controversial take: the r*pe scene was not the problem with Bridgerton.
Yes, that one scene in 1x6 was rape. Yes, it was a terrible thing to do and Daphne's clear insistence on getting pregnant against her husband's wishes is abominable. She even rolls over on her back to keep as much in as she can! Awful, bad actions on Daphne's part.
But. I want to make two points here.
1. Intimate relationships are complex, terrifying things. People do terrible things to each other, in anger, or hurt, or spite, or carelessness. That doesn't mean there is not love, and that doesn't mean either party is unworthy of forgiveness if both members of the relationship will work for it.
Daphne raped Simon. Simon took advantage of her ignorance where sex was concerned and took away her informed consent. Neither action excuses the other, but they were both hurt, wronged, afraid, as well as young and in love -- and people do shitty things to each other when all those things are true.
Her behavior, however, is not excusable. This brings me to my second point.
2. The narrative rewarded Daphne for her actions.
Daphne never apologizes. Anthony supports her without reservation when they are obviously fighting, and accuses Simon of having fucked things up with her. The story revolves around her pain, her desperation for children, her self-centered injury and perplexity at not getting what she wants immediately.
Not once are we shown how deeply she has hurt her husband by violating his trust. She doesn't ask forgiveness, or apologize, or acknowledge that she did something wrong in any respect.
The one inkling we get of her having hurt Simon is his refusal to have sex, once, in the stairwell. He eats her out and then turns down the bedroom. In a better world, we would have seen 2 episodes of quiet separation, his pain, his inability to look at her or touch her without remembering that.
Instead, he has to put down his real and valid desires and needs, beg her forgiveness, and that's it. They go back to sexy times and he gives her the child she wants.
It's half the equation. He apologizes, she never does. He's committed to a partnership, she's committed to getting what she wants at any cost. Daphne suffers no consequences for her actions, gets everything she wants, and never apologizes, and Simon just... Rolls with it. Bc he loves her, or whatever? Nah, we never see the extent of his struggle or sacrifice for her on screen either, and it's not enough to imply it in a situation like this one. His needs are simply glossed over to further her desires. Which is frankly real gross.
Anyway. Marital conflict like what was depicted is actually pretty accurate and important to discuss and show on screen. Especially in marriage where one party is much less educated on the subject of sex than the other, consent isn't always given enthusiastically and without reservation. That's NOT GOOD. But it is real life. The controversial scene in 1x6 should stay... It's the way the story is handled after that, that is unfortunate and poorly done in some areas.
in conclusion, the problem with Bridgerton's controversial scene is not the scene itself, but the way the narrative rewards daphne for inexcusable actions in that scene.
lovely show, highly entertaining otherwise. A+ casting, wonderful costumes.
