Benigna Machiavelli by Charlotte Perkins Gilman audiobook.

Genre: comedy

In Benigna Machiavelli, Charlotte Perkins Gilman turns a provocative name into a sharp, witty study of power, principle, and the quiet strategies women are forced to master. Benigna is a young woman who refuses to accept the smallness of the role assigned to her. Bright, observant, and disarmingly polite, she studies the rules that govern family life, romance, and social reputation, then begins to use those rules with deliberate skill. Where others rely on blunt authority or sentimental appeals, Benigna chooses patience, planning, and a clear-eyed understanding of what people want and fear. Her methods unsettle those around her, especially when her private calculations start producing very public results. As she navigates courtship, household expectations, and the moral pressure to be self-sacrificing, Benigna faces a central question: can manipulation ever be ethical if it is used to protect the vulnerable and expose hypocrisy? By blending social satire with psychological insight, Gilman delivers a brisk, thought-provoking tale about agency, gender, and the price of playing the game well.

For ad-free listening try our premium subscription

Chapters (Approximate)

(00:00:00) Chapter 01

(00:29:38) Chapter 02

(01:00:18) Chapter 03

(01:27:41) Chapter 04

(01:58:49) Chapter 05

(02:26:31) Chapter 06

(03:00:19) Chapter 07

(03:29:50) Chapter 08

(03:58:23) Chapter 09

(04:26:29) Chapter 10

(04:55:22) Chapter 11

(05:24:28) Chapter 12

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices