Period pieces are some of my favorite types of media to consume (and no, I’m not particularly picky about WHICH period it is). I was that high schooler who had already read all the Jane Austen books by the time Pride and Prejudice appeared on the mandated literature list, so you can imagine my excitement when Netflix offered up its new series Bridgerton as “something I may like.” As you might have already guessed, I did, in fact, like—scratch that, love—it. So, I present you with: my top 10 Bridgerton quotes to hype you for this series.
- “All is fair in love and war, but some battles leave no victor, only a trail of broken hearts that makes us wonder if the price we pay is ever worth the fight.”
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This quote may seem depressing on its face, but I like its realistic message. Things don’t always end “happily ever after.” Haven’t you ever heard that the course of true love never did run smoothly?
- “An appreciation of the arts is what lifts us beyond mere animals. It stirs the passions and moves the spirits.”
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Music, literature, art, these are the things that make us human. They are expressions of our souls, and without them, our world would certainly be cold and dark.
- “If you desire the sun and the moon, all you have to do is go out and shoot at the sky.”
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I’ll admit, I’m taking this one a bit out of context (for those who have seen the show, you know what I mean), but I think it could be inspirational. If you want something in life, it’s ultimately up to you to go out and make it happen. You can do anything you want; you just have to put in the effort.
- “There are perhaps darker turns in these woods than we’ve been taught to expect, but there is light to be found at their end.”
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This one hits a little different in the COVID-19 era. None of us ever thought that we would have to live through a global pandemic, but that doesn’t mean that it’s neverending (even though it may feel that way now). There is hope at the end of it all, we just need to hold on a little longer.
- “You deserve nothing less. You deserve everything your heart desires.”
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Don’t ever let anyone convince you that you don’t deserve the best, whether that’s in your personal or professional life. You deserve someone who loves you as much as you love them, a happy and healthy life, and even a secure job in your dream career.
- “You find things to love.”
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This is an underrated quote, in my opinion. Sometimes it’s easy to only be able to see the dark and difficult things going on. Those are the times when we need to look for the small parts of our lives that make it worth living. “Little victories,” that’s what I call them. When life overwhelms us, we look at the smiling faces of our friends and family, we look out the window at the sun shining down, we close our eyes and feel the gentle breeze on our faces. We find things to love.
- “I love all of you, even the parts that you believe are too dark and too shameful. Every scar. Every flaw. Every imperfection. I love you.”
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This was one of the most heart-wrenching of the “I love you” quotes in the entire series. Isn’t this what love is supposed to be? Acceptance? Someone who loves you loves even what you see as the worst of you. Please note: this isn’t just romantic love but also includes familial bonds and platonic friendships.
- “Pride. It will cost you everything and leave you with nothing.”
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This harsh truth can sometimes be hard to swallow, but harsh or not, truth is still what it is. Pride can cause us to blind ourselves to both reason and perspective. We shouldn’t let our own ego keep us from admitting when we’re wrong or just from looking at things from someone else’s point of view. Nothing good ever comes from it.
- “I burn for you.”
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If you don’t think this is more romantic than “I love you,” you’re lying to yourself. I have nothing else to say about this one, it speaks for itself.
- “Just because something is not perfect does not make it any less worthy of love.”
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When I first heard this quote, I won’t lie—I shed a tear (or two). Just speaking from personal experience, it’s easy to forget that nothing and no one is perfect, no matter how hard we may try to make it so. Just because your grades aren’t all As or your jeans are a size bigger this year than they were last year or you don’t have it all figured out yet does not make you any less worthy of love. We aren’t meant to be perfect. It’s what makes us amazingly, beautifully human.
If you haven’t watched Bridgerton yet, I highly recommend you do so. Grab a blanket and a cup of tea, and get to bingeing!