Viscounts of Bridgerton, so vulnerable yet strong?

I feel a certain responsibility in writing about the cult series Bridgerton. It is such a captivating romance series and there is so much to uncover.

Where shall I start?

Well, surely by the most important family of the show, the Bridgertons. The viscountess Lady Violet, had 8 children in her love marriage to the viscount, who has already died before the beginning of the story and we actually don’t know why. Or do you?

The first season starts at the beginning of the summer season 1813 for high society London.

The current head of the family is the eldest son, Anthony, an unforgivable Bachelor, who has an affair with the talented theatre singer, Siena. His relationship with her is being kept a secret because he cannot actually date a “commoner”, aka working woman. He has to eventually marry for the benefit of the family, a woman from an aristocratic family.

Then we have our sweet yet feisty Daphne, ready for marriage, for a life as the head of the household of her future husband estate. She hopes to marry out of love, as her mother did and have plenty children, like her. Is this dream because of the society she is living in or is it her choice?

By comparing her and her sister Eloise, also a feisty but more rebel, who does not understand how the only choice for a women is to marry and have children.

Eloise has conversations also with her more artistically inclined brother, Benedict, with whom she develops a deeper and more honest relationship. When he catches her smoking a cigarette outside, instead of scolding her, like a brother is supposed to do, he asks her if she has a cigarette for him and they sit together and talk.

Eloise explains him how limited the choices are for a women, and that he at least should do what his heart desires, because he has much more option in this world. What do you think? Are you more an Eloise or Daphne?

The third brother Colin, is younger then Benedict, but older then Daphne. In the show he is seen unfit to marry, because of his young age. Men are supposed to be married later, in their late twenties, even 30s. But a women must be ready in their late teens, early twenties, that is the age they are pushed by society to search for a future husband. Do you personally feel this pressure of getting married at a certain age, or does that not concern you? In that time of age, you are supposed to secure a husband. For a woman that is her greatest duty.

All the debutantes, including Daphne of course, are invited to be introduced to the Queen. A splendid representation of the Queen, her face screams arrogance and boredom. It is not an easy task to impress the Queen Charlotte (real historical figure btw). This is a moment of extreme pressure for all of the aristocratic daughters.

One of the Featherington girls, even faints in front of the Queen.

To Daphne the Queen says she is splendid, and that is one of the highest regards and nicest compliments she said that day.

This will be mentioned in the paper of Lady Whisteldon, who is also the narrator of the story in the season. Lady Whisteldon is an anonymous author, who writes about the most important happenings during the summer season. She is always in the loop of the latest news and shocks everyone with her revelations. This paper is read by all classes, even the working class buys and reads this paper. The high society circles are like celebrities, well known in the whole community and even the Queen avidly reads the paper of Lady Whisteldon.

Do you like gossip pages and are tempted sometimes by the news of some influencers or celebrities? Yes, then in these times you would have been a reader of Lady Whisteldon!

The youngest children of the Bridgerton are not very important to the story line of the first season. Who is essential and is like the opposite of the Bridgerton, the imperfect household, with less elegance, taste, class and most importantly rank: the Featherington.

The Featheringtons are having a girl, named Marina Thompson as guest during London summer season. She is a distant relative, from the countryside. Marina is also here to find a husband. Since Mrs. Featherington has 3 daughters, the house is already full of female energy. One of them, Penelope is best friends with Eloise Bridgerton. They are both the same age, but Penelope is pushed by her mother to debut so early. She is the youngest of her sisters, only 17teen years old, but already trapped into this situation. Instead of laying low another season, she has to try to secure a husband.

The insistent mother always dresses her daughter Penelope in yellow, which is the least favourite colour of Penelope. Why do mothers do this to their daughters? So little regards to their tastes?

When Marina Thompson arrives, they can’t believe their eyes. They thought an ugly country wench would come along, but here this elegant beautiful girl in front of them. Sir Featherington is quite inappropriate with his gazes and lip licking when he is in her presence. What a creepy man, right?

The season is full of events, especially the evening balls, where the girls and the whole family prepare.

Always new dresses and perfect outfit and hair styles. A french Taylor Madame Delacroix is the most sort out dressmaker and she is a hard working women with her own high end fashion shop, who dresses most of high society London at the time.

Especially during the summer season, everyone floks into her luxury shop. It is beautiful to watch all these colourful, elegant gowns, beautiful jewellery. A rainbow of perfection to the eyes, which unfolds in impressive big historical halls. Delicious feasts. Everywhere we look is excess.

And that is why we love the show, right?

Or is it the love stories that intrigue us most?

