Instead of following in Daphne’s footsteps by becoming a debutante, Eloise’s story in Bridgerton season 2 should copy her brother Benedict’s experiences in season 1. Unlike Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor), who was excited for her first social season and desired to marry, Eloise (Claudia Jessie) spent season 1 dreading the approach of her first social season and dreaming of establishing a writing career similar to Lady Whistledown’s despite the restrictions of the Regency Period. Since she has the same defiant streak as Benedict (Luke Thompson), Eloise should swap out Daphne’s ballgowns for a pen by exploring her own artistic aspirations in Bridgerton season 2.
As the Netflix show is based on the anthology series of novels by Julia Quinn, Bridgerton season 2's story will not focus on Daphne as the main protagonist again. Instead, Bridgerton season 2 story will follow Anthony, the eldest Bridgerton brother and head of the family, as he courts newcomer Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley). The basic premise of season 2 then promises a similar storyline to season 1 with extravagant balls and social gatherings thrown by the echelons of London society during 1814’s social season, which marks Eloise’s debut into the marriage market.
While Anthony is the new lead of the series, however, Bridgerton season 1 revealed that the Bridgerton sibling Eloise connects with the most is her unconventional brother Benedict. Not only do the two of them bond over their shared disinterest in social events, but they both have artistic passions they wish they could pursue as a career at a time when any pursuit of the arts was met by criticism, especially for women. Since Eloise is more akin to Benedict than to Daphne or Anthony, Bridgerton season 2 should explore Eloise’s own attempts to become a writer, similar to Benedict’s artistic pursuits in season 1. In the first season, Benedict found his in into the artistic community through the artist Henry Granville (Julian Ovenden), and it would be far more interesting for Eloise to follow a similar rebellious arc than to become a demure debutante.
Eloise’s storyline in Bridgerton season 2 can have her defy the aristocracy from behind-the-scenes by finding an artistic community of her own to support her writing endeavors. Like Benedict, Eloise could find her own mentor through the notorious Lady Whistledown, whose identity was revealed during the season 1 finale to be her closest friend Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan). If Eloise’s investigation leads her to Whistledown’s true identity, Penelope could help Eloise learn to write under a pseudonym and have a successful, secret writing career as a woman, even in their conservative society.
Another way in which Eloise can follow in Benedict’s footsteps is by rejecting the marriage market altogether. As the second oldest sister, Eloise’s position within her family gives her a small amount of leeway to diverge from a traditional path. Just as Henry mentioned to Benedict that the "second sons" get to have all of the fun and none of the responsibility, Eloise might be in a similar position as the second daughter. When Daphne moves to the Hastings' estate, Eloise tells Daphne she's grateful to her for being the perfect daughter so she didn’t have to be. With this in mind, Eloise could delay her debut into society for another season or, at the risk of scandal, openly defying the whole practice by refusing to take part in the social events, a bolder action that suits Eloise’s character.
However, Eloise’s journey to becoming a writer will be met with more challenges and scrutiny than Benedict faced pursuing art in Bridgerton season 1. As Eloise mentioned to Benedict in episode 3, his status as a man affords him the opportunity to pursue an artistic career, while her gender in their society prevents her from following her passion. If Eloise follows her own path in Bridgerton season 2, either in secret under a pseudonym or by avoiding the marriage market entirely, it would certainly associate the Bridgerton name with scandal. Daphne’s comment that she knows Eloise will make her own way in the world in episode 5, however, seems to suggest that Eloise is destined to take an untraditional path no matter what.