Let’s Switch It

FilmSoc

Rodrigo S. Najarro Jr.

April 7, 2021
1. Describe a man/woman in the Regency Period (be
specific from physical appearances to personality).

The women of Bridgerton are dynamic, complicated, restless, and engaging. They,
like so many other period heroines, drive forward their own stories, despite the
sexist and conservative society that surrounds them, Their constant search for a
better situation eventually leads them to find their own happiness, sometimes
where they least expect it.
1. Describe a man/woman in the Regency Period (be
specific from physical appearances to personality).

Eloise Bridgerton
Eloise wears a hairstyle reminiscent of the more modern shag. This immediately
makes her stand out among the women on the show who sport feminine updos
with jewels. Unlike most of the Bridgerton ladies, Eloise wishes to do something
other than getting married and bearing children—she'd much rather be focusing
on her studies. So, it makes sense that Eloise's hair is styled in a simple manner.
Her rejection for 19th century traditions for women is wonderfully shown
through her hairstyle as an act of rebellion.
2. What are the societal roles of men/women during
the period?

Feminism is complicated and there are lots of different theories about what
makes a piece of art feminist or not. But, I wanted to dive into how the show
portrays women and the ways in which I think it excels
2. What are the societal roles of men/women during
the period?

While Regency England was certainly a patriarchy, we see the London Ton is
ruled by two women: Queen Charlotte and the mysterious gossip sheet writer,
Lady Whisteldown. Yet, the young women of the show are painfully aware of the
fact that women have few options in life.
2. What are the societal roles of men/women during
the period?

The women displayed in the show have one goal in life: to get married. Women
are discouraged from pursuing careers and taught to find a husband not based on
love, but upon mutual economic benefit. The women of “Bridgerton” are
discouraged from even participating in intellectual activities such as reading and
writing.
3. How important are these roles for them (cite specific
characters that embody this).

The last episode in the series reveals that Lady Whistledown is a woman of high
society. She would have been cast out from society and potentially faced charges
from the queen had she published her writing using her real name, so she
published her work using a fake identity.
4. Define success for a man/woman at that time?
(How do they achieve this?)

Simon’s aunt and confidante, Lady Danbury is a woman of means and of status.
She is a widow with no children of her own, so Simon has, in a way, taken up that
role in her life. And while the Queen might hold onto power inside the court,
Lady Danbury is her counterpart on the outside.
4. Define success for a man/woman at that time?
(How do they achieve this?)

There’s something about the expansiveness of Lady Danbury that I love. Her
absolute determination and willingness to embrace the whole room and not be
intimidated or feel lesser than anybody in that room. There is something about
being a woman in charge of space, taking up space, that I think is really attractive
and something that we are not raised to do. But more so, Lady Danbury is there
to help make space for other people to come in.
4. Define success for a man/woman at that time?
(How do they achieve this?)

She’s aware and alert to the quiet ones, the ones who feel fragile and she will
make space for them. And she will call out anyone who is being insincere,
deceitful or mendacious. Having said that, she doesn’t like arrogance, insincerity
or pomposity, either. She likes you to be straight down the line. She knows how to
play the game, but that doesn’t mean that she is an insincere person. She's just a
person who knows what she needs to use in order to hold the space for others.
5. What are the challenges faced by men/women in the
given period?

Daphne is the oldest girl and third child of Violet and Edmund Bridgerton.
Daphne certainly ends up with the life of her dreams: She marries one of her
older brother Anthony’s best friends, a handsome Duke named Simon with
whom she has five children. Daphne is a self-deprecating, smart, and kind. She is
a warm friend and a loyal and devoted sibling. And yet there are many who feel
she is at the very least morally iffy and at the worst morally despicable.
5. What are the challenges faced by men/women in the
given period?

Daphne, like many a girl of her era, is clueless about sex. Her pre-wedding day
chat with her mother, though hilarious, fails to educate her. Thus, when she
begins having a passionate sex life with her husband, she has no idea that his use
of the withdrawal method, has anything to do with the childless future he said
they’d have. However, a few weeks into her marriage, a candid chat with the
housekeeper at Simon’s ancestral home suddenly makes it clear to her that Simon
is choosing not to have children.