A Georgian Christmas

In the modern period the Christmas season is as much about being with family, friends and loved ones as it is about the parties and celebrating the end of the year, but what was it like in the Georgian period? Were Christmas traditions and customs vastly different to today, did the people of Georgian England celebrate differently?  It may surprise some to find out that a Georgian Christmas wasn't that different to a modern day Christmas.  

After a turbulent period in the 17th Century (and the banning of Christmas) King Charles II reinstated Christmas, and by the Georgian period (1714 to 1830) Christmas was again a popular celebration.  During the Georgian period - which includes the Regency period - Christmas was about parties, balls and family get togethers.  

The Christmas season during Georgian times would usually begin on St Nicholas Day (6 December) and continue until Twelfth Night (6 January).  The Georgians would begin by exchanging presents with friends on St Nicholas Day.  

This extended Christmas season would be full of parties, balls and social gatherings as Georgians would spend time with family and friends in celebration. This is not too different to the modern day Christmas season as many people attend parties and spend time with family and friends. 

Twelfth Night (6 January) would mark the end of the Christmas season and would be celebrated by a Twelfth Night party where the attendees would often play games such as bob apple and snapdragon.   After the Twelfth Night was over the decorations were taken down, and the greenery burned, or the house would risk bad luck, this is something that many carry through to today with a lot of people taking down their Christmas Decorations in the first week of January.  

But parties and spending time with family are not the only Christmas traditions from the Georgian times that we still see today.  

Decorations: 

As we do today, the Georgians would decorate their homes for Christmas.  Traditional decorations would include evergreens and holly, with a large fire at the centrepiece.  A Yule log would be chosen on Christmas Eve, wrapped in hazel twigs and dragged home to burn in the fireplace as long as possible, today however the Yule log is usually a chocolate cake.  The decoration of the home was not reserved only for the aristocracy and gentry, but poorer families would also decorate their houses with evergreens.  Kissing boughs were another popular decoration by the late 18th Century, and were usually made from holly, ivy, mistletoe and rosemary, though some more religious households would omit the mistletoe. 

Whilst today many houses will have a Christmas Tree, this was not something that Georgian households in England had as part of their Christmas decorations.  The Christmas Tree was a German custom, and though Queen Charlotte apparently introduced Christmas Trees to court, this is unconfirmed, it was not until an engraving of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert standing around a Christmas Tree with their family was published in London that the population began to adopt the custom themselves.  

Christmas Day: 

Christmas Day was a national holiday, as it is now in most western countries, and during the Georgian and Regency periods the gentry would usually spend Christmas at their country houses and estates.  

The day itself would begin with Church service, after which people would return to a celebratory Christmas dinner.  As wit today food was an important part of the Christmas traditions.  Christmas Dinner itself would usually be Turkey or Goose, though Venison would also be served.  This would be followed by Christmas Pudding which is alleged to have been banned by the Puritans, but reintroduced in 1714 by King George I.  

St Stephen's Day: 

Today on the day after Christmas (whether called St Stephen's Day, Boxing Day, or the Day after Christmas), many people will head to the stores to shop in the sales.  In the Georgian period this was the day when people gave to charity, and the aristocracy, and gentry, would present their servants and staff with their Christmas Boxes, hence it being called Boxing Day in many countries today.  

Christmas Cake: 

In most countries there is a version of a Christmas Cake, however, in the Georgian period it was not a Christmas Cake that they would serve, but rather a Twelfth Cake.  The Twelfth Cake was the centrepiece of the Twelfth Night party, and a slice was given to all members of the household, this is considered the forerunner to the Christmas Cake we have today.  

The extended Christmas season seen during the Georgian period disappeared after the Regency period with the onset of the Industrial Revolution, however, as we see many of the traditions are still in place today. 

What Christmas traditions do you observe, are any of them descended from the Georgian Christmas?  

Kate and Anthony Week: Allow Me

 First published on Tumblr 14 May 2023

Two words, but they, and the 10 seconds in season two in which they appear, have so much meaning for Kate and Anthony's story.

Setting the scene: These two words are said at the altar during Anthony's wedding to Edwina. Just as the Archbishop was saying Anthony's vows for him to repeat, Kate was fiddling with her bangle and it dropped to the floor. Anthony immediately knelt to pick up Kate's bangle, and as he did he said 'allow me' as he gently placed the bangle in Kate's hand. This was the moment that Edwina had her epiphany (we won't discuss that here, maybe in the future).

So let us look at the elements, and then discuss why I believe this scene, and these words, are so important for Kate and Anthony's story (separate to them stopping the wedding with Edwina).

