lt’s hard to imagine a dating scene more dramatic and horny than Netflix’s Bridgerton. Courtship was a little bit different back in Regency era England, at the beginning of the 19th century.
As Phoebe Dynevor, who plays Daphne Bridgerton in the show, points out, ghosting didn’t exist.
“I think the problem today is there is no social etiquette, you can ghost someone and just blank them completely and there’s no repercussions to that,” Dynevor told Conan O’Brien. “Also, if someone was into you in those days, they would come round and bring you a big bouquet of flowers, it was simple as that. You knew where you stood with people.”
These days, you’re lucky if you get a text back, never mind a bunch of flowers. (Cynic? Moi? Never…)
Of course, it wasn’t all plain sailing. Courtship might have been pleasant enough, but let’s not forget the fact marriage was transactional, and women treated as chattels owned by their male counterparts. “That was the benefit of being a woman back in those days,” says Dynevor. “Obviously that’s probably the only benefit.”
Pretty much.
Bridgerton is now streaming on Netflix.