Romancing Mister Bridgerton

In Regency English, people of social standing valued possessions and displays of wealth. One of the most significant ways to showcase family riches and importance was through estates. In the novel, characters’ houses are thus an important indicator of rank and hierarchy; they are also used as characterization tools.

Location is an important feature of house symbolism. The Featherington home on Mount Street shows that the Featheringtons are a genteel family, as they live in a fashionable part of London. The Bridgerton House on Bruton Street is in the Mayfair neighborhood of London, a residential area favored by the wealthy because it is relatively newer and removed from the industry and toil of the City. In contrast, Colin’s house in Bloomsbury Square fits his ambitions to have a purpose and a vocation; the area is inhabited by those who pursue trades, such as doctors and lawyers, who are seen as lower in rank than the high society of the Bridgertons. Colin and Penelope’s decision to write for money makes them fit this neighborhood.

The houses of the varying characters in the novel also reflect their personalities. When Violet Bridgerton, the dowager viscountess, moves to the house at Number 5, this is appropriate for her status as a widow and mother—she has a home in which to entertain and house her remaining children, while the new viscount, Anthony, uses Bridgerton House, a larger and more impressive residence, to house his growing family. Similarly, while the Duke and Duchess of Hastings live at Hastings House, a mansion befitting Simon’s status, Daphne’s decorations for her ball show that she has imbued the house with the softer elements of her personality, turning it into a home.