The Bangles: Kate said to Edwina that the bangles belonged to her mother, she wore them on her wedding day. From my research I believe that these are Kangan bracelets that Kate is wearing. My understanding is that these bracelets form an important part of the wedding ceremony. The Aurus Jewels Website (aurusjewels.com) expands on this, stating "The Indian bracelet is largely connected to marriage and symbolizes matrimony in a similar way to how a Western wedding ring does. Hindu brides frequently combine their gold bangles with glass bangles. Red and green glass bangles are considered to be essential signs of marriage." These were the bracelets that Kate's mother had to symbolise her marriage. What is striking with the earlier scene where Kate offers them to Edwina to wear is that Edwina had never seen them before. For Kate these bangles represented her mother, and her parents, it was something that she had not shared before. When Edwina returns the bangles to Kate, saying that she doesn't want to feel like she is taking what is rightfully Kate's, it symbolises that Anthony, like the bangles, rightfully belongs with Kate.

The Altar: In christianity the altar is the focus of all services, and represents the presence of christ during the services. It is at the altar that sacred ceremonies take place within the christian church, of which the marriage ceremony is one such ceremony, the uniting of two people.

The Vows: Within the marriage ceremony the form it takes is that of the vows, in which each person makes a promise to the other in front of god.

Bringing these elements together, we have the basis of a sacred marriage ceremony that is part christian and part Hindu. So, what does this symbolise for Kate and Anthony, and how do the words Anthony says translate into a vow?

By saying 'Allow me' Anthony is asking Kate's permission to give her the bangle, Kate does not object, but she must understand the significance of him giving her the bangle at the altar. This represents their marriage ceremony, with the bangle taking the place of the giving of a ring. By asking permission to give her the bangle, and Kate silently granting it, Anthony is mimicking the giving of a ring at the altar during the marriage ceremony, especially as it comes after Anthony's part of the vows was said (though not by him).

Further, this gesture on Anthony's part is not lost on Edwina, what she is seeing is Anthony asking Kate if she will take a symbol of marriage, and Kate not objecting, for Edwina this would have seemed like Kate and Anthony's marriage ceremony.

So, whilst the words may appear to be unimportant, they are in essence the beginning of a promise made.

How colour foreshadowed two future Bridgerton Brides

Foreshadowing is a big part of Bridgerton, as is the use of colour in the costumes, and season 2 was no different.  Whilst the colours of the costumes in season 1 tracked the journey of the leads, specifically Daphne, in season 2 the colours were used to show that Kate and Anthony were meant to be, but in episode 4 colour was used to foreshadow two specific Bridgerton Brides.  

Kate: 

In the beginning of episode 4 we see Kate in a light 'Bridgerton Blue' dress, the colour and the pattern matches Anthony's waistcoat.  Whilst the matching colours through the season indicated it was Kate that Anthony was destined to be with, it is this dress in Bridgerton Blue that points to Kate becoming a Bridgerton.  Kate wears this lighter blue only twice in the season, the first time is at the first ball when she first overhears Anthony, and again at the beginning of the House Party at Aubrey Hall.  I believe that this is the most significant moment of her wearing the signature Bridgerton Blue.  Kate is wearing the family colour at the country estate of the family she will soon be the head of, and it is significant that she is wearing this colour at the beginning of the house party.  

Penelope: 

Penelope is known for wearing yellow, however, in season 1 we had seen her in some pink and a bright lime green, in season 2 she is generally back in yellow, however, in episode 4 we see Penelope in green, and not the garish lime green we have seen her in before, but a softer green colour.  This is significant on two points, first it points to Penelope being a future Bridgerton Bride, with her dress colour being a mix of the yellow she would normally wear and the Bridgerton Blue, secondly this was a deliberate choice by the costume designer to put Penelope in Green at this point in the show as an easter egg for season 3, it is at the Bridgerton country estate, and marks the beginning of the house party.  It is also significant that in this scene Penelope is with both Colin and Eloise - who are both in Bridgerton Blue.  

What we see in episode 4 is two Bridgerton Brides, the one whose season it is and the one for the next season, in colours that represent their future within the Bridgerton Family.  Kate as the future Viscountess wearing the family's colour, and Penelope as the future bride of the third son in a mix of her family colour with the Bridgerton family colour.  

I look forward to seeing the colour journey in season 3 as we watch Penelope and Colin's relationship develop, and as we watch for the next Bridgerton spouse.  

Kate and Anthony Week: All I find myself being able to breathe for is you

First Published for Kate and Anthony Week 2023 on 12 May 2023

In the gazebo scene Anthony says these words to Kate 'all I find myself being able to breathe for is you', it is in essence Anthony's first love declaration to Kate.  

This line calls back to episode 3 when Violet, in the depths of her depression after Edmund's death, tells a devastated Anthony that 'Edmund was the air that I breathed, and now there is no air'.  That this from Violet came almost immediately after she told Anthony she wished that she had died in childbirth, further devastated Anthony, but also set him on his path of not wanting to marry for love, and not wanting someone to love him as his mother had loved his father.  

So when Anthony tells Kate that all he finds himself being able to breathe for is her, he is acknowledging the love that he has for Kate is as strong as the love that Violet had for Edmund, it shows Anthony's growth and his surrendering to love and acceptance that he will love Kate no matter where she is.  

