Constructions of Female Homoeroticism in Early Modern Drama

237 Pages·2005·1.167 MB·English

by  Denise A. Walen (auth.)

onstructions of emale
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omoeroticism in arly
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Ivo Kamps, Series Editor
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Citizen Shakespeare: Freemen and Aliens in the Language of the Plays
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Constructions of Female Homoeroticism in Early Modern Drama
by Denise A. Walen
onstructions of
C
emale omoeroticism
