Sodom on the Thames

B. Kaplan Morris

Description

Sodom on the Thames looks closely at three episodes involving sex between men in late-nineteenth-century England. Morris Kaplan draws on extensive research into court records, contemporary newspaper accounts, personal correspondence and diaries, even a pornographic novel. He focuses on two notorious scandals and one quieter incident. In 1871, transvestites "Stella" (Ernest Boulton) and "Fanny" (Frederick Park), who had paraded around London's West End followed by enthusiastic admirers, were tried for conspiracy to commit sodomy. In 1889-1890, the "Cleveland Street affair" revealed that telegraph delivery boys had been moonlighting as prostitutes for prominent gentlemen, one of whom fled abroad. In 1871, Eton schoolmaster William Johnson resigned in disgrace, generating shockwaves among the young men in his circle whose romantic attachments lasted throughout their lives. Kaplan shows how profoundly these scandals influenced the trials of Oscar Wilde in 1895 and contributed to growing anxiety about male friendships. Sodom on the Thames reconstructs these incidents in rich detail and gives a voice to the diverse people involved. It deepens our understanding of late Victorian attitudes toward urban culture, masculinity, and male homoeroticism. Kaplan also explores the implications of such historical narratives for the contemporary politics of sexuality.

Sujets

• LGBTQ+ Studies
• Histoire
• Reino Unido
• Legal history
• United Kingdom
• History of Europe
• Great Britain
• Royaume-Uni

Informations

• Publié par: Cornell University Press
• Date de parution: 02 février 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780801465826
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 3 Mo

Extrait

O NT H ET H A M E S

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ONTHETHAMES S E X , L O V E , A N DS C A N D A L I NW I L D ET I M E S M O R R I SB . KA P L A N

Copyright © 2005 by Cornell University

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Cornell University Press, Sage House, 512 East State Street,

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First published 2005 by Cornell University Press

PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Kaplan, Morris B. Sodom on the Thames : sex, love, and scandal in Wilde times / Morris Kaplan. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978-0-8014-3678-9 (cloth : alk. paper) ISBN-10: 0-8014-3678-8 (cloth : alk. paper) 1. English literature—England—London—History and criticism. 2. Homosexuality and literature—England—London—History— 19th century. 3. Homosexuality, Male—England—London— History—19th century. 4. London (England)—Social life and customs—19th century. 5. Sex customs—England—London— History—19th century. 6. English literature—19th century— History and criticism. 7. Scandals—England—London—His- tory—19th century. 8. Symonds, John Addington, 1840–1893— Sexual behavior. 9. Wilde, Oscar, 1854–1900—Trials, litigation, etc. 10. London (England)—In literature. 11. Sexual orienta- tion in literature. 12. Sex customs in literature. I. Title. PR8477.K37 2005 820.9353—dc22 2005008833

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Cloth printing

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frontispiece: “The Sluggard,”

7

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Frederic Leighton (1895)

Withloveandgratitude,

this book is dedicated to the memory

of my mother, Sylvia Kaplan Radolan,

of my teacher, Don Gifford, and

ofmyfriend,MaryWoodLawrence

c o n t e n t s 

Eros in the Archives: An Introduction

Prologue: A Walk on the Wild Side

part one:Sex in the City

part two:Love Stories

part three:West End Scandals

part four:Wilde’s Time

Epilogue: “Sex-mania”

Telling Tales: Some Conclusions

Acknowledgments

Notes

Suggestions for Further Reading

Index

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