Since the first time I watched Shondaland’s Bridgerton, there was no doubt in my mind that was meant to be a hit. The sweeping scenarios of the period drama, exuberant fantasies, an irresistible gossip columnist, the fabulous Queen Charlotte and casting of Regé-Jean Page for Simon took care of that. But as incredibly enjoyable as this series of books that turned into a Netflix show is, I can’t talk about what’s good without mentioning what’s bad. And that comes in episode 6, “Swish”.
Some may associate this particular episode with Daphne (played by Phoebe Dynevor) and Simon’s shameless antics on all surfaces at Hastings House. But it is the controversial sex scene in the late 57 minutes that gets people talking. After Daphne realizes that her husband has been practicing the abstinence method and his “me” can not having children “is more” me will not having children “, the newlywed feels betrayed, believing that Simon took advantage of his naivete when it comes to the pros and cons of conception.
The next time the couple has sex, in the middle of their love relationship, she changes her position to stay on top. And unlike before, she doesn’t let Simon out of her when he climaxes, knowing that this is what will increase his chances of getting pregnant. At the height of his passion, despite his protests, Simon is unable to prevent release.
“How can you?” he asks in disbelief later.
“You took advantage. You took an opportunity, so I did the same,” Daphne replies. What follows is a separation that almost ends the marriage, while the couple waits to see if Daphne is “pregnant” or not.
The scene is mired with dubious consent, confused by gray areas that left me wondering whether or not Daphne assaulted her husband. Yes, Simon was clearly a voluntary participant at first – to the point where Daphne consciously (and a little bit forcibly) took control, preventing him from doing exactly what she knew he wanted to do: withdraw before the climax .
In social networks, articles and among my own family and friends, I saw the moment generate an intense debate. One side offers the possibility that the couple consented to each other; Simon simply lost his willpower on his own, while Daphne took the opportunity to strengthen herself in a society that put women at a sexual disadvantage. The other side argues that this scene is pure and simple: it depicts rape.
Regardless, in my opinion, it should never have existed.
The creators of the series should, in fact, have foreseen this, thanks to the book from the first season of Bridgerton is based on: The duke and me by Julia Quinn. This same scene in the novel has inspired intense discussion among readers since its publication in 2000. However, The duke and me paint one slightly more succinct picture of the situation. In the book, Simon was drunk and sleeping when Daphne started having sex, and he clearly did not consent. The passages in the scene, which takes place in chapter 18, say:
“He was under her control, she realized. He was sleeping, and probably even more than a little drunk, and she could do whatever she wanted with him. She could Tue whatever she wanted. “
“Daphne had woken him up in his sleep, taken advantage of him while he was slightly intoxicated and hugged him while he spilled his semen on her. He whispered.”
“She wasn’t ashamed of her actions. She supposed she should be, but she wasn’t. She hadn’t planned on that. She didn’t look at him and thought …he’s probably still drunk. I can make love to him and capture his seed and he will never know. This is not how it happened.“
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In reference to the on-screen version, Page tells OprahMag.com: “I was very happy to have a different scene on the TV show than in the book.”
For his part, Quinn made consent among his characters a priority in his work that followed The duke and me. But in a conversation in November with novel vlogger BooksandKrys, the novelist explained that, in her opinion, it is difficult to apply our 21st century knowledge of consent to 1813, when the story takes place, a time when Simon had ownership and power over Daphne just because they were married.
“It was shocking, but nobody seemed to feel that Daphne had done something morally wrong[when[when[quando[whenThe duke and me was published}, ”Quinn told BooksandKrys. “It was only over the years and with a new understanding of consent that people began to question their actions.”
Showrunner and writer Chris Van Dusen told us that he took a modern approach to the concept of period drama with Bridgerton so that it “reflects the world we live in today”. If that is true, it was shortsighted to carry the plot forward using a scene that raises, even slightly, the issue of sexual assault, particularly during the era of the #MeToo movement, and – as Quinn pointed out – increased public awareness of what qualifies consensual sex.
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Now, if production were This one with the intention of maintaining the scene, a trigger warning should have been added to the beginning of the episode, especially for those who suffered rape or sexual assault. Because even for viewers who did not seen as such, it would have been more responsible to keep those who do so in mind.
And if it was so essential to the plot, Simon and Daphne’s characters should have directly addressed their intentions and reactions to the sexual act. Instead, we see them fighting over the idea of having children and a possible impending pregnancy. They eventually reconcile and don’t look back, with much of the blame placed on Simon’s betrayal. It is up to the public to draw their own conclusions about whether he consented or not, which resulted in a lot of speech – and the very article you are reading now.
Bridgerton shows that when it comes to writing, Van Dusen has a dramatic talent. Therefore, it was entirely possible for him to create tension between our hero and heroine without involving questionable intimacy. There are infinite beloved tropes in the romance genre to choose from: a conversation overheard, a mistaken assumption of infidelity, the lies of an evil villain or simply a lack of communication.
Instead, we had to question whether our alleged heroine raped the protagonist or not. This is an unfortunate and worrying warning for a love story that deserved a happy ending in all viewers’ eyes.
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