never had children of her own, and that may have something to do with how protective she becomes of Alfred.
Due to her intelligence Sarah may have even been selected by the local chatelaine whilst still at school - being clever was certainly an advantageous feature for a lady's maid, especially one who intends to become indispensable to her mistress.
In February 1922, she sneaked away in the night to travel to India to be a lady's maid to Susan MacClare, Marchioness of Flintshire.
According to Mrs Hughes, by 1924, Miss O'Brien had been employed by the new Governor's wife in India.
Character
A master-manipulator, Sarah is not known for her sympathetic and cuddly nature. She is a prickly woman with a sharp tongue and a harsh word for practically everyone, particularly those who are subordinate to her in the pecking order below stairs, which luckily for her, is almost everyone. Sarah rarely shows any sympathy, instead either being the cause of misery or being unconcerned by the troubles of others. As such, she doesn't have many a friend above or below stairs--not that this troubles her. Sarah has no great investment in anyone except Thomas, but after a tragic event caused by Sarah in the summer of 1914 she's sworn to protect Cora. Her desperation to hold onto her job proved to be her weak spot.
Whilst not the most pleasant woman in the world she is certainly loyal to those she cares for. On numerous occasions, and with no real reason, she helps Thomas and later, declares that she will never again let anyone hurt Cora. Sarah O'Brien is, arguably, one of the most complex characters in the series.
Relationships
Thomas Barrow
In the beginning of the series, her friendship with Thomas had been long lasting and well known. Lord Grantham refers to them as "thick as thieves", and he voices surprise when he hears that they have had a falling out.
The basis of their friendship seems to be a general disdain for others in the household, and perhaps a fondness for manipulation. This friendship prompts her to help him get on in life in both Series 1 and 2. She chooses to aid him, putting her own job on the line, in constant plotting to get John Bates fired, so that Thomas may be instated as Robert Crawley's valet (although none of their schemes are successful). In the second series, through her subtle manipulation of Cora, Thomas is placed in the hospital under Dr. Clarkson and eventually runs Downton Abbey whilst it is a convalescence home. They share a darker sense of humour than the rest of the staff and are frequently to be found plotting and smoking in the yard, although with Thomas' new found attitude, things may chill between them.
However by 1920, Thomas and Sarah become bitter rivals, triggered by Sarah's nephew Alfred Nugent coming to Downton to work as a footman. Sarah O'Brien is fond of her nephew, and very much wants to see him succeed. As she has considered Thomas a friend for so long, done favours to help him, and even told her secrets to him, she asks Thomas to teach Alfred to be a valet to Matthew Crawley. She is subsequently upset when Thomas absolutely refuses. Thomas had struggled, worked and schemed for 9 years to rise to the level of valet in a noble house. Alfred is a barely experienced footman, and Thomas sees it as a personal insult to himself that Alfred could just fall into the job in a matter of weeks. Thomas then sabotages Alfred's efforts to clean a spot off of Matthew's tailcoat, resulting in a hole being burned through it. Thomas convinces Lord Grantham that this is proof of Alfred's being not ready for the job. Thomas repeatedly insults Alfred, and this later results in Thomas and Sarah starting to insult each other. Sarah says that Alfred has a nice manner unlike Thomas. After Lady Edith is jilted at the altar, O'Brien remarks that if it had happened to her she could not live with the shame. Thomas says that it is lucky for her then that nobody has ever asked her. The situation escalates as they each then try to damage the reputation of the other. When Thomas starts a rumour that Sarah is going to leave Lady Grantham's service, it is the last straw, and O'Brien vows to get revenge.
Cora Crawley
When the series begins in 1912 Sarah greatly enjoys the authority her position gives her and tolerates Cora quite well, despite the odd remark to Thomas, until things turn sour when Cora publicly chastises Sarah for sharing her own remarks. Cora believes Sarah to be fond of her and calls them "friends", but all the while Sarah knows that there is a line between them she can never cross.
Later, Sarah overhears Violet and Cora talking and learns that Cora is advertising and receiving applications for a lady's maid. Believing her career is about to be ended without any regard for her, Sarah foolishly lashes out at the pregnant Cora, deliberately moving a piece of dropped soap from under the tub for Cora to slip on. Just as Sarah second guesses her action and calls out for Cora to wait, Cora exits the tub and falls badly, causing her to lose the little boy that she was carrying. Stricken by remorse, especially when she discovers that her job was always secure and Cora was trying to help Violet find a maid, Sarah presumably spends the years between 1914-1916 increasing her devotion and swearing to protect Cora.