This theme of the breath is prevalent with Kate and Anthony in season two, and is something that the production team worked on, specifically the sound engineers.  At times of Anthony and Kate being physically close we not only see them breathing each other's air, but we hear it as the sound of their breath is amplified and becomes a part of the story of Kate and Anthony. 

I have seen some viewers, in their rush to show their disdain for season 2, ridicule this aspect of their characters, mock the importance placed on breath and say how disgusting they found it.  This shows not only a lack of understanding of some of the central themes for season 2, it shows a gross ignorance in understanding the importance that the human breath plays in many cultures. 

I alluded to the importance in breath yesterday when discussing the dances of Kate and Anthony, and in particular the final move of the 'Wrecking Ball' dance, where Kate and Anthony are close, and sharing each other's breath.  In many cultures the breath symbolises life, it is spiritual, and in some cultures the sharing of the breath is something that is sacred and seen as being a gift from the gods. 

For me personally, I am most familiar with its cultural and spiritual importance within the Polynesian cultures, specifically that of the New Zealand Maori and Native Hawaiian cultures.  The sharing of breath, is the sharing of life, it is the way that they greet each other. 

For Hawaiians the traditional greeting, honi, where the two people greeting each other touch their foreheads and noses, welcomes each other into their space by sharing the breath of life.

This greeting is similar to the New Zealand Maori greeting, which also involves touching foreheads and noses, and the sharing of the breath, to welcome a person, where they are seen, not as a visitor, but as Tangata Whenua (one of the people of the land).  This is a spiritual greeting and the sharing of breath is seen as coming directly from the gods.  

The Inuits also greet each other in a similar manner, called Kunik, though this is usually only reserved for family members, as opposed to the New Zealand Maori and Hawaiians who use it more widely.  In the Inuit culture the Kunik involves pressing your nose and upper lips to the other person, and breathing in the scent of the person you are greeting. 

These are not the only cultures around the world that use the sharing of breath in greeting, whether for those that are family, friends, or honoured and revered guests, this act is spiritual and intimate.  It connects those that are sharing their breath, and it symbolises their life force. 

So for me, the addition of the breath in Season 2 with respect to Kate and Anthony is symbolic of their life force.  Kate is Anthony's life force, and he is hers, their sharing of breath throughout the series is a physical representation of this, just as Anthony's words 'all I find myself being able to breathe for is you' is a verbal representation of this.   

The depiction of this could have been something that was played for laughs, humour, and essentially mocking the beliefs that believe in the breath of life, it is a credit to Chris van Dusen, Jonathan Bailey, and Simone Ashley that it was done in a sensitive and serious way.  It is just sad that some so-called Bridgerton fans deem it something to be mocked and made fun of.  

Ladies First? When your sex and birth order affects your inheritance

Primogeniture is the system of inheritance where the eldest son (or daughter if applicable) will inherit titles, estates, and money.  In Britain, aristocratic titles are predominantly passed on through Agnatic (or male only) primogeniture, whilst in the Royal Family the line of succession for the crown was, until 2013, passed on through male preference primogeniture (where a younger male child would inherit ahead of an older female child), the British Royal Family now use absolute primogeniture (where the oldest child inherits regardless of sex) for the line of succession for the crown. This post is going to look at the three types of primogeniture, (agnatic, male preference and absolute), and use the British Royal Family and the fictional Bridgerton universe as examples to illustrate each type of primogeniture. 

Agnatic (male only) Primogeniture

Under Agnatic Primogeniture only the eldest male child is able to inherit the title, and for most aristocratic titles in the UK this is how the inheritance for the title and estates is passed on, even in modern times.  In the fictional world of Bridgerton one of the best examples of this practice is within the Featherington family.  When Baron Featherington died at the end of season 1 it was unknown who would inherit the title and estate, and despite Baron Featherington having 3 daughters the title and estate would not be inherited by any of them, due to the practice of Agnatic Primogeniture.  Under Agnatic Primogeniture the Featherington title and estate went to the nearest male relative to Archibald Featherington.  

The way this is decided is by going back each generation until a male relative is found.  Using the example of Baron Featherington, we know that the eventual heir (Jack) was a fourth cousin to Prudence, Philippa and Penelope, which means they share a Great Great Great Grandfather.  What this means in terms of establishing the next Featherington heir is that they had to go back four generations from Archibald in order to find a line with an eligible living male relative.  

This illustrates how agnatic primogeniture can create a situation where a title and estate is inherited far removed from the immediate family of the former holder.   

Male Preference Primogeniture

Under Male Preference Primogeniture sons will inherit a title and estates ahead of any daughters, even if those daughters are older.  The best real world example of this is the British Royal Family who had practiced Male Preference Primogeniture until the change in succession legislation in the UK and Commonwealth realms in 2013 (ahead of the birth of HRH Prince George).  Within the British Royal Family we see that HRH Princess Anne The Princess Royal is below her younger brothers, Prince Andrew The Duke of York and Prince Edward The Duke of Edinburgh, in the line of succession due to the male preference primogeniture practiced at the time of her birth.  

