The Gilded Age, the new period drama from Julian Fellowes, excels at showing audiences a bygone world, one in which social conventions and mores are something of a prison that the characters struggle to either save or escape.
As the season progresses, several of the characters demonstrate in no uncertain terms that they are not going to let the old ways of doing things circumscribe their agency, and so they work to challenge and defy the social norms that govern everyday life, often with results that they did not entirely anticipate.
When Bertha Throws Her Party
Carrie Coon is famous for playing one of the best characters on the FX series Fargo, and she brings a great deal of that same energy to Bertha. As someone who doesn’t come from the old families, Bertha has a hard time breaking into the upper crust, which is why she throws a party to try to lure in those with the breeding that she yearns for. Unfortunately, she comes to realize that this is a defiance of social norms, and it ends up backfiring, leading her to be even more ostracized than she was before.
Oscar’s Affair With John Adams
As he did with Downton Abbey, one of the best British period dramas, Julian Fellowes once again goes out of his way to include an LGBT+ storyline. This time, it involves Oscar, the scion of one of the old families, who is having a passionate affair with another man. Though he still tries to find a woman to marry and produce an heir, it’s clear that his heart belongs with John, a defiance of the rigid social norms of the 19th century and an affair that could make them both into outcasts.
When Marian Rode With Peggy In The Train
One of the things that makes The Gilded Age one of the better costume dramas of recent years is its willingness to tackle the issue of race head-on. This emerges in the first episode, in which the main character Marion rides with her friend Peggy in the part of the train that is reserved for people of color.
Though she was taking a risk in doing so, Marian nevertheless demonstrated that she wasn’t about to let the old ways of doing things govern her behavior when it came to her friends.
When Peggy Insisted On Being Seen By A Publisher
Peggy is sure to be seen as one of the best heroines of a costume drama, in large part because she isn’t afraid to try to get what she wants. As an aspiring writer, she knows that she is going to have to take some risks, which she shows when she stays at the publishing office, even when it’s clear she isn’t welcome. This is a grievous breach of social norms, but it demonstrates just how determined and brave she is.
When Marian Attended Bertha’s Party
The party that Bertha throws is, of course, one of the most important moments in the series, but it also poses a problem for several of the characters. As she does so often in the series, Marian throws caution to the wind and attends, even though she knows that it will anger her aunt, Agnes, one of the most conservative characters in the series (she is much like the Dowager Lady Grantham, who stars in many great episodes of Downton). It’s a risk that Marian thinks is worth taking.
When Marian Met Tom In The Park
The key to any successful costume drama is a good romance, and The Gilded Age has several of these, making it one of the better offerings from HBO. The one between Marian and the lawyer Tom is one of the most fascinating, precisely because he doesn’t have the lofty social connections and impeccable lineage that Agnes believes her niece’s husband should have. Thus, by agreeing to meet with him in a public place, and by not immediately turning down his marriage proposal, Marian is flouting the rules that society expects of a woman of her age and class.
When Marian Speaks With Mrs. Chamberlain
Time and again, Marian flouts the rules, no matter how much damage she might be doing to those around her. In the fourth episode of the series, she even goes so far as to have a conversation with a woman named Mrs. Chamberlain, whose reputation was damaged by an indiscretion of her youth.
It’s a moment that allows the audience to cheer for Marian and her willingness to break social taboos, even as it also makes them nervous about what the consequences will be.
When Mrs. Chamberlain Invites Peggy To Be Part Of Her Conversation
Even though she is a relatively minor character in the series, Mrs. Chamberlain still shows that she is also willing to break the rules when it comes to social behavior. Aside from the fact that she insists on going out in public when many would prefer her not to do so, she also invites Peggy to be part of a conversation in a department store. Given the deeply racist nature of this society, this is a brave move even for someone who is herself a pariah.
When George Buys The Entire Bazaar
Bertha’s husband George is one of the wealthiest people in the series, and he’s not afraid to use his money for what he views as a good cause. In one of the first season’s most notable moments, he gets revenge on the society women’s snubbing of his wife by buying the many objects for sale at the bazaar. It’s a breach of decorum, in large part because it involves his showing off his wealth in a way that many of the more well-bred members of society view as crass and uncouth.
When George Refuses To Help The Aldermen
Though he can be a bit brash at times, there’s no question that George is a brilliant businessman. What’s more, he knows that he has enough money to do what he wants, and that includes getting revenge on the aldermen who betray him. They ultimately plead with him to relent but, in one of the most dangerous breaches of social norms in the first season, he refuses to do what a gentleman would do, leading to the ruin of several of his enemies.