If you’re a fan of the Netflix series BRIDGERTON, you know that second Bridgerton son Benedict is a bit of a maverick, a man of taste and sensitivity who longs to be an artist. I always have a soft spot for artists, especially those blocked from exploring their art by family or society, so Benedict appeals to me. My essay, “Benedict’s Gaze”, is included in the newly released collection ADAPTING BRIDGERTON, edited by the redoubtable Valerie Estelle Frankle, and published by McFarland. Like most men of his class and time, he treats women as objects of desire but not as equals–until his growing interest in art and politics puts him at odds with the values of the ton. Increasingly, he is drawn to values unfamiliar to his set: the value of work, the equality of women, even the acceptance of sexual orientations that would shock his family. He’s a nascent Bohemian years before that movement started. I look forward to seeing him develop in the upcoming show, which diverges considerably from the books. Check it out on Amazon.
