Bridget Jones’ Diary: Is it a feminist novel? Anonymous 12th Grade

Helen Fielding’s ‘Bridget Jones’ Diary’ is at the forefront of modern female culture, contributing greatly to creating the ‘chick lit’ genre as we know it today. The novel was written and published in the mid-1990s, at a time when post-feminism was highly popular and the aims of second-wave feminists in the 1980s were seen as accomplished. Throughout the novel, Bridget and her single, feisty friends do seem to have it all: the jobs, the property, and most importantly the freedom to drink, smoke and swear as they see fit. So, with the novel set amongst post-feminism where the characters are seemingly free from the restraints of a patriarchal society, the question remains: Is Bridget Jones’ Diary a feminist book? The following examination of her relationships, status at work and her own relationship with her body image seeks to explore this further.

There are two main heterosexual relationships in ‘Bridget Jones’ Diary’, Daniel Cleaver and Mark Darcy, respectively. These relationships seemingly have a feminist slant, as Bridget has the freedom to choose who she has sexual relations with, especially in the workplace. However, there are still aspects of degradation throughout the interplay of both relationships. The most obvious...