When the series resumes the relationship between Cora and Sarah has progressed to the point Sarah is able to subtly ask Cora for favours and Cora still seems to hang on her every word. Other than Thomas, Cora is the only person toward whom Sarah ever displays any emotion. It seems the fondness now goes both ways. Sarah gets Cora to agree to hire her nephew Alfred over the head of Carson. When Thomas spreads the rumour that Sarah is leaving Cora's service, Lady Grantham feels betrayed and let down. Even when Sarah tells her that the rumour was false, Cora continues to believe that Sarah must have said something that was misinterpreted.
Henry Lang
Whilst Ethel Parks flirts, Sarah immediately notices that Henry, the new valet, is suffering from shell-shock as a result of his time as a soldier. She sympathizes with him and remains quiet about his condition only to see him suffer when there is an accident at dinner that ends in disaster for Mr Carson. Afterwards Sarah admits to Henry that she had a brother with shell-shock and therefore recognises the symptoms and is the only instance of O'Brien letting her guard down and talking about her home life to anyone. Whilst no romantic entanglement ever occurs, perish the thought for Sarah the career woman, she clearly cares for him, chastising Thomas for bad-mouthing him even a year later.
Alfred Nugent
In 1920 Sarah successfully recommends her nephew, Alfred Nugent, as new footman. Mr Carson refuses as the wedding is near, and he doesn't have time to train him. O'Brien, goes over his head to talk to Cora who after briefly talking to Robert, agrees to hire him. His aunt is protective of him, especially after Thomas starts to bully Alfred. She repeatedly tries to boost Alfred's confidence by telling him that he is skilled. And she says that he has a nice manner, unlike Thomas. However, she also easily manipulates him into telling Mr. Carson about Thomas when he made a sexual advance on James, in order to carry out her plan to ruin Thomas.
Jimmy Kent
After one of Thomas Barrow's bullying actions towards her nephew Alfred Nugent, Sarah decides to get revenge. She notices that Thomas is attracted to Jimmy, so takes advantage of Jimmy's ambition to become a valet one day and tells him he needs to stay close to Thomas since Thomas worked his way from footman to valet and is close to Robert Crawley. Even though Jimmy says he feels uncomfortable with Thomas' over familiar behaviour towards him, Sarah continues her manipulation of the situation and initially dispels his concerns whilst also telling Thomas that his feelings are returned. Sarah's actions cause Thomas to make advances towards Jimmy, be forcefully rebuffed and at one point it looks likely that Thomas will lose his job in disgrace. However, Sarah finds that Thomas has a defender in John Bates who - with information he has gotten from Thomas - whispers "her ladyship's soap" in Sarah's ear. Afraid that her darkest secret is to be revealed, Sarah persuades Jimmy to let the matter drop.
Wilkins
Wilkins and O'Brien.
Appearances
| Appearances and Mentions | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Series 1 | Episode 1 Appears |
Episode 2 Appears |
Episode 3 Appears |
Episode 4 Appears |
Episode 5 Appears |
Episode 6 Appears |
Episode 7 Appears |
— | — |
| Series 2 | Episode 1 Appears |
Episode 2 Appears |
Episode 3 Appears |
Episode 4 Appears |
Episode 5 Appears |
Episode 6 Appears |
Episode 7 Appears |
Episode 8 Appears |
Christmas Special Appears |
| Series 3 | Episode 1 Appears |
Episode 2 Appears |
Episode 3 Appears |
Episode 4 Appears |
Episode 5 Appears |
Episode 6 Appears |
Episode 7 Appears |
Episode 8 Appears |
Christmas Special Appears |
| Series 4 | Episode 1 Appears |
Episode 2 | Episode 3 | Episode 4 | Episode 5 | Episode 6 | Episode 7 | Episode 8 | Christmas Special |
| Series 5 | Episode 1 | Episode 2 | Episode 3 | Episode 4 | Episode 5 | Episode 6 | Episode 7 | Episode 8 Mentioned |
Christmas Special |
Quotes about O'Brien
- "She may be my aunt but she's a dark horse."
- —Alfred Nugent.
Notes
- In The Chronicles of Downton Abbey: A New Era by Jessica Fellowes and Matthew Sturgis, Julian Fellowes relates that the character of Sarah O'Brien was based on the lady's maid of a cousin of his grandfather's. The lady's maid became a companion as the "old world disintegrated". Julian said that, "On the surface, she was as polite as a courtier, but she had a black heart, cold and manipulative, and gradually forced all her mistress's family and friends away, until she ruled their Knightsbridge home alone. Yet my aunt never saw it. As far as she was concerned, she had a faithful retainer who wanted nothing but her good, and she never made the connection of the absence of her family in the later years". He says that records of ladies' maids show that, "As a breed, they were notorious for their complex and prickly nature, fraught with terrors about any possible challenge to their status. Siobhan Finneran gives us a wonderful example of this type; hard, calculating, and yet vulnerable when it comes to her own feelings". He says that O'Brien is his favourite character and he loves her.