"Homoeroticism in The Monk and Christabel" The Monk In Between Men Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick presents an idea of the "Male homosocial continuum", which is outlined on our poster. In analysing the relationship between Ambrosio and Rosario, it is evident that the two share a "social bond"; yet whether or not this bond is evidence of desire is uncertain. Kosofsky Sedgwick also describes points of 'radical disruption', which in The Monk appear to result from the heterosexist framework to which we are introduced on the very first page, through Lewis' statement: "The Men came to see the Women". The homosocial relationship between Ambrosio and Rosario is disrupted by "the ambient heterosexist culture" (Kosofsky Sedgwick Epistemology of the Closet 46) that is physically manifested in Matilda. Ambiguity remains, however, concerning the author's intent. Lewis initiates a homosocial bond between Ambrosio and Rosario; he easily could have circumvented any notion of homoeroticism in the novel. He chose not to, but then chose to 'heterosexualise' the novel through revealing Rosario to be a woman. We would like to raise the question -- why did Lewis portray Ambrosio and Rosario in this way? The historical context for "Christabel" - its production, reception, and how that relates to homosexual or ambiguous sexuality. This poem, (composed in 1798 and published in 1816), sparked 7 verse parodies and 15 continuations in the years before 1909. What the parodies do to the figure of Geraldine is of particular interest. There are many answers to who and what she is. Some, following the conventions of Gothic romance suggest a "fairy tale" resolution which re-establishes the hetero-sexual order (Christabel marries her far away lover) and the supernatural and mysterious Geraldine is expelled. In 1819 David Moir wrote "Christabel, Part Third". In this, he uses the mundane to decrease the Gothic elements, but he increases the sexual content. For him, however, Geraldine turns out to be a man, and impregnates Christabel. Many of the interpretations of the relationship between Geraldine and Christabel work to remove any mystery or ambiguity. The anonymous poem Christabess, from 1816, increases the amount of sexual content in the poem, but this version subverts the expected heterosexual encounter and leaves Geraldine a woman. There however, is still ambiguity as to their relationship. There are quotes from the parodies and Coleridge himself on the poster which reveal the uncertainty of the relationship between the women and the conflicting interpretations of the writers.
Baron Richard Von Krafft-Ebing, a 19th century German psychiatrist, was quoted as having said, "We find that the sexual instinct, when disappointed and unappeased, frequently seeks and finds a substitute in religion." This may have been the condition of Margery Kempe when she desired to cease all sexual activity with her spouse because of her devotion to God. Instead of performing her duties as a wife, she chose instead to spread her knowledge of God to her community and did so not only in speech, but also in literature. Whatever her motivation for creating such descriptive language, it is evident that her faith in God conquered both her fear of public opinion and the constraints placed upon all women during the period. Living in the 1400s, she steps out of a woman's role and into the territory of a man by living her life publicly, abandoning her position of mother and wife, and recording her life in writing. Fortunately, because she was writing for religious reasons, her work was both permitted and accepted. In The Book of Margery Kempe, she describes her experiences with brilliant imagery, some of which is sexual, all of which is sensual. By using her own senses to portray her spiritual...
world. It is evident through her descriptions that she is more in favor of the androgynous
Finally, even though, for a long time, the roles of woman in a relationship have been established to be what I already explained, we see that these two protagonists broke that conception and established new ways of behaving in them. One did it by having an affair with another man and expressing freely her sexuality and the other by breaking free from the prison her marriage represented and discovering her true self. The idea that unites the both is that, in their own way, they defied many beliefs and started a new way of thinking and a new perception of life, love and relationships.
Unsurprisingly, the novel is a classic coming of age story which centers on a young man who is confused about himself and his sexual identity in his early twenties. This confusion about himself and his sexual identity is the driving force of his interactions with his friends and lovers. Moreover, this confusion about himself and his sexual identity also facilitates the conflict and unforeseen consequences which occur during the novel.
The topic of homosexuality has always been one approached with caution due to its taboo nature derived from its deviation from the heterosexual norm. Traditionally, and across several cultures, homosexuality has been successfully discussed through normalizing the behaviour through heterosexual representation. Gender reversal or amplification of feminine qualities of male characters have often been means by which authors are able to subtly introduce the foreign idea of homosexuality and equate it to its more formal and accepted counterpart, heterosexuality. The works of Shakespeare and Li Yu have assisted in exposing homosexual relationships while still maintaining them under the heterosexual norm, whether it be through direct or metaphorical representations.
