Katelyn Antilla

Gentle readers, a question: Is forgiveness as straightforward as it first seems? Lady Violet Bridgerton has this to say concerning forgiveness: “However difficult forgiving someone may be, it is necessary to move forward.” And while we may take this as sage advice, is it actually true? It has come to these authors’ attention that too little heed has been paid to whether, and how, our esteemed members of the ton have come to be forgiven. In a show focusing on interpersonal relationships, it is unsurprising that many of the themes of Bridgerton focus on failure, resolve, and repair. From Simon forgiving Daphne, to “the ton” forgiving Lady Whistledown, it is clear that accountability is a central theme of Bridgerton. But not all accountability ends in forgiveness, rather sometimes we excuse, justify, or simply forget the wrongs done against us. In ordinary use these concepts are somewhat interchangeable, but in the hands of philosophers these are technical terms — all of which reserve different meaning and space. Using the Bridgertons and company as examples, we can seek to understand more about the value and conditions of forgiveness. Via Penelope, Eloise, and Cressida, we analyze examples of interpersonal, self, and third-party forgiveness; applying philosophical accounts to better understand the characters, their pleas, and the forgiveness they choose to bestow and withhold. We hope that a deeper understanding of forgiveness will enrich the experience of the show for its viewers, and shed new light on its fraught interpersonal connections and dilemmas.