Applying male preference primogeniture in Bridgerton we will move out of the main Bridgerton show, to the Queen Charlotte spin off, where we see the application of male preference primogeniture referenced indirectly in the first and the final episodes, though the succession question was a major plot point for the Regency period in the show.  

In the first episode a succession crisis was sparked by the death of Princess Charlotte of Wales, the granddaughter of Queen Charlotte and King George III, this is because Princess Charlotte was second in line to the throne after her father, The Prince Regent.  If Princess Charlotte had a younger brother he would have been ahead of her in line to the crown, but she did not thus she was to inherit after her father's reign.  If HRH Prince Frederick The Duke of York, HRH Prince William The Duke of Clarence, or HRH Prince Edward The Duke of Kent (the next three sons of Queen Charlotte and King George III) had sons they would not have jumped Princess Charlotte in the line of succession, but taken a position below their fathers who in turn were below Princess Charlotte.  

In the final episode of Queen Charlotte, HRH Prince Edward The Duke of Kent went to Queen Charlotte to advise his wife was pregnant and they felt it would be a girl, though this was very much the show pushing the point they were talking about the conception of Queen Victoria, the point they were making was that at this time she became the fourth in line to the throne after her uncles The Prince Regent and The Duke of Clarence, and after her father The Duke of Kent, but she would be ahead of her other aunts and uncles.  By the time her uncle The Prince Regent took the throne as HM King George IV, Victoria's father had died moving her to first third, then second, in the line of succession, and when her uncle The Duke of Clarence took the throne as HM King William IV Victoria became the heir apparent ahead of her aunts and uncles, and any male cousins she may have had.  

Absolute Primogeniture

In contrast to Agnatic and Male Preference Primogeniture, Absolute primogeniture is when the eldest legitimate child - regardless of sex - inherits the title and estate.  As mentioned above, the British Royal Family now use absolute primogeniture when determining the line of succession to the crown, after amendments to the Succession to the Crown Act passed by the UK Parliament and the parliament's of the 15 Commonwealth Realms.  

The update of the Succession to the Crown Act applied to children born after 28 October 2011, meaning that any boys born after this date would not precede their older sisters in the line of succession. This change did not impact the monarch's succession for the following three generations after Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.  The first children to be affected by the change were those of Lady Davina Lewis, the daughter of HRH Prince Richard The Duke of Gloucester.  Lady Davina's children, Tane (b. 2012) and Senna (b. 2010), who were 28th and 29th in the line of succession at the time had their order reversed in the line of succession, with Tane dropping to 29th and Senna moving up to 28th.  

Since the change to the legislation we have seen how absolute primogeniture has changed the way the line of succession looks with the births of HRH Princess Charlotte and HRH Prince Louis.  Prior to the change Princess Charlotte would have dropped one place in the line of succession on the birth of Prince Louis, however, with absolute primogeniture she retained her place of fourth (now third) in the line of succession even with the birth of a younger brother.  

Within the Bridgerton Universe if absolute, (and not agnatic), primogeniture was in place in the aristocracy we would see this applied upon the death of Edmund's father, the seventh Viscount Bridgerton where it would be Billie Bridgerton who inherited not Edmund.  

Note:  HRH refers to His/Her Royal Highness and is used for those that have that style granted by the monarch

Kate and Anthony Week: May I have this dance?

First published on Tumblr on 12 May 2023 as part of Kate and Anthony Week 2023

We see Kate and Anthony dance three times in Season 2, and each dance tells us a little of their story.

Please note this is based on my thoughts when watching the dances, and does not reference the intent of the choreography, which may be different to my interpretation.

Dance 1: Hearts and Flowers Ball. During the first 90 seconds of this dance there is no dialogue, this combined with their continual eye contact, and the choreography of coming together and moving away makes this one of the most intense dance sequences I have seen. For me this shows Kate and Anthony where they are at in their relationship at this point, they are drawn to each other naturally, but they keep pulling away, then they get very close, before pulling away again. Once the dialogue begins it seems to break Kate and Anthony, and the viewers, out of the spell that they were in during that first 90 seconds, and though the dialogue is about Edwina, it reveals Kate to Anthony as well. Whilst discussing Edwina, and her happiness, Anthony asks Kate if she wants him to reconsider his intent, and Kate responds with 'it does not matter what I want', Anthony has a look of hurt almost on his face as she says this, he realises that Kate does not believe she matters, and he feels that loneliness and hurt that Kate does. Whilst we did not get long monologues of these two getting to know each other, I think in these moments the amazing acting of Jonathan Bailey and Simone Ashley helped communicate more about their characters than any big speech could, and in turn Anthony and Kate learn about each other. I just want to end on this dance with the note that when Anthony hears that Kate is returning to India his face, and body language, reveals a similar panic that we saw in him when Kate was stung by the bee, it wasn't as intense, but he certainly displayed a mild panic. To me this shows that even if he wasn't acknowledging it yet, Anthony knew that Kate was the one for him and the one that balanced his anxiety and stress, and kept him calm.

