The Power of Gossip:

Abstract

The growing prevalence of feminist narratives in historical romance fiction has served to complicate traditional depictions of gender power relations, especially within the framing of Regency romances. This study explores how Julia Quinn’s Romancing Mister Bridgerton (2002) rearticulates gossip as a tool of female power, examining how the feminine and often trivializing practice of gossip can become a form of subversion against patriarchal authority. Previous critics have tended to dismiss romance novels’ political potential, and the genre is often dismissed as mere escapist entertainment. In particular, few have looked at how gossip, as a plot device, can be a source of power and subversion for heroines. This research aims to rectify this by looking at the subversive role of gossip in Quinn’s novel. Using feminist literary theory and close textual analysis, this study investigates how Penelope Featherington's secret self-designation as Lady Whistledown helps her to regain a voice, exert influence on social discourse, and contest the obligations of womanhood in her culture. Findings indicate that gossip does not function simply as a superficial social performance; it is recognized as a feminist strategy for voice, visibility, and autonomy. Quinn's account of the reclamation of gossip as an impactful form of gendered communication is an addition to the debates on female resistance, authorship, and re-imagining power in historical fiction.