Bridgerton Fandom Has Been Scandalously Unfair to This One Character

Summary:

• Bridgerton is a co-production between Netflix and Shondaland, based on the book series of the same name by Julia Quinn.
• Eloise Bridgerton is the fifth child of the Bridgerton family, known for her interest in women's rights in the patriarchal society of Regency London.
• Although there are many problems with Eloise's activism, some fans feel that she's held to a higher standard than other characters.

No matter how much we enjoy the social commentary that Shondaland's writers sprinkle into Bridgerton, it will never be a show about fighting injustice. As the entire premise of the show is set in London's high society in the 1800s, the show, like any other period drama, chooses to ignore uncomfortable issues.

Although some fans are hoping that the show will touch on class when it comes to Benedict's season, others are scared to see how the show will handle such a sensitive subject. Given their luck with Eloise's portrayal, there's still a long way to go before the show can tackle activism without it feeling forced and cringe-worthy.

Still, it's not fair to hold Eloise to a higher standard than everyone else on the show just because she's brave enough to ask questions and speak her mind.

Does she need to examine her privilege and expand the ideas she stands for? Absolutely. But everyone else on the show needs to do that even more.

Is Eloise Bridgerton a Feminist?

Opinions on Eloise's stance on social injustice vary from fan to fan. While some praise her for not being afraid to step away from society's norms and be loud and proud about it, others point out that she only did so because she had a supportive foundation.

It was a privilege for many young women in the Regency era to know that they would be forgiven for any stand they took and that they wouldn't be forced to do anything against their will. Sad as it is, ladies were often trapped by the wishes of their families, who weren't always as kind and understanding as the Bridgertons.

However, Eloise's lack of understanding is clearly due to a lack of life experience. Being kept in a sheltered environment, she wasn't able to learn more about the world around her, so she had no chance to fight against the things she simply wasn't allowed to see.

The only reason people watching Bridgerton today feel so comfortable nitpicking Eloise's approach to feminism is because of all the information available for self-education. For a woman who has had to glean every bit of knowledge about the world from books carefully censored by adults, she's doing just fine.

Perhaps if people held her brothers to the same standards as they do her, the fandom wouldn't be so forgiving of Anthony's sexist remarks and Colin's hurtful words in season two.

The good news is that all the Bridgerton siblings still have plenty of time to grow and develop, learning from their mistakes and experiences.

To see where the story takes everyone in season 3, tune in to Netflix on 16 May for the premiere of the first part.