The Duke and I

Simon began life as Earl Clyvedon, the only child and sole heir of the Duke of Hastings, a domineering man obsessed with his family heritage and title. When he realizes that Simon has a speech disability, the Duke rejects his son entirely, considering him a disgrace to the noble line. Despite his father’s neglect, Simon teaches himself to speak with help from the family’s domestic staff and goes on to distinguish himself at Eton and Oxford. He decides to live his life according to a youthful vow to never be the son his father demanded, determined to reject marriage and family. To conceal his speech struggles, Simon sometimes limits himself to brief utterances, and “more and more people misinterpreted his pregnant pauses for arrogance and his small circle of friends for exclusivity” (44). In his twenties, he leaves the country for five years rather than accept his father’s acknowledgement, and he returns only because his father dies. He keeps the reasons for his estrangement from his father, and his disability, absolutely secret. His character arc through the novel is defined by confronting and overcoming his childhood trauma.

Simon can be warm and caring with those he respects. He is solicitous of Daphne, her mother, and her younger sister, even as he knows the courtship he is enacting is not meant to be real. He is also a man of great passion and is tormented by his attraction to Daphne knowing he can never marry her. Even his commitment to his youthful vows cannot withstand his compassionate side, however, as he is “lost” when Daphne begs him to save her from social scandal. After their wedding, Simon finds himself charmed by Daphne’s innocence in sexual matters but cannot bring himself to discuss even the barest details of his childhood. When she confronts him about his past and leaves his bed in protest of his lying to her about being infertile, Simon gets drunk and fights local men, imagining they are his father. After his speech difficulties return in an argument with Daphne because she pursued sex with him while he was drunk, hoping to get pregnant, Simon flees in angry dismay. Later, Simon’s fears for her safety remind him how much he has missed her, and she convinces him to explain his childhood trauma. After Simon confronts his trauma by articulating it to his wife, he is at last able to understand how his vow of vengeance perpetuates rather than addresses his traumatic experiences and at last fully opens himself to the possibility of romantic and familial love. In the novel’s epilogue, Simon has achieved the peace and happiness he has long sought, welcoming his own son without doubts or reservations.

The oldest Bridgerton, and head of the family after the death of his father, Anthony has strict views about social propriety and his responsibilities to his siblings. When he agrees to Simon and Daphne’s plan for a fake courtship, he tells his best friend, “If I ever even catch you kissing her bloody hand without a chaperone, I shall tear your head off” (138). He and Daphne have a warm relationship otherwise, exchanging confidences late at night.

Anthony is outraged when he finds Simon kissing Daphne and shows little regret at dueling his friend to the death. He also threatens Simon with more violence if the marriage is anything but blissful. It is only after Daphne asserts her agency as the Duchess of Hastings that Anthony takes a less paternalistic role toward his sister, encouraging Simon to reconcile with Daphne because it is in her best interests, but acknowledging that he cannot force Simon to do so. Anthony serves as a kind of foil to Simon, as the two men shared an irresponsible and adventurous youth. However, where Anthony embraces his social and familial obligations, Simon rejects them outright. Through Anthony, Quinn further explores how strong family connections and the love of parents encourage future generations to uphold family values when they come of age. The second Bridgerton novel concerns Anthony’s own romance and marriage.

The matriarch of the Bridgerton family, Violet is the mother of eight children: Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Hyacinth, and Gregory. Violet is commanding and devoted to her family, so much so that all of her children both complain about her investment in their matrimonial prospects and yet admit to being intimidated by her. She is a clever social schemer but holds true warmth and affection for all of her children. When Violet declares, “Having children is such a challenge,” Daphne knows, “it was a challenge her mother adored” (142).

Like Anthony, Violet is devoted to social propriety, and concerned about gossip, especially the contents of Whistledown. She is very nervous to discuss Daphne’s wedding night with her, and declines to provide any significant details, which helps contribute to Daphne’s ignorance. Violet is invested in the marriage being a happy one, however as she does her best to let Daphne know she is open to her confidences after her return to London. Although Violet shows more restraint in meddling in Daphne and Simon’s relationship, she assures Simon that if her sons had not come to harass him about the state of his marriage, she would have done so herself. Violet also serves as a contrasting character to Simon’s father. She engages in free and easy conversation with her children, and clearly Daphne recognizes her mother’s marriage obsession as a sign of concern. Violet shows her emotions to her daughter and is proud that she has provided an example Daphne wishes to emulate.