Dance 2: Harmony Ball. This dance was a lot more joyous than the first dance, and being a country dance we got to see Kate and Anthony dance, and interact, with others. Right at the beginning of the dance we see Kate look at Anthony with a softness we haven't seen before, she is charmed by him including Hyacinth, and you can see that she is falling in love (if she isn't already in love with him), and she knows that she is. This is a lighthearted country dance where we see Anthony dance with Hyacinth, Lady Danbury and Kate, and we see Kate dance with Colin, Violet, and then of course Anthony. What we see with Anthony and Kate is a lightness and a joy that we haven't seen before, we see that they take genuine joy in each other, and even at the end when they were reluctant to let go of each other's hands showed that they really didn't want the dance to be over, and they didn't want to leave each other's presence, but their bodies were facing from each other at this point, showing that even though they were happy to be with each other they still weren't at a point to completely let go of what was holding them back, especially for Kate. This dance represents what I hope to see more of in Season 3 with Kate and Anthony. One final note, this dance also showed very much how Kate is a Bridgerton, she fits in with the family, and she is part of it.

Dance 3: Wrecking Ball Dance. This dance is, I think, their most beautiful dance, it lacks the intenseness of their first dance and the joy of their second dance, but it is full of love. Both Kate and Anthony think this is the last time they will see each other, and dance together, and at this point they have both fully given into their own feelings for each other. As the other dancers begin to leave the floor and Kate asks Anthony if he wants to stop, he responds with the lines 'keep looking at me' and 'no-one else matters', this second part is a call back to both Kate and Anthony in separate scenes (episode 4 & episode 5) both saying a variation on the theme 'I don't matter'. Anthony is telling Kate that she matters, and he matters, he is acknowledging that what they want matters and that they can have it. And we can't mention this dance without mentioning the move at the end, as their hands lowered, Kate's iconic eyebrow scrunch, but more so the longing that they both have for each other, they truly seemed to forget everyone else, and were completely in tune with each other.

A note on the dances, I said at the beginning that each dance told a little of their story, and the progression of the dances does this. In the first dance they were moving away from each other before coming together, but often they weren't facing each other for much of the dance, but in different directions or occasionally in the same direction whilst not looking at each other, thus showing that they were more combative with each other, whilst drawn to each other. In the second dance there were equal moments where they were either side by side, or facing each other, and whilst happy they still hadn't fully given in to either their feelings, or the idea they could have what they wanted, but they were getting there. In this dance they were happy in each other's presence, but as the dance symbolised, it was the beginning of them moving forward since part of the dance had them not facing each other, but side by side. In the final dance, with the slight exception of a few turns, they were facing each other for the duration of the dance. This represents them coming together, finally accepting their feelings for each other, and them remaining on the dance floor shows they are now living for themselves and what makes them happy. The final move in the dance (mentioned above), had them close and sharing their breath, this fits in with previous moments of them getting close and sharing breath. Whilst I am sure it was not a reason for Bridgerton to include this aspect for Kate and Anthony, in some cultures around the world the sharing of the breath is seen as something spiritual, sharing the breath of life. In Bridgerton it is a call back to both Violet in episode three where she said Edmund was the air she breathed, and to Anthony in episode 7 where he told Kate she was all he could breathe for, they are what gives each other life, and this is symbolised in this move where they share the breath with each other.

Kate and Anthony Week: Tulips

This was first published as part of Kate and Anthony Week 2023 on 10 May 2023

All Kanthony fans are aware of the importance of Tulips to their story and folklore.  In the book Anthony picks a Tulip from his mother's garden at Aubrey Hall and gives it to Kate, from this one scene a folklore was born, and Tulips will forever be connected to Anthony and Kate in the Bridgerton Universe. 

In season 1 of Bridgerton we see Tulip imagery in connection to Anthony, with the most overt one being during an exchange Anthony has with Violet.  Violet is doing some embroidery and shows Anthony, she is embroidering Tulips for Daphne, and says that they represent passion and says 'maybe your bride would like some', foreshadowing the connection with Anthony and Kate and Tulips. 

But let's backtrack a little, and look at the meaning of Tulips as a flower.  Tulips represent a perfect or deep love, they also represent rebirth.  Tulips are a flower to give to the person you have a deep and unconditional love for, but also they are ideal for a person going through life changes and taking on new challenges.  

From the perspective of Kate and Anthony, Tulips are the perfect flower to represent them, their love, but also their journey in the show. 

Not only do Kate and Anthony have a deep love for each other, during the course of the show they went through changes, taking on new challenges, as they grew into themselves and their love, the Tulip represents this in its simplest form. 

