Dearest Gentle Reader,
The ton is positively abuzz with anticipation regarding the release of Part Two, Season Four of the fan-favorite Regency drama, Bridgerton. This Thursday, February 26th, viewers will flock to Netflix to witness Mr. Benedict Bridgerton’s long-awaited pursuit of love.
This author has taken it upon herself to unite two passions of the modern age: the inhabitants of Bridgerton and the lyrical stories of Taylor Swift. For whom better to chronicle the longing, drama, and romantic triumphs than Ms. Swift herself?
And thus, let us begin with the famous Bridgerton family members who are known for their love matches with a touch of scandal.
**Please take notice that some analyses may include spoilers from the series.
The Bridgerton family
1. Anthony Bridgerton as “The Way I Loved You” from Fearless
Anthony Bridgerton, the heartthrob and reformed rake, found love unconventionally with his betrothed’s sister, Kate, in Season Two. Caught between the “safer” choice with Edwina and his passionate, thrilling flirtation with Kate, he perfectly embodies the tension shown in “The Way I Loved You.” Ultimately, he finds that love rarely arrives when we expect it.
2. Benedict Bridgerton as “Wildest Dreams” from 1989
Benedict Bridgerton is the wildest and most creative spirit of the Bridgerton family. He adamantly refuses to engage in any activities regarding the marriage mart. In Season Four, he passionately falls in love with a maid, Sophie, yet he dreams about an unknown mystery girl. Benedict’s romantic passions encapsulate the core of “Wildest Dreams” as he literally and figuratively dreams about the love of his life without knowing that the woman of his dreams and the woman before him are the same person.
3. Colin Bridgerton as “Ruin the Friendship” from The Life of a Showgirl
Colin Bridgerton is known for his friendship with Penelope, without knowing that she has secretly been in love with him for years. He has had other romantic interests that do not pan out, and he is more of a traveling and wandering individual. In Season Three, however, he realizes that he is ultimately in love with Penelope and pursues her ardently. In the end, he does “Ruin the Friendship” and makes the leap from longtime friend to forever partner.
4. Daphne Bridgerton as “Bejeweled” from Midnights
Daphne Bridgerton, the original diamond of the season, is the perfect fit for “Bejeweled.” “Bejeweled” is a song about personal empowerment and shining like a diamond (no joke, that is what the song is about). Daphne is courageous and able to connect well with others, making her the perfect match for the Duke in Season One.
5. Eloise Bridgerton as “The Man” from Lover
Eloise Bridgerton is one of the most outspoken and fiercely intelligent characters in the ton. Often with a book in hand and a grimace on her face, she is forced to talk to suitors as her mother wishes. She is a character who is always examining the double standards of society. Therefore, Swift’s “The Man” song is a clear anthem for Eloise. “The Man” discusses gender expectations and how the patriarchy limits women from reaching their potential at an equivalent rate to men.
6. Francesca Bridgerton as “Mirrorball” from Folklore
Francesca Bridgerton is the quietest of the Bridgerton family. Content with her pianoforte and silently taking in the world, she struggles with misplaced feelings towards her husband’s cousin, Michaela. Due to this struggle, she is a great candidate for “Mirrorball.” This song is all about the struggles of being famous and vulnerability. Due to the Bridgerton family’s expansive wealth and notoriety within society, it is possible for Francesca to feel the weight of the pressure from her last name.
7. Violet Bridgerton as “Invisible String” from Folklore
Ever the matriarch of the family, Violet Bridgerton is keen on all of her children finding a love match. “Invisible String” weaves a story about a great love and the destiny it was for two people to choose each other. Given Violet’s epic love story with her late husband, Edmund, she is the personification of the “Invisible String” theory for both her children and herself.
The Love interests
1. Kate Bridgerton as “Speak Now” from Speak Now
Kate Bridgerton, Anthony’s wife, is an extremely fierce and passionate character who is deeply protective of her younger sister, Edwina. Torn between her loyalty to her sister and her impassioned love for Anthony, she ends up being honest about her feelings and choosing to follow her heart. In “Speak Now,” Swift paints a story of a girl interrupting a wedding by speaking up about her true feelings for the groom. Similarly, in Season Two, Kate parallels this imagery by pursuing Anthony and eventually marrying him.
2. Sophie Baeck as “Enchanted” from Speak Now
Sophie, a maid given the chance to live out her own Cinderella story, travels to the masquerade ball. Immediately upon meeting Benedict, she is enchanted by his dashing personality. This author can only imagine Swift’s “Enchanted” from the album Speak Now was playing when these two lovers first met. “Enchanted” is about falling in love and the uneasiness over these feelings being reciprocated. The ton is eager to see if this match will play out in Part Two of Season Four.
3. Penelope Bridgerton as “Mastermind” from Midnights
Penelope Bridgerton is the true mastermind of the ton, pun intended. Writing under the pseudonym of Lady Whistledown, Penelope is a smart businesswoman with a knack for analyzing her friends and spreading gossip to earn a living. She carries a torch for her friend, Colin, for years, hoping that he would realize he wants more than companionship. Swift’s “Mastermind” from Midnights is a song about the narrator orchestrating a romantic relationship successfully, and Penelope is extremely similar to this narrator in this regard.
The Royals and other members of the ton
1. Queen Charlotte as “Long Live” from Speak Now
Queen Charlotte is a character that remains, for the most part, dramatic and almost unreal. Carrying the weight of the British throne, readers do not know much about their queen. However, in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, we see how Charlotte became Queen Charlotte and her love story with George. “Long Live” contains references to kings, queens, and making history with a love story: a perfect representation of Charlotte and George’s epic love story.
2. Brimsley as “Dancing with Our Hands Tied” from Reputation
Brimsley is the Queen’s right-hand man. In Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, the prequel story to Bridgerton, we learn that Brimsley had his own love story with the king’s attendant, Reynolds. They share a secret relationship, dancing in the meadows together in the shadows. While we do not know of Reynolds’ future like we do Brimsley’s, he is still a good representation of Swift’s song, “Dancing with Our Hands Tied.”
3. Lady Danbury as “New Romantics” from 1989
Lady Danbury is the Queen’s best and only friend. She has a reputation for helping others find their love match while experiencing romantic freedom once Lord Danbury passes. Finally free from his throes, she encapsulates “New Romantics” and its anthem of preserving and finding joy and happiness after heartbreak.
4. Lady Featherington as “I Did Something Bad” from Reputation
Lady Featherington, oh, how this author has a love-hate relationship with you. Over the years, she has been a comedic character with a knack for tearing down her daughters for the sake of advancing in society. In particular, she commits a crime through an elaborate scheme in one of the earlier seasons, making her the perfect match for “I Did Something Bad.” She not only willingly committed these crimes, but she also enjoyed it.
This author would be remiss if she did not extend her sincerest gratitude to her Taylor Swift experts and confidantes, Lauren Santaella and Carlyle Welborn, for their impeccable assistance in song selection. She hopes you, dear reader, have enjoyed this piece as much as she has enjoyed penning it. After all, if Bridgerton and Taylor Swift have one thing in common, it is that love is truly timeless.