Her newfound friendship with Charlotte will expose other ways in which he’s exploited her dependence on him. She lives with her brother, the Marquess of Blayne (Julian Rhind-Tutt), who controls her fortune, and thus, she cannot even access her own money without his permission or live her own life without his scrutiny. Lady Isabella Fitzwilliam (Tyler) is neither whore nor wife, and yet her life is still controlled by a man.
During this time period, harlotry provided far more opportunities for freedom and autonomy for women compared to the genteel servitude expected of a wife.
#Harlots season 2 series#
Rosaline Eleazar and Sebastian Armesto, “Harlots” HuluĪs dark and distasteful some of these storylines can be, the series becomes downright heartbreaking this season, especially when it comes to new cast member Liv Tyler, who joins as one of the nobility. Unyielding in his moral righteousness, he intends to follow the letter of the law by shutting down brothels but encounters difficulties given how such establishments are frequented by those in power: men. It’s your weakness.” Furthermore, the introduction of a new character, Justice Josiah Hunt (Sebastian Armesto), highlights how difficult it is to challenge the patriarchal status quo. At one point, a male character tells Fanny (Bronwyn James), “Women will always be at the mercy of men’s power,” and she offers her own insight: “It’s not your power that we’re at the mercy of.
This season doubles down on all of this, including exploring the hypocrisy of men and how they maintain the current power structure to keep women dependent. Margaret also still appears to have a conscience and regrets that raising her two daughters Charlotte and Lucy (Eloise Smyth) into the life, which includes auctioning off their virginity, wasn’t the only way she could succeed in life. Of course, the big difference is that Golden Square perpetuates rape, providing unwilling virgins to sadistic men, while Greek Street provides consenting women who want the protection of a house, instead of just freelancing in the back alleys. Quigley is the Georgian counterpart of this, and thus, even though she continues to put women - young girls, in fact - in horrifying positions, she’s only a few shades of grey morality-wise from Margaret.
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