Before ‘Fifty Shades Darker,’ the story of Christian and Ana felt like one of abuse, emotional degradation, and sex. However, the second novel introduced a more streamlined story that dived deeper into the emotions of Christian, a man who struggles desperately to feel loved, and Ana, a woman who wants to help him overcome the trauma that haunted him.
Historical Context
‘Fifty Shades Darker’ is the second novel in the Fifty Shades Trilogy. Its story gave more depth to the details of Christian and Ana’s relationship. After the success of ‘Fifty Shades of Grey,’ E. L. James brought a new story showing that Christian, the man responsible for breaking Ana’s heart and making her feel degraded and humiliated, was just a man deeply scarred by a terrible childhood. The mighty Christian portrayed as a cold-hearted billionaire suddenly turned into a broken man who needed the only person that loved him for who he was.
E. L. James’s new story made waves as many people stated that Christian is a traumatized abuser who hated his mother to the point of punishing women that looked like her. The new story gave light to a warmer Christian who decided to get back the woman he loved. Though the novel maintained a steady sexual nature, it also showed the chemistry between Christian and Ana.
After its publication, ‘Fifty Shades Darker’ became a sensation among many as it sold in the millions. Though the novel sold less than its sequel, it still topped bestsellers’ lists and rose to become one of the best erotic romance novels of the decade. With its publication, erotic romance entered the light as people started paying more attention to the genre. Though the novel received a fair share of backlash from critics and some readers, it sealed E. L. James’s title as one of the most popular romance writers ever. The novel’s impact on erotic romance introduced a new wave of writers and readers into the almost forgotten genre.
Though the first novel in the Fifty Shades Trilogy relied heavily on the introduction of alien concepts like BDSM in literary romance, ‘Fifty Shades Darker’ added a flare of character development, making its characters more relatable to the readers.
Cultural Impact
‘Fifty Shades Darker’ has heavily influenced pop culture as it introduced the concept that there can be romance when toxicity and trauma get included. Though some people have expressed their displeasure with Fifty Shades Trilogy, many people have accepted the idea that romance can be imperfectly-perfect. In the second novel in the trilogy, E. L. James portrayed a Christian broken by his past; this made his relationship with Ana all the more important as she became his savior.
After the second novel in the Fifty Shades Trilogy, people’s perceptions of love and relationships began to change. Since then, pop culture has become imbibed with the idea that women love to be in toxic relationships because it triggers a savior complex in them; this is an ideology that the Fifty Shades Trilogy helped propel.
In today’s world, novels like ‘Fifty Shades Darker’ have become a fantasy because they glorify toxicity. They portray a toxic man like Christian changing for the woman that made him fall in love.
Adaptation
Though ‘Fifty Shades Darker’ reached number two on the USA Today bestseller list, it did not win any award. However, The Guardian placed it at number 11 on the Top 100 Bestselling Books of All Time in the United Kingdom.
In 2017, Fifty Shades Darker got released in cinemas and became a hit. With a production budget of $55 million, the film grossed $381 million. The film starred Dakota Johnson as Ana, Jamie Dornan as Christian, Eric Johnson as Jack Hyde, and Bella Heathcote as Leila Williams.
FAQs
Why do people hate the Fifty Shades Trilogy?
Many polls conducted have shown that the Fifty Shades Trilogy has a poor rating. People pointed out many flaws in the story, including a wrongful depiction of BDSM and the glorification of abuse. Though E. L. James wrote the story as an erotic romance novel, many have stated it contains too much sexual content.
Why was the Fifty Shades Darker film boring?
Fifty Shades Darker was quite bland because it excluded many aspects of the novel from its story. The film’s diluted approach made it uninteresting. However, the film was a Box Office success as it grossed $381 million on a $55 million budget.
Is Fifty Shades Darker a negative influence on society?
Many have cited that the Fifty Shades Trilogy negatively influences society because it projects the idea that toxicity is romantic. The trilogy gained much hate because it glorified Christian, a person many have labeled an abusive individual.
Do people hate Fifty Shades Darker?
Many people dislike ‘Fifty Shades Darker.’ for various reasons. For some, the story is a poorly written piece, while for others, the author’s lack of knowledge about BDSM puts them off. Others cite how the story propagates sexual abuse and violence.
