Cinderella
It doesn’t take an advanced degree in literature to make the connection here. This particular entry in the ongoing Bridgerton siblings romance series is, basically, the story of Cinderella. And Sophie Beckett is the symbolic Ella of the cinders in this interpretation of the fairy tale.
The Wicked Stepmother
You can’t have a symbolic retelling of Cinderella without the wicked stepmother. That is where Araminta enters the allegorical picture. She’s not really wicked; Araminta is where the whole fairy tale symbolism gets kind prickly. Araminta is actually just a more honest and faithful portrait of the aristocracy whereas the Bridgerton clan exist almost wholly within the sphere of fairy tale fiction.
The Handsome Prince
Benedict Bridgerton is the handsome prince who is crushed by the loss of the mystery damsel who attends the ball. Of course, this is a stretch since Benedict is not a prince. But then that is what makes it symbolic.
The Fairy Godmother
Now this is where things really verge into the almost purely symbolic. Mrs. Gibbons is the housekeeper who takes pity on poor Sophie. She is not going to let a little thing like Cinderella being a bastard (a description found in the opening line) stop her getting to the ball on time. Mrs. Gibbons engages the handiwork of a couple of maids to help Sophie get into shape for the ball. Where, of course, all goes as planned.
The Glass Slipper
When one thinks about it seriously one can only arrive at the conclusion that the whole glass slipper deal was itself meant to be symbolic. After all, seriously, who could ever walk in much less dance in glass shoes? Be that as it may, the symbolic Cinderella of this fairy tale wears symbolic glass slippers in the form of accoutrement. The slippers themselves are white satin, but there is a glasslike quality to them as they are “adorned with exquisite faux-diamond rosettes.”
