Gender inequality is still a big issue in today's society, but it was an even bigger issue back in the eighteenth century — an obstacle which Outlander Season 2 will make sure to showcase. Because while Claire battled against various unfair gender conventions during her time in Scotland, her journey to Paris will prove to be even more challenging in that regard, believe it or not. In fact, Caitriona Balfe, who plays Claire on the series, recently talked with Bustle about the sexism that Claire will face in Season 2 and how her character struggles with feeling left out of "the boys club."
"Interestingly, I feel in Paris she's almost more constrained [than in Scotland]," Balfe explains. "Because women there, even though they were more respected, they were much more considered as like ornamental figures who were supposed to sit in drawing rooms and drink tea." And given how strong willed and independent viewers know Claire to be, you can understand how this kind of unjust treatment will end up driving her insane.
"She wants to tear her hair out because that's so frustrating for her," the actress admits, which is made all the more aggravating when she sees how prominent a role Jamie gets to play in their goal to change history and infiltrate the Jacobites, compared to herself.
"So in the beginning you do see Claire really struggling with her position in society," Balfe says. "You know, Jamie gets to go to court and have these political conversations and try to do all of these moves, and she has to sit at home and talk to him at the end of the day and see how it went." However, everyone should know by now that Claire's unlikely to sit on the sidelines for long. She'll manage to find a way to contribute a serve a bigger purpose that's very important to her. "Eventually she'll find her outlet though," Balfe teases. "She finds a hospital that she can go and work at. That's a big thing for her."
So as much as it's going to suck to remember just how unfair things were for women back then, viewers can at least take comfort in knowing that Claire won't take it lying down. And really, would we expect anything less from her?
Images: Starz (2)
