Why Women (In General) Love Period Pieces: No, It's Not The Having-Fewer-Rights
Season two of Bridgerton is just around the corner, and we are unable to contain our excitement. The Regency Era romances that create steamy situations out of what today would be considered commonplace have captured the time and attention of people around the world, specifically women.
Now, if you are a man that LOVES Bridgerton or period pieces that are not Game of Thrones, more power to you, but I'm focusing on a specific, generalized phenomenon and exploring why it mystifyingly continues to be true. The frenetic excitement surrounding the Shonda Rhimes show calls one major point to question: why?
Why do women love period pieces so much. The year is 2022. We are allowed to vote. We can own property. Why do we find ourselves swooning over the old-timey-stereotypically patriarchal men that, on the surface level we rage against in our day to day lives?
(To the misogynists quick to jump on the low hanging fruit I've realized I've left for you: no, we do not secretly want guys that are misogynists. We enjoy rights. Return to your incel Reddit threads, gremlins!)
While to the unobserving eye it may seem that we find ourselves falling for the knight in shining armor, the savor, the all-knowing male lead, what we actually see is a woman using all of her powers of wit, calculation, and marked intuition, all while maintaining the exterior that is expected of her. Through the high stakes of period pieces, a microscope magnifies a microcosm of the modern female experience: constantly strategizing while keeping a straight face.
While the division of power between men and women in the past cannot in any capacity be called equal, the vast separation actually gives women the space to wield all of the carefully calculated power they have for their own rights. That thought phrased a little more explicitly: women are able to take carefully thought through steps and make calculated actions without men trying to sleep with her every step of the way.
Sure, when it comes to getting an inheritance, women wind up on the dower side of that dowry, but high society courtship is a lady's time to dominate. In these time period shows, specifically those focused on the female experience, men and women are held to similarly high standards. What is expected within those standards overall may change, but there is one thing that remains the same: a man and woman of good society cannot touch, kiss, be alone together or anything else. This gives the lady the edge.
Now, I do not write this to say that women don't like sex, but these shows dictate definied rules by which women cannot be hypersexualized by men or treated like sexual objects. Game of Thrones is an excellent example of this. Don't get me wrong, I am a BIG GOT fan. There are many impressive, powerful female characters that are compelling to watch. Yet, more often than not, sex ends up being the strategy of choice when it comes to defeating the enemy. That or the female character is being r*ped. Even though they are powerful, female sexuality is used as a weapon before their strategy, mind, or anything else.
Yet, in these high standard period pieces, this does not happen. Anthony Bridgerton demands that Simon and Daphne get married after they are spotted kissing. Therefore, the only way to keep everyone's status in society secure is to operate through tact. Societal overthinking and interrogation is an area in which women stereotypically thrive. It is what makes Mean Girls an incredibly relevant and powerful movie. Therefore, these period piece shows depict the most exciting kind of battle to watch: mental.
When society has a lot of rules, they are far easier to manipulate. It is impossible to break the rules if there are none, so, in terms of drama-filled shows, a period piece wherein the stakes are incredibly high due to the immovable fixture of dictated composure is a treasure trove of we-shouldn't-be-doing-this style drama. Everyone knows forbidden love is one of the most compelling things to watch. So, when something is set in a time period where almost NOTHING is allowed, I mean...it's not rocket science.
ON TOP OF THAT
There are just politeness rules that I think a majority of women, and people across the board, would LOVE to see make a comeback. Just basic things. Like, if I don't really know you, don't touch me. (CRAZY, I know.) Or! Back in the Regency Era, for example, it was impolite to walk up to a person and introduce yourself if you were not introduced by a mutual connection. I'm not suggesting that people should not be allowed to meet strangers or make friends, but you know those nights you're sitting at the bar and someone comes up to you and starts talking your ear off and getting too close but there's no good way to leave the conversation so you get stuck there for a long time but then people end up saying foolish things like, "if you didn't want to meet anyone why did you go out?" Well, you can take solace in the fact that those in the Regency Era ALSO would have found this appalling and strange. Want to feel seen? Go watch Emma.
Last but not least, the men in period pieces are, in general, honorable, mannerly, respectful of the family, and commitment driven to find a wife to carry on their family line. If someone strays outside of this honor-sphere, they become the disgrace of the town. It is STRAIGHT UP in everyone's best interest to continue being nice, and, at the end of the day, isn't that what we all want? ALSO, the leading men are always SO in love with the leading women: in an eloquent way that speaks to the soul. It screams of lasting potential. It's simply epic. Yes, that may be the most generalized hyper-romantic version of why period pieces are all of the rage, but I mean, hey, it counts!
This is not to say that ALL women love period pieces or to say that NO ONE ELSE does love them. I'm just saying, if you're wondering where I will be on March 25th, I will be watching the second season of Bridgerton. And then rewatching it.