It is fitting then that when Anthony visits Kate after her accident he takes her Tulips as the representation of the life changes, and his deep love for her.  But the colour of the Tulips is also representative of their journey and their story.  The Tulips Anthony takes to Kate are Pink tinged with yellow, which can be read in a number of ways, but I believe symbolise their deep love, the overall affection, but also hope and forgiveness, respect and honour.  

Red Tulips are commonly symbolic of a deeb abiding love, but by having Anthony take Kate pink Tulips the red is mixed with white which is symbolic of forgiveness (asking for not giving), respect and hope.  I believe that by making the Tulips pink the show was mixing these two colours to symbolise Anthony's deep and abiding love for Kate, but also his deep respect for her whilst asking for her forgiveness.  Further the Tulips that Anthony gave Kate had a yellow tinge on the bottom of the flower, with yellow Tulips symbolising hope I believe this was to symbolise Anthony's hope for a future with Kate.  

Within the Bridgerton Universe these flowers symbolising a deep and perfect love will forever be associated with Kate and Anthony, and that is reflected when Gregory says that it is their love that made him believe in love.  

For many of us Kate and Anthony will always symbolise the love to aspire to, and the Tulip will always symbolise that for us.  

Kate and Anthony Week: I am a Gentleman

First posted on Tumblr on 9 May 2023 as part of Kate and Anthony Week

Throughout Season 2 we hear Anthony utter the words 'I am a gentleman'. To be honest I never counted how many times he said it, but I do feel that we believe he said it more times than he did, one day I might rewatch and count the number of times that line is said.

However, whilst some (including me) may laugh and think it is funny, make jokes about it and even turn it into a drinking game Anthony saying these words whilst acting anything like a gentleman, I think there is another meaning for him saying the words.

Some have speculated it is Anthony reminding himself he is a gentleman for him to keep control whilst he is around Kate, however, I think it goes further, and is as much Anthony reminding himself (and Kate) that she is a lady. This echoes back to a conversation he had with Siena in Season 1.

In Season 1, in one scene with Siena Anthony is talking about having to leave her to escort Daphne to a ball, Siena complains and Anthony says that someone must protect Daphne. Siena comments that Daphne is lucky, not every woman has someone to protect them, Anthony's response is 'not every woman is a lady'. The point he is making is that Siena is not a lady, he is very much dividing the women in his life.

So moving on to Season 2, as Anthony tells Kate he is a gentleman, and repeats this to her, I believe there is more to this than just him reminding himself that he is a gentleman. It goes further, he is reminding himself Kate is a lady, someone that needs to be protected from men in society. But beyond that, this is the message he is passing on to Kate as well, he is telling her that she is a lady and he, as a gentleman, will protect her.

This comes to fruition in the gazebo scene where during their argument (foreplay?), Anthony says the phrase again, but this time followed with the words 'and you are a lady'. His actions after this exchange show Anthony attempting to 'protect' Kate as he tells her to go inside, he does this at a point where his control appears to be at its lowest. Kate doesn't leave, but as they kiss and Anthony moves back to say he will stop, he is again showing that he is there to protect Kate from unwanted advances, that he, as a gentleman, will protect her, as a lady.

Kate and Anthony Week: Midnight at the Library

 First Posted 9 May 2023 as part of Kate and Anthony Week

Leading into season two much discussion online was around which of the book scenes would be in the show, and one that all fans were keen for was the scene in the library during the storm. In the book this was a scene that forged a connection between Kate and Anthony, so many were disappointed when that scene didn't happen in the show, but should the scene from the book have been transplanted to the show as it was? I think it is mixed, yes and no.

In the book this scene has Kate hiding under a desk almost catatonic from the storm and Anthony calms her down and comforts her, the scene is completely about Kate's vulnerability. Would the book scene have worked for Kate at that point in the show? I don't think so, but I do think we should have seen a variation of it to show Kate's growing vulnerability, as her facade is being cracked bit by bit.

In the library scene in the show we have Kate looking for a book to read to help calm her down during the storm, we learn they unsettle her and her father used to read to her during the storms, and now she reads as it reminds her of him. She says this to Anthony after he finds her in the library, this should have been expanded on, but instead it switched back to Anthony's trauma with Kate asking about his father. During the conversation we see as Kate's understanding of Anthony grows, we see Kate begin to know him, not through dialogue but through the incredible acting of Simone Ashley and her facial expressions.

And this is where I feel the show has let down, not only the viewers, but Kate as a character. During the season, on numerous occasions, we only had the expressions by Kate to tell us of her emotions, it is a rare thing when an actor can tell the viewers how the character is responding emotionally with only a small expression and not dramatic actions or screaming, and this is a skill that Simone Ashley has.

