The classic love stories that inspired Bridgerton

Arguably the most famous couple in literature, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy’s ‘will they, won’t they’ love story has naturally made its way into countless period dramas and the similarities in Bridgerton’s leading couple are hard to ignore. Both couples follow the same trajectory of despising each other, hiding their true feelings, and overcoming their pride or their prejudice before they can truly fall in love. The tension of this ‘will they, won’t they’ love story is what makes it an enduring and magnetic trope that audiences can’t get enough of.

Newland Archer from The Age of Innocence is an upper-class man, born into an illustrious family and restricted by his parents’ expectations. So when he falls in love with Ellen Olenska, a woman from a completely different background, he starts to question the path set out by his family. Sound familiar to Anthony Bridgerton and his love affair with Siena Rosso? In both stories, the men realise too late that they should marry for love rather than class whilst the women follow their chosen paths and strong mind, and it’s these feminist undertones we can’t get enough of in the class-conscious love story. 

Jo and Laurie from Little Women are two of literature’s favourite friends and when Jo rejects Laurie’s marriage proposal it breaks almost every reader’s heart. Similarly, in Bridgerton, viewers long for Colin Bridgerton to fall in love with his closest friend Penelope Featherington. When he instead falls for Penelope’s cousin Marina, a huge drama erupts. Both Laurie and Penelope have their hearts broken but they also end up breaking their friend’s heart, and this unexpected reversal of fortune is what makes the ‘friend zone’ love story so addictive. 

Jane Eyre is a fiercely independent heroine and one of her big concerns about marriage is sacrificing her freedom. Jane believes in marrying for love and following your ambitions, and she only marries Edward Rochester once she has gained her own fortune and can be seen as his equal. These views were rather radical for a woman in the regency world, just like Eloise Bridgerton’s views are in Bridgerton. Eloise wants to follow her heart and become a writer rather than a wife, and her and Jane’s rebellious characters are what make them stand out in any love-filled Regency drama.

Emma Woodhouse is classic literature’s biggest matchmaker and gossip is a huge part of Emma. Throughout the novel, Emma focuses on every love story besides her own and ends up missing what’s right in front of her, a loving man named Mr. Knightly. Arguably, Mrs. Whistledown is Bridgerton’s biggest matchmaker and the gossip she spreads plays an underhanded part in many of the show’s love stories. Now that her identity has been revealed, will we see a love story emerge for her too? Readers and viewers love seeing gossip at work, particularly when it backfires on the matchmaker spreading it.