Merlin - Representation of class & status

There are many different ways in which class and status is represented in this clip. In the beginning of the clip a shot reverse shot is used when the lady is speaking to Merlin in the castle. During this shot reverse shot the lady has more screen time than Merlin, as the lady appears to have much more money than Merlin and is upper class she has more screen time. This is because as she is in a higher class, she is seen as more important. During the clip when Merlin is using magic there is a close up of his eye to show this.  Also during the clip when Merlin and the knight are taking to each other a mid shot is used and both boys are placed at an angle of the frame. 

Mise en scene is used a lot to show representations of class and status in the clip. Firstly Merlin's clothes are very basic and ragged, however the knights clothing is expensive armour which are both shown when the men are talking just before the fight. This shows a different in class and status between the men as the knight is in a higher class and he is wearing more protective and expensive clothing. Also in the beginning of the clip Merlin is shown to be walking out of a big, fancy building and into a muddy, old street. This shows juxtaposition between where the different classes spend their time. During the clip it is shown that Merlin subverts the lower class stereotype. This is shown during the fight when Merlin starts to take control due to using his magical powers. This is because the lower class are stereotypically poor and weak, however during the fight Merlin is shown to be strong and powerful. A representation of class and status is also shown in the difference between the lady's room in the castle and Merlin's room. The lady's room is shown at the very beginning of the clip and Merlin's room is shown at the very end of the clip. Class and status is represented here as the lady who is shown as upper class and rich as a very expensive looking room filled with many different luxuries compared to Merlin who is shown as poor and lower class and has a very plain and small room with hardly any possessions. 

Sound is also used a lot to show representations of class and status in this clip. A quote from the clip which says 'how long have you been training to be a prat my lord' which is said just before the fight scene also subverts to the lower class stereotype. This is because stereotypically a lower class citizen would never be rude or confront someone of a much higher class which is what Merlin has done with the knight.  Another quote from the clip which says 'If i haven't got magic then what have i got' which is said towards the end of the clip where Merlin is speaking to another male which conforms to the stereotype of the lower class not having anything. 

Editing also shows representations of class and status in this clip. Firstly overall Merlin has the most screen time during this clip. This subverts to the lower class stereotype as because Merlin has the most screen time he is being shown as very important which lower class people are usually not. However during the fight scene Merlin and the knight have the same amount of screen time. This is a representation of status as even though the knight has a very high and royal status and Merlin has a very low status, both of the men are shown as equals during the fight by having an equal amount of screen time. Also during this clip special effects are used when Merlin is using his magic for example when he pulls a rope tightly with only using his eyes. This subverts to the stereotype of the lower class as they would usually not have any power whereas Merlin is able to control things around him by using magic which is shown through special effects. During the fight scene slow motion is used when the knight is breaking things such as stools or food. As the setting for this scene is the area where the lower class citizens live it is their belongings which are being broken by the knights. This shows how as the knight is upper class he does not care about lower class citizens businesses or belongings.