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Added by Nerdfightergirl Posted in Diamond of the First Water (Netflix)Anthony Bridgerton (Netflix)/GallerySimon ANTHONY BRIDGERTON AND HIS CLOSE FRIEND SIMON BASSET,
DUKE OF HASTINGS
ASTRID ESSED ABOUT BRIDGERTON/SECOND COMMENT ON
THE NETFLIX SERIES BRIDGERTON/WHY ASTRID ESSED IS ALL
IN FAVOUR OF BRIDGERTON
Readers!
Here she is again!
Actually I would do this Post following week, but since I am
really excited over the Bridgerton series and I have much to say about it,
I start tonight with my second comment!
Perhaps you remember my first comment in which I revealed something about the
storyline itself, the loving, but complex relationship between one of the main characters, Lady Violet Bridgerton and her eldest son Anthony [1]
A very fascinating part of the series, that relationship which I will
come back to in subsequent comments.
But in this Post, which will be short, I like to share with you why
this Story, Bridgerton, fascinates me.
COSTUME DRAMA’S
I have seen a lot of costume drama’s, some were interesting, others good,
others boring.
And some [like Pride and Prejudice] [2] I saw so many times, that I was
tired of it, although interesting.
So I didn’t look anymore.
HISTORICAL REALITY
And I must confess, that when I first heard about Bridgerton I had my
doubts and I’ll explain why.
I learned that the series were about a noble Family in England in the Regency era [3] [so far, so good] and the cast was colorblind.
Which meant, that white and black nobles were part of the series on
equal stances.
I thought firstly:
What is that about?
In the Regency Time England, in which slavery and slavetrade flourished,
white and black aristocrats mingled and stood shoulder to shoulder?
That’s historically seen, nonsense.
And since I am historian, I could know.
Of course there were already black people in England since the 16th century,
[4] but eventually they either left or mingled with the white British population.
And ”black aristocrats” even when they were in England in the Regency Time, were rare.
What happened was that there were a minority of rich black people
in England that time, mostly children of plantation owners and a black slave mother, who were sent to England by their fathers for education. [5]
SO FAR, SO GOOD
FAIRY TALE
But then I decided to step away from historical reality and look at the
storylines an sich, forgetting that black-white thing.
Because, so I thought:
What would it be beautiful if the history had gone another
way and indeed black and white aristocrats mingled with each
other in England, without the curse of racism?
Why the world should not be a Fairy Tale, at least for the time
watching the series?
And when you look at it from that perspective, the world, for a while,
is much more relaxed and then the Story an sich is relevant, not
the colour of people.
Would that not be a Relief in the real world?
Then let’s assume, for a moment, that it IS the real
world and black people regain thed dignity again, which
was token from them by the nasty historical reality.
That was the moment, the Bridgerton Story began to interest and even
fascinate me.
CHARACTERS
And then beautiful characters came to live.
Like Lady Danbury, an impressive black noblewoman [6]
Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings, Anthony Bridgerton’s best
and closest friend [7], who would marry Daphne Bridgerton, sister
of Anthony [the same Anthony who had a warm, but complicated
relationship with his mother, Lady Violet Bridgerton] [8]
And so more important black aristocrats and others.
And not to forget the historical figure Queen Charlotte, grandmother
of Queen Victora [9], who was black in the Bridgerton series, andwho by the way is the subject of a discussion, whether she was of African descent. [10]
COLORBLIND CAST/IDEA
RELAXING AND MORE EXCITING
SHORTLY SAID:
That colorblind idea [in the Bridgrton books, all the personae are,
of course, white] [11], is relaxing and makes the series more
interesting and exciting
STORYLINES
Since the story is not ”hindred” by race and color issues, it is not
only more entertaining and relaxing, but there is more
room to focus on the Story Itself
And the storylines are fascinating:
Themes are forbidden love, unresolved trauma’s, warm, loving
motherhood, the Cinderella theme, strong family bonds, warm and intense
male friendships [like Anthony and Simon Basset], scandals, social
prejudice, great Family Stories and yet, the racism thing passes also,
but on a more relaxed way.
You see all aspects of human life pass the review.
Because you know?
Although racism and unequality do exist and the fight against it must
continue, it sometimes can overshadow human relations and certainly
in TV series, for entertainment, it can be boring and disturbing.
Let we fight the fight against racism in the streets, not in TV series!
FINAL
Bridgerton is a strong and fascinating Story, with many aspects of
human life, you see the main characters eat, drink, cry, be happy or
unhappy, love, hate etc, just as if they were real.
I like it
I think it fascinating.
And I will post more about Bridgerton.
See you at the next Post
ASTRID ESSED
NOTES
NOTES 1 T/M 6
NOTES 7 AND 8
NOTES 9 T/M 11