Diksha Sundriyal
Netflix’s ‘The Law According to Lidia Poët’ is a legal drama set in the nineteenth century. It charts the story of Lidia Poët who refuses to accept that she can’t be a lawyer just because she is a woman. Despite passing every exam and crossing every mandatory barrier to become a professional advocate, she is rebuked for trying such a thing and is barred from having a career in law. Not ready to give up, Lidia finds shelter at her brother’s home, who is also a lawyer. He becomes her chance to stay in touch with the world of law, and working as his assistant, she takes on the cases that no one else would.
The show is inspired by the true story of Lidia Poët. However, in recreating her life, the series takes a fictional approach, which means that certain extra people are added to her life. If you are wondering whether Enrico was a real person or is made up for the TV show, then here’s what you need to know.
Enrico Poët is Based on the Real Brother of Lidia
Yes, Enrico Poët in ‘The Law According to Lidia Poët is based on the real brother of the real-life Lidia Poët. In the series, Enrico is presented as Lidia’s only sibling. In real life, however, she had four brothers and two sisters, all of whom were elder than her. At an early age, Lidia showed an aptitude for academics and it was clear that she was made for bigger things. However, the people around her, including her parents, wanted her to play the role that was pre-written for women. Enrico, on the other hand, came to believe otherwise.
In the Netflix series, when Lidia arrives at her brother’s door asking for shelter as well as a job, he tries to put her on the conventional path. He keeps telling her to keep her head down and not meddle with the law when she has been explicitly told not to. He even discourages her from making an appeal against her disbarring. Over time, however, he realizes the potential that his sister has. Time and again, she proves her shrewdness and Enrico comes to acknowledge that had she been a man, she would have been celebrated.
Real-life Enrico also believed the same about his sister. He was a lawyer by profession and he helped Lidia get into college and study law. When she was disbarred, he welcomed her into his firm and gave her the freedom to work behind the scenes. From here, Lidia dedicated herself to taking cases of clients who were in the minority or were underprivileged, much like we see in the Netflix series.
In fictionalizing the life of Lidia Poët, the TV show lets go of her other siblings, but it does correctly portray Enrico’s role in her life. Despite his initial reservations about being a lawyer and fighting the system even though it leads to failure, Enrico ends up becoming a huge support system for his sister. Even when her appeal fails again, he shows up, in the end, to encourage her to not give up and keep fighting for what’s right.
