Absent Of Racism, "Bridgerton" Sheds Light On Sexism, Classism
Or, How Solving One Issue Fails To Solve Them All
Warning Spoilers for Seasons 1 and 2 of Bridgerton ahead
I indulged the first season of Bridgerton along with everyone else last year. The period drama swept me up in its tails of romance, deception, and of course, gratuitous shots of shirtless men. Though I found some of the main plotline problematic, I appreciated how Bridgerton effectively demonstrated what like would be like if racism in all forms were nonexistent.
For the few who are unfamiliar, in the world of Bridgerton, one’s racial makeup has no bearing on their ability to attain or gift wealth, land or titles. This of course is a Hollywood interpretation of reality and the source material (from my understanding there are no explicitly non-White characters in the books the series is based on), where European royalty and nobility was limited to White people.
We see in season one, several high society members who are Black, and, notably, the Queen herself.
In season 2, this idea of racial equality expands to include other people of non-White heritage, including the season’s diamond, Edwina Sharma, a young lady of Indian descent.
Since the show first premiered much talk was had about how different our current world would be if all races of people were seen and treated as equal, and offered some hope that perhaps some day, that might be so.
In the absence of racism, intentionally or not, Bridgerton manages to highlight two other societal ills — classism and sexism.
While Shonda Rhimes succeeded in creating a world where race is no longer a barrier to entry, Bridgerton is far from a utopia, and even in this fictionalized world, people must adhere to their stations.
Similar to how it was in 19th Century England, we have the nobility and royalty, the working class/tradespeople, and, at the bottom, the servant class. Like those at the top, the working and servant classes are occupied by people of all races.
While it would be lovely to do some historical revision and paint the time period as one where people of all financial and social backgrounds were given equal opportunity, doing so would turn Bridgerton on its head, as the whole show revolves around the lives and scandals of the elite.
Similarly, the role of women at the time closely mirrors reality, as the show is set against the backdrop of the courting season and the importance high society placed on marriage.
While we are shown great examples of formidable women in the Queen, Lady Danbury and even Lady Whistledown (the pen name of town gossip, Penelope Featherington), these ladies still must act within the confines of a society which favors men.
Then there is Eloise Bridgerton, who effectively highlights the challenges of both sexism and classism in Bridgerton.
An opinionated, intelligent young women, Eloise scoffs at the pomp and circumstances of the annual courting season, bemoans her fate at not getting to live as freely as her brothers, and sneaks off to converse with Theo Sharpe, a printer's assistant who shares Eloise’s beliefs and opens her to a world of dissidents and status-quo questioners.
It is in this last relationship where we see how classism is brought into Eloise’s journey. Once having no interest in love or the institutions of high society relationships, she has falling for a young man who sees her as a true equal and worthy confidante.
Eloise’s heart makes her careless, she is outed by Penelope aka Lady Whistledown, and Sharpe bluntly informs her that while her actions may cause her to be the subject of negative talk, for him, they could mean real consequences, including the loss of work.
Theo reminds Eloise that the fun and excitement she has in dabbling in the world of the working class is a privilege of her birth.
Eloise is a bit of a rebel, however she loves her family, and I am curious if that push and pull between her wanting to be a dutiful daughter and honoring her spirit for change will be emphasized further in season 3.
What I can expect is more examining of how issues like class and gender impact social mobility, and how Bridgerton can be as much social commentary as it is enjoyable bingeing.