The Duke and I Chapters 5 & 6 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 5 & 6

Summary: Chapter 5

Daphne and Simon waltz together and commiserate with each other over the pressure they are each under to find a spouse. Daphne tells Simon that before Berbrooke proposed to her, she was proposed to by a man over the age of sixty. She says that she can’t imagine having children with someone so much older. Simon replies that he never wants to marry or have children. This surprises Daphne, since she knows that the title of Duke of Hastings title will cease to exist if Simon dies without an heir. Daphne explains that, coming from a large family, she hopes to have many children herself. Simon again feels an attraction to Daphne but recognized they are incompatible since they want different very things in life.

Simon then suggests to Daphne that they fake a courtship, an arrangement that will allow him attend society events without being harassed by the mothers of unmarried daughters as well as give Daphne a much-needed break from her own mother trying to set her up with eligible men. Simon also immodestly points out that other men may see Daphne in a more romantic light if they believe that he is interested in her. Daphne agrees to the plan. Meanwhile, Lady Bridgerton and Anthony watch them dance, but Anthony is angered by Simon’s attentions toward his sister.

Summary: Chapter 6

The day after Lady Danbury’s ball, Simon shows up at the Bridgerton house to visit Daphne as part of their charade. When Simon enters the drawing room, he sees Daphne surrounded by a group of men hoping to get her attention. Simon finds himself irritated with the scene until Daphne greets him, after which Lady Bridgerton quickly dismisses the rest of the men so Daphne and Simon can have the room to themselves. Once they are alone, Daphne tells Simon that Anthony was angry when he saw the two of them together the evening before, and she wonders if they should tell Anthony about their ruse. Daphne says that their plan is clearly already working, as could be seen by the numerous suitors who had called upon her that morning.

Anthony then enters the room and is furious to see Simon there. Lady Bridgerton joins them and Anthony insists to her and Daphne that they don’t know the half of Simon’s scandalous reputation. Anthony then brings Simon to the study and tells him that because their father is dead, his sister Daphne is his responsibility. Anthony and Simon begin to argue, and Simon begins to stutter—which only happens when he is highly emotional. Anthony says he believes that Simon plans to seduce Daphne, since he knows Simon has sworn that he will never marry. Daphne enters the room, hoping to keep the peace between the two men, and she and Simon agree to tell Anthony the truth.

Analysis: Chapters 5 & 6

This section focuses on the strength of societal expectations. When Simon states that he will never marry, Daphne’s attempt to process his statement emphasizes the strangeness of his determination to remain single within a society that expects a duke to marry and produce heirs. As a woman, Daphne feels pressure from society as well. Encouraged by her overzealous mother, the balls she attends to find a romantic match prove that the only future path open to her includes procuring a husband and having children. In response to Simon’s question, she states that the party process has to be worth it since she has no other prospects. To be a spinster, or an unmarried woman, would go against all expectations of society, her family, and herself. When Simon suggests the fake courtship plot to take the pressure off of both of them, it’s an acknowledgment of how trapped they are. Society’s strict expectations offer a limited set of choices for both characters.

In the world of The Duke and I, women’s roles are defined by the men in their lives. In spite of his unusual meeting with Daphne, Simon’s shock at her discussion of kissing shows that he still envisions her as delicate and naïve. Simon’s comment about Anthony taking her in hand reveals his opinion that Daphne needs to be controlled by her older brother. Anthony’s anger at Simon for courting his sister without permission indicates, even in this family where Daphne has more of a voice than most, that her potential marriage ultimately still hinges on her brother’s approval. Even Violet, the widowed matriarch of the Bridgerton family, does not escape the limitations of being a woman. After her husband’s death, Bridgerton House became Anthony’s property rather than her own. Simon’s surprise when Violet calls it her home and Anthony doesn’t correct her reinforces the normalcy of women’s limited power. Daphne is an object of Simon’s affection, and she’s Anthony’s sister. Violet may be Anthony’s mother, but she remains under his financial control. Regardless of age or status, women in this society are defined and limited by the wishes and decisions of the men around them.