We are looking at 1960s media, making links across our newspaper component The Observer and our TV drama component The Avengers. The news report about George Blake refers to spy rings and the Cold War. This is one element of the cultural, social, historical context.
In our episode of The Avengers, two British agents (Steed and Emma Peel) set off to a remote sea coast village called Little Bazeley to investigate the mysterious disappearance of other British agents.
Emma Peel is a cool, confident, new type of heroine. She relishes her job and her independence. She feels equal to Steed. She wears the carefree, youthful, fashionable clothes of young women in the Swinging Sixties.
There is a bit of a generation gap between Emma and Steed. He is a British gentleman through and through, from his bowler hat and three-piece suit to his umbrella. Changing gender roles are another element of the cultural, social, historical context.
PREP
We are introduced to the world of The Avengers in the documentary programme (open link on left) which sets it in context.
