This drives subplots about her Paris ambitions, street survival, and agency in a changing society, shifting her from the novel’s more static, critical figure. Creators Paweł Maślona, Paweł Demirski, and Jagoda Dutkiewicz explicitly framed the leads with equal agency and modern self-determination themes; Drzymalska described making Izabela a “modern girl” wanting more than wifehood, while Demirski strengthened the emancipation thread.

These elements influence character arcs and marketing (e.g., “feministka” framing) without making identity politics the sole premise. Polish media and fan reactions widely labeled the changes a “feminist rewriting” and “woke,” citing contemporary language and priorities over fidelity, with audience scores reflecting the divide (IMDb 5.4). The adaptation remains a class-and-obsession story but embeds progressive framing centrally enough to elevate the score.