Behind the elegance of Regency balls and courtship lay a world governed by reputation, rivalry, and strict codes of honour. This talk revisits the age popularised by Bridgerton to uncover the realities of what it meant to be a “gentleman” in a society where status could be defended, or destroyed through public confrontation.

Central to this world was the practice of duelling, a highly ritualised form of violence through which elite men sought to defend their honour. Conducted according to established codes, duels were as much about reputation and moral standing as physical courage, revealing the pressures placed on men to perform a particular ideal of masculinity.

Beyond the aristocracy, the talk explores how similar values operated in the prize-fighting ring, where working-class men asserted identity, respect, and status through combat. Though separated by class, both duelling and boxing were governed by shared expectations around self-control, bravery, and public perception.

Through contemporary accounts, satirical prints, and popular commentary, the session reveals how violence in this period was not random or chaotic but embedded within a broader social framework. Gossip, print culture, and spectatorship turned private disputes into public spectacle, shaping wider ideas of masculinity and honour.

By moving beyond the polished surface of Regency society, this talk uncovers a more complex reality—one in which masculinity was constantly performed, tested, and judged, both in drawing rooms and on duelling grounds.