The Levelling (2017) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The film is set in the Somerset Levels, a low-lying rural region in southwest England known for its flat landscapes, farming communities, and history of flooding. The setting emphasises the connection between land and grief, with the battered farm embodying the family's emotional and financial struggles.

Foreshadowing: The opening shots establish the Somerset Levels' atmospheric, flood-prone landscape as both a physical and emotional backdrop.

• somerset levels
• setting
• rural england
• farm location

The Somerset Levels appear as a bleak yet beautiful agricultural landscape. The film uses the region's history of flooding to mirror the family's emotional state - the waterlogged fields visualise grief and loss, while the struggling farm represents the burden of inherited responsibility.

• farming landscape
• somerset
• rural setting
• flood plain

The film is set in contemporary times, reflecting modern issues like mental health struggles, rural economic pressures, and current approaches to grief. The recent tragedy of Harry's death brings contemporary relevance to timeless family conflicts.

• contemporary
• modern era
• present day

The film centres on three interconnected themes: grief (the pervasive sorrow following Harry's death that affects both Clover and Aubrey), responsibility (the burdens of farm management and family duty), and rebirth (symbolised by new life on the farm amid tragedy).

• themes
• grief
• responsibility
• rebirth
• mental health

Grief is the emotional core of the film, manifesting differently in each character. Clover and Aubrey's emotional distance highlights how loss strains familial bonds. The film depicts grief as isolating yet potentially connecting, with their shared sorrow forming the foundation for their tentative reconciliation.

• grief
• loss
• family grief
• emotional journey

The farm functions as both a literal setting and symbolic anchor. It represents legacy, responsibility, and the weight of tradition. The physical decay of the property mirrors the family's emotional deterioration, while the land itself becomes a character - demanding, unforgiving, yet deeply connected to identity and belonging.

Foreshadowing: Early scenes of the dilapidated farm establish its symbolic weight before the full emotional context is revealed.

• farm
• agriculture
• family legacy
• burden
• land

Clover is the film's protagonist who returns to her family farm after years of absence to confront her father's grief and the farm's mounting challenges. She is portrayed as compassionate and resilient, her vegetarianism highlighting her conflict with harsh farming realities. Her journey involves reconciling her emotional wounds while deciding whether to stay and help her father.

• clover
• protagonist
• main character
• daughter

Aubrey is Clover's father, a grieving father struggling to cope with his son's suicide. His emotional turmoil manifests in erratic behaviour and denial about Harry's death. Despite his difficult exterior, Aubrey represents vulnerability and the desperate need for connection with his estranged daughter as he grapples with both loss and farm responsibilities.

• aubrey
• father
• parent
• grief
• farmer

Harry is Clover and Aubrey's deceased son and brother respectively. Though he does not appear on screen, his presence looms large throughout the film. He is depicted as troubled, burdened by the farm's demands and family expectations. His suicide catalyyses the central narrative, driving the exploration of grief, responsibility, and the pressures of agricultural life.

• harry
• brother
• deceased character
• suicide

The theme of rebirth is exemplified by the birth of a calf on the farm, introducing hope and the cycle of life against backdrop of tragedy. Clover's involvement with the newborn represents her tentative step toward embracing life despite loss. However, the harsh reality of farming means she must also confront culling, symbolising the conflict between nurturing life and accepting nature's brutal cycles.

Foreshadowing: The calf's arrival offers a brief moment of light before the film's more challenging emotional scenes.

• rebirth
• new life
• calf
• hope
• renewal

Responsibility permeates the narrative through multiple lenses: Clover's familial obligation to return and help, Aubrey's denial of Harry's suicide while facing farm duties, and the broader pressures of agricultural life. The film examines how untreated mental health issues create unbalanced family roles, where one member bears disproportionate burden until collapse.

• responsibility
• duty
• farm management
• mental health