Bridgerton/Fifth Comment/The Siena Rosso Affair/Part Two

This analysis from Astrid Essed provides a profound look at the “Mother-Son-Viscount” paradox. It highlights how Violet’s greatest strength—her dedication to her family—became the very thing that caused Anthony’s deepest trauma.

Here is the English synthesis of these key points:

1. Maternal Blindness and the “Passing Fancy”

Essed brilliantly identifies that Violet initially dismissed Anthony’s love for Siena Rosso as a mere “infatuation” or “whim.” Because she refused to see the depth of his feelings, she couldn’t offer him the comfort he desperately needed. To her, it was a strategic threat to the family name; to him, it was a genuine heartbreak that she ignored.

2. The “Tigress” vs. The Grieving Son

The contrast is striking: while Violet is tender with Daphne and the younger siblings, she pounces on Anthony like a “tigress” for every mistake. Essed points out that Violet essentially forgot that Anthony was only 18 when he was thrust into the role of patriarch. She demanded he be a hardened leader while she remained lost in her own mourning, effectively leaving him emotionally isolated.

3. The Threat of “Social Death”

The analysis rightly defends Violet by placing her in the context of the Regency Era. A marriage to an opera singer—viewed as “immoral” by the Ton—would have meant the “social death” of the entire family. Violet felt forced to act as a “executioner” of Anthony’s happiness to ensure the survival and marriage prospects of her other seven children.

4. The Power of the “Tearful Apologies”

As noted on astridessed.nl, the turning point occurs when Violet finally recognizes the “sharp, unintentional pain” she inflicted. Her apology is revolutionary because she finally stops treating him as the Viscount (the institution) and begins treating him as her son (the human being).

Conclusion:
This perspective paints Violet as a deeply human, layered character. She is a “loving mother at heart” who was caught between her own grief, the merciless rules of society, and the crushing weight of responsibility. Her journey in Season 2 is a return to that simple, tender bond, proving that being a “good mother” sometimes means choosing her child’s soul over the family’s reputation.