Nobody has a real talk with this poor women, they may know how to behave, and dress properly, but they don’t know anything about sexuality and marriage. At least Daphne and her sisters don’t know how children come to be. Utterly inexperienced, they are thrown in this ball rooms, where the suitors can approach them. On top of that, women are never without a chaperone, that would be improper!

So never alone, in a hall full of people, they dance the night away. Different partners, different families, but the main setting is always the same. Excess! What did you think about their ballroom events, would you feel comfortable in these settings? Or would you also be like Eloise and leave as soon as you can.

Daphne is perfect, not only in Eloises eyes, but also in ours, right? I mean, she always knows what to say, how to be have, yes she is ignorant about certain aspects, but very sure in her morals.

While meeting with the Queen her expectation for the season grew extremely. Her hopes and dreams to fall in love. Plus, she has the most sweet petit doll face, and suitors desire her. However, nobody is good enough for her brother Anthony, who ends up scaring away most of them. Until only the disgusting Sir Berbrooke remains.

How did he manage to do that? Should a men who wants to marry someone be afraid of her eldest brother? Anthony can actually purposely be mean and tell other men off. So yes, all the potential husbands who would like to court Daphne, are not ready to enter in conflict with the Viscount.

The day after the Balls, the young debutantes, wait in their big City Houses in elegant living rooms, for suitors to arrive. Suitors are expected to bring flowers and gifts. At the start Daphne still has some men trying to court her, but Anthony is always there scaring them away. No one seems good enough for his sister.

Viscountess Violet, grows weary of the situation and tells Anthony he should not behave like a big brother, but rather help his sister to find someone suitable. She tells him he is not ready to take responsibility, since he is seeing that lady from the theatre and has an apartment in town where he goes at night. The Viscount has many liberties, and loves his Bachelor life. Siena the singer loves him deeply and is very disappointed when he gets cold feet after this talk with his mother and breaks up with her. Siena thought he would provide and take care of her always, but she has a harsh awakening when he tells her to leave the apartment and be out of his life.

Was this decision made because his mother knows about the affair?
His responsibilities as the eldest son and heir is a heavy burden. He plays it off, saying he has many brothers, but in reality he is haunted by the idea of not living up to societies expectations.

Handsome, beautiful, proud Duke of Hastings, first name Simon, is one of the most desirable Bachelors in the show. When he meets Daphne Bridgerton he has no intention of marrying. He is a very stubborn men, not afraid of speaking and saying his mind.

As a bachelor Duke, all the attention are on to him, mothers, daughters all throw themselves. For him the season is unbearable and heavy. But as any fortunate, rich and established men in society, he has to go to all these social events.

When he and Daphne meet, she is running away from disgusting Sir Berbrooke who had been very insistent. Simon is a good friend of the Viscount and wants to help Daphne with this tricky situation. They come to an understanding to fake their reciprocal courtship, so she will seem more desirable to the other men and he will get some off the women off his chest. Is this the courtship logic of this times? He will be less pressured by other families after he showed his interest to someone, but she will actually get more suitors? Well Daphne agrees.

What to say about the Duke and Daphne: their romance is the essence of the show. That is why we watched it, right? He is such a stubborn, proud men, but we like his manliness, right?

When Simon does not want to marry and Daphne wants to attract more suitors, other then Berbrooke, it seems like the pressure is off, and they can both be themselves with each other. Unfortunately, Mr. Berbrooke is more insistent and fights to secure his marriage with Daphne until the sour end.

However, when she is with the Duke, Daphne Bridgerton shows her real self, the side we love about her:

that she knows how to clap back, with remarks that shut people up or tells them the boundaries. Her character is the one of a leader and as is the Duke himself.

That is exactly why they will have troubling moments too, especially once they realise they actually love each other. That is when they will have more trials to overcome.

Did this ever happen to you? You meet someone with such a strong character and will, a real alpha male and you often fight because no-one wants to give up, both of you want to lead?

I notice this often in relationships. Personally, I think relationships between two strong personalities are very fulfilling, yet it is challenging, because there will be so many moments, where one has to give in and let the other one lead. Strong personalities have to learn to let others lead sometimes. Daphne and Simon sure have the potential to be a strong power couple, but they have also the possibility to clash and fail poorly, defeating each other because they butt heads.

I promise, everyone will surprise and intrigue you to some degree! Every episode has a revelations, and you’ll see also some intimate sex scenes, lots of love, deceit and of course drama, drama!

Have you watched it already, then tell me which was your favourite character of the show? Which story did break your heart?

See you in the comments

and read

Bridgerton, When love is not enough for your happiness

if you havent already!

Yours,

Queen BingeEye