Find Your Valentine
Slog
News & ArtsWednesday, February 3, 2010
Homo / Books Secret Dickens
Posted by Paul Constant on Wed, Feb 3, 2010 at 12:35 PM
- Do not ever watch this movie. It's awful.
Pip and Herbert from Great Expectations are among those who really have homosexual leanings, the study by Dr Holly Furneaux of Leicester University claimed.Often Dickens' male characters "conveniently" fall in love with the sister of their best friend, which she read as further evidence that he had woven the suggestion of homosexual relationships into his plots.
I just don't know about this. Falling in love with a friend's sister often happens in novels because it's easier to introduce a character by making them a sibling of a preexisting character. And it's true that Dickens writes about awkward, shy, and nerdy men, but so do many authors. That's usually because authors are awkward, shy, and nerdy. But what the hell; I'll take any excuse to re-read Great Expectations. Searching for gay subtext is as good a reason as any.
1
This is old news. Eve Sedgewick's scholarship about homosocial bonds in 18th C novels just bumped up a century.
2
Taking this into the 21st Century, does this mean that Harry Potter and Ron Weasley were hot for each other?
7
David Lean's 1946 version of Great Expectations is the only one to consider. All others are febrile trash.
8
In Great Expectations, Pip is in love with Estella, who is related to Herbert in only the most distant way; she is the adopted daughter of a crazy second cousin.
Still, Pip's relationship with Herbert is healthier than any relationship he ever has with a woman.
I tend to think of Pip and Herbert having what would now be called a Bro-mance.
Still, Pip's relationship with Herbert is healthier than any relationship he ever has with a woman.
I tend to think of Pip and Herbert having what would now be called a Bro-mance.
11
This is silly. Not only is there economy of characters in involving the hero with his bud's sister or cousin, but the social circle of Victorian women was not large, and certainly did not include single men to whom they had not been introduced by friends or family.
12
Is Great Expectations really a good book? Cause the story seems awfully crap. Granted, I've only seen the Ethan Hawke movie and the adaptation they did on South Park, but . . . I'm actually asking, though.
14
A Dickens manuscript with gay characters is featured in Stephen Fry's novel The Liar. The whole book is pretty hysterical and the part of the story surrounding the manuscript shows how talented a writer Fry is.
I'd rather read fake Dickens than the real stuff. Ick. Thank God I never have to take another high school English class.
I'd rather read fake Dickens than the real stuff. Ick. Thank God I never have to take another high school English class.
Advertisement
Most Commented on Slog
-
Liveblogging the Washington State House Debate and Vote
onIN FAVOR OF GAY MARRIAGE by Eli Sanders -
SL Letter of the Day: Life Sentence by Dan Savage
-
Required Listening: Howard Stern on Ellen, JC Penney, Bullied Gay Kids, Rosie, Santorum, Bachmann, et al by Dan Savage
-
Jeff Bezos' Racist, Pro-Life, Anti-Evolution, Rape-Apologist Search Engine by Goldy
-
SL Letter of the Day: Daddy Loves Who? by Dan Savage
-
Crowdsourcing Uncut Police Video from the Dec. 12 Occupy Protest at the Port of Seattle by Eli Sanders
-
State Legislator Testifies That His Opposition to Same-Sex Marriage Came to Him from a Commercial for Jack in the Box by Christopher Frizzelle
-
"Let me be the first one to say: My business will refuse to participate in a same-sex marriage ceremony," by Republican Representative Matt Shea of the Spokane Valley by Eli Sanders
-
"I don't know if I want to be here [if gay marriage passes]," by Republican State Senator Jay Rodne of North Bend by Eli Sanders
-
"The law at the time required a prosecution." by Dan Savage
RSS
Facebook
Twitter
Comments (14) RSS