A Lady Whistledown in Every Woman
The Bridgerton series reflects every woman’s need for voice and agency
I recently finished watching season 3 of the Bridgerton series on Netflix. The latest season’s theme largely uncovers the identity of Lady Whistledown — a diarist who, with her wit and brilliant prose, chronicles the many follies and foibles of the “ton.”
While many get offended by her accurate observations and revelations — that shed light on the controversies and scandals of the then aristocratic London — everyone still eagerly awaits the newsletter and enjoys partaking in some gossip.
Lady Whistledown herself started writing because she felt like a “wallflower,” partly because of her low self-worth — as a result of being overweight — or because she did not think marriage deserved as much of her time and attention as did her books and writing.
In a society where every season saw the potential betrothals of the debutantes, she was oft-ignored, and reached her third season as a debutante, fearing she would remain a “nasty spinster.”
When Lady Whistledown, or Penelope Featherington, finally committed to working on her appearance and started learning how to interact with the opposite sex, with help from her childhood friend and neighbour Colin Bridgerton, she eventually…