Halperin, David. "Is There a History of Sexuality?." The Lesbian and Gay Studies Reader. Ed. Henry
During the Victorian Era, society had idealized expectations that all members of their culture were supposedly striving to accomplish. These conditions were partially a result of the development of middle class practices during the “industrial revolution… [which moved] men outside the home… [into] the harsh business and industrial world, [while] women were left in the relatively unvarying and sheltered environments of their homes” (Brannon 161). This division of genders created the ‘Doctrine of Two Spheres’ where men were active in the public Sphere of Influence, and women were limited to the domestic private Sphere of Influence. Both genders endured considerable pressure to conform to the idealized status of becoming either a masculine ‘English Gentleman’ or a feminine ‘True Woman’. The characteristics required women to be “passive, dependent, pure, refined, and delicate; [while] men were active, independent, coarse …strong [and intelligent]” (Brannon 162). Many children's novels utilized these gendere...
This paper will look at the different conceptions highlighted by Bulman in his article through the use of different methods used by the actors in the play. Twelfth Night, by William Shakespeare captures the different conceptions of gender identity and different sexualities within the Elizabethan period.
...seful miscommunication between men and women. Lastly, when looking through the imagined perspective of the thoughtless male tricksters, the reader is shown the heartlessness of men. After this reader’s final consideration, the main theme in each of the presented poems is that both authors saw women as victims of a male dominated society.
Jonathan Katz talks about the initial creation of the term “heterosexuality” and how it was used to classify certain groups of people’s way of practicing sex. Along with the negative ideology the term reflected upon society. The author talks about the early definition of the term “heterosexuality”. Katz closely examines the different cultures and what sex meant to them prior to the term and over all labeling of “heterosexual” and what become of them after the fact. Katz illustrates the many faces of the term “heterosexual” starting with the early definition of the word, which was at the
There are many different themes that can be used to make a poem both successful and memorable. Such is that of the universal theme of love. This theme can be developed throughout a poem through an authors use of form and content. “She Walks in Beauty,” by George Gordon, Lord Byron, is a poem that contains an intriguing form with captivating content. Lord Byron, a nineteenth-century poet, writes this poem through the use of similes and metaphors to describe a beautiful woman. His patterns and rhyme scheme enthrall the reader into the poem. Another poem with the theme of love is John Keats' “La Belle Dame sans Merci,” meaning “the beautiful lady without mercy.” Keats, another nineteenth-century writer, uses progression and compelling language throughout this poem to engage the reader. While both of these poems revolve around the theme of love, they are incongruous to each other in many ways.
The society of ancient Rome can be described as sadistic, macho and priapic, while maintaining multiple traditions originally practiced in Greece, Roman society reflects a different way of functioning. The sexuality was not the primary aspect in the social hierarchy of Rome, but instead focused on the rank and class of the people. When it came to the women of Rome they fell victim to one of two paths, one of lower class and poverty with little rights and possessions or of upper class allowing them independence in most cases, property and a dowry. The society of Rome was one of strength and rigid control which made the fall of Rome so noticeable, when Rome became encased in temptation of the luxuries the availability of trade created for them.
Stephen's relationship with the opposite sex begins to develop early in his life. Within the first few pages of the novel lie hints of the different roles women will...
It is understood that Andrew Marvell’s “To His Coy Mistress” is an attempt to convince a woman to sleep with her lover, the narrator of the poem. The poem begins with the lover stating that if “world enough and time,” the woman’s crime would be acceptable, but what exactly is her crime? Is it a real crime? What makes it so terrible? The woman’s “crime” is no real crime at all; it is simply her refusal to engage in sexual intercourse with the narrator. The narrator portrays the woman’s coyness as “terrible” to insist that the coyness is unacceptable given his vast admiration for her and her body (Kelly 277). The narrator moves on to say that he would love her “ten years before the Flood.” Is he talking about the Biblical flood? The narrator is indeed speaking of the Biblical flood; he incorporates Noah’s flood to explain to his mistress how he would use the amount of time between this Biblical event and the end of time ( Adams 2209). He also states that she should is she pleases “refuse until the conversion of the Jews,” meaning that he would love her for all of time...
“Homosexuality” was the main term used in the late 1950s until a new “gay” culture came about. This new gay culture not only meant same-sex desires but also gay selves an...