For anyone with a deep seated fear or phobia they learn to cope if they have to, panic attacks are often pushed off in order to deal with what needed to be done, and this is something that Kate would have had to have done for the eight years since her father's death. Kate was the sole caregiver, and as such wouldn't have been able to show weakness or to be able to not be present as she dealt with her fear. Kate would have developed coping strategies over those years to deal with her fear of storms, but the fear and panic will still reside inside, and can be shown via facial expressions, and body language, something we didn't really get that well from the show, but something that I believe Simone would have been able to portray very well if she was able to.

Whilst I do not believe Kate was at the point of being completely broken and vulnerable by episode four, and would not have been almost catatonic under a table, she was slowly becoming more vulnerable. I believe at this point of her emotional journey she would have shown some panic, and vulnerability during the storm - at least more than just flinching at the thunder. In my opinion, it was at this point they could have used the storm for Anthony to have a moment to not only gain more understanding of Kate, but to be able to offer her some small comfort. Just as Kate recognised Anthony's panic attack during the bee sting scene in episode three, and provided him comfort and calmed him, the writers could have had that in this scene in reverse.

Simone would have easily been able to portray Kate's growing panic, and her inner turmoil as she pushed that panic down without a lot of weighty dialogue. The missed opportunity is this, and then the opportunity of Anthony recognising this in her and offering to read to her as her father did. I believe if the show had gone this route it would have satisfied the spirit of that scene in the book without Kate being out of character for the show. As Anthony comforted her in the book by talking about Aubrey Hall, he could have done so in the show, first by reading, and then perhaps by it turning to a conversation about their respective fathers, or just about their fathers, using this as an opportunity for Kate to have learned more about Anthony, but also for Anthony to learn more about Kate. It is this moment that Kate should have been able to begin opening up more, and shown herself as being more vulnerable.

In my opinion this scene in the library, whilst a lovely scene, was a missed opportunity for the show. Not only did they lose the opportunity to show the growing connection between Kate and Anthony, they missed the opportunity to give the viewers more information on Kate and her family, and they missed the opportunity to really show Simone's incredible acting range, from stoic and strong to her being much more vulnerable.

Throwback Thursday: Who will Eloise's new friend be?

 First posted 8 April 2023

Disclaimer:  This was written before we found out that Ruby Barker isn't returning to Bridgerton for season 3, however, I do not believe that this fact negates the possibility of Marina being Eloise's new friend. 

When the synopsis for S3 was first released it was mentioned that Eloise would make a surprising new friend, since then there has been speculation who this might be. 

Some believe it is a new character Lady Tilly Arnold, and there is speculation that this character will also be connected to Benedict.  There appears to be no basis for the speculation that Lady Tilly will be Eloise's new friend, except that based on her character synopsis some fans don't want her to have anything to do with Polin.  

Some have suggested that Eloise's new friend is Kate, however, I don't think that is who is being referred to.  We saw a glimpse in S2 of the potential friendship between Kate and Eloise, and I believe they will be close as sisters, I believe that Eloise will see Kate as an ally in her family and a woman she can be close to, however, this is something that has previously been hinted at and would not be surprising considering Kate is now the Viscountess. 

My guess is that the surprising new friend for Eloise is Marina, this would help set up Eloise for her own season.  In the books Marina is a cousin of the Bridgertons, and this is why Eloise writes to Sir Philip after Marina's death. In the show there is no familial connection and therefore no reason for Eloise to contact Sir Philip, however if Eloise had been a penpal of Marina's then there is a prompt for Philip to begin the correspondence by notifying Eloise, or as in the book Eloise learns of Marina's death and writes to Philip. Marina is the most logical new friend of Eloise as both Marina and Eloise have been betrayed by Penelope in her Lady Whistledown column, Eloise may feel some kinship with Marina for this reason. 

In S2 I believe it was foreshadowed when Colin made an assumption that Eloise had been writing to Marina, (isn't that what young ladies do, write letters?).  Knowing how S2 ended I believe this was the set up for Eloise to begin writing to Marina.  We also know that Aubrey Hall is close to Romney Hall, which would have made it easy for Eloise to call on Marina during the off season.  

The question is:  If Marina is Eloise's new friend, does Eloise impart the news of Lady Whistledown's identity?  And if she does, how will that play into Season 3. 

Who do you think Eloise's new friend is and why?  Do you think it is Lady Tilly? or Marina? or someone else completely?  

The problem with "Prickly Spinster of a Beast"

 Any suitor wishing to gain an audience with Miss Edwina Sharma, must first tame the rather prickly spinster of a beast otherwise know as her sister. 

This is said by Lady Whistledown at the beginning of episode 2 of the second season of Bridgerton, it is in reference to Kathani 'Kate' Sharma, the female protagonist of the season, a dark skinned Indian woman newly arrived in England.   These words are problematic in a number of ways, and despite meaning to be a nod to Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew they have the undercurrent of sexism and racism that is unpalatable for many modern viewers. That a privileged white woman called a dark skinned woman of colour a beast in a show that prides itself on diversity shows a lack of awareness on the part of the writer and the producers.  In this post I am going to look at the issues of racism with these words and how these words have impacted the way some viewers view Penelope Featherington - and why it is difficult for those viewers to root for her in season 3, causing a problem for the production as a whole.  

Historically terms such as 'animalistic' 'beastly' 'savage' have been used to describe people of colour by Europeans, invoking imagery that associates people of colour with being animals.  In Othello animal imagery is used to demean, diminish and insult the lead character - a Moor - giving the play racist subtext, specific to India it is alleged that Winston Churchill referred to Indians as a 'beastly people with a beastly religion' [this will be the subject of another post], in Pride and Prejudice Mr Darcy states 'every savage can dance' in response to Mr Lucas.  Beast and Beastly have been used in the past as ways to insult others on their manners to imply that people are uncouth and lack the manners of refined society, they are also terms that have been associated with the devil (evil & sin), however, in the context it is used in Bridgerton it is not just a simple insult - it becomes a dehumanising racist trope. 

For some viewers this description of Kate Sharma - the season 2 lead - was more than uncomfortable, it was offensive, and some have said that this was the point that they turned against Penelope as a character, many were not only rightly feeling offended, but also disappointed in the production.  Bridgerton is a show that went out of its way to ensure a diverse cast in a genre that is usually not diverse, it is a show that has cast a dark skinned Indian woman as the romantic lead without turning the character into a caricature, and to have this very same lead referred to as an animal with all the negative connotations that implies for people of colour is tone deaf, and furthermore has hurt the perception of the character that will take the lead in season 3.

In context of the show what we have is an established character, who is a privileged white woman, talking about a woman newly arrived in London from India, which at the time was one of Britain's colonies.  Further to this, Penelope had not even met Kate, she had never spoken to her or Edwina, in fact I don't think Penelope spoke to Kate once during season 2, so why did Penelope use such an offensive racist trope to describe Kate?  And how does Penelope redeem herself for this with the viewers?  

In the fan fiction story 'The Engagement of Lady Whistledown' on Archive of our own, writers hptriviachamp and orangepeelshortbreadcookies have included a scene where the Bridgertons are holding Penelope to account for the hurt she has caused due to what she wrote about them, and during this discussion (intervention?) Kate brings up Penelope calling her a beast, (excerpt below reprinted with the permission of the authors - emphasis mine): 

“You did not even know me back then, did you? Of course not. I had just arrived in England after all, from India, of all places. Imagine my surprise when after mere days of being in a new country, my name already made the papers. The whole thing would have been amusing if it weren't so insulting. We had never talked until that point, had we, you and I? I cannot fathom what transgression on my part had branded me to be deserving of such treatment. Does demeaning the existence of a complete stranger make you feel better about yourself, Miss Featherington? Contrary to popular belief,” Kate said with harsh pointedness, “those with my colouring, those from my homeland, are not animals .”

This excerpt encapsulates all that is wrong with Penelope's words, especially the last part, it was a popular belief at the time that people of colour were Indians, for some white Europeans this is a view that persisted into the twentieth century - and still lingers today.  Whether intentionally or not Bridgerton has perpetuated this racist trope in the words of Penelope.  We can hope that there is some accountability from Penelope for these words (along with her other actions), though it is most likely that this line will not be addressed, and the viewers - like Kate - will be expected to welcome Penelope into the family with no accountability for the way she spoke about the Viscountess.  

It has previously been reported that it took the director of episode 7, who was a woman of colour, to bring awareness to the optics of having Kate and Anthony engage in pre-marital sex when Daphne did not, so it is unsurprising that the writer of episode 2 - a white man - did not consider the optics of a white woman calling their Indian female lead a beast.  But it is not just the optics, when you have Americans writing an historical show set in England the nuances of British relations with their colonies is brushed over, not all experiences were the same during the period of European colonisation.  The writers appear to be seeing the English historical setting of Bridgerton through the lens of American history and so the more specific issues within the nations they are writing about is lost, and the result is that this line shows very little understanding of not only the optics of what is being written, but the historical implications in the context of English and Indian relations.   

Whilst the whole phrase is undoubtably sexist, the unnecessary addition of calling Kate a beast added the racist undertones and completely changed both the meaning and the reception to this line.  I do not believe that Penelope is racist per se, and I do not believe that the writers actually meant to write her as saying something racist, but this line - and the reaction from some fans - shows how tone deaf the writers and producers are - not to mention the executives at Netflix who allowed this through.  This should have been flagged, it would not have changed the story at all to re-record the Lady Whistledown voice over for the beginning of this episode.  

By writing Lady Whistledown and Penelope as if they are separate characters the Bridgerton writers have written themselves into one big problem for season 3 because Lady Whistledown's words are Penelope's words to the viewer.  The real challenge is how do they turn the viewers opinion of Penelope around, how do they have Penelope atone for her racism towards Kate who is now the Viscountess Bridgerton - the most senior woman in the family Penelope will be marrying into - and how do the writers make it palatable enough for the viewers to want to have Kate welcome Penelope into her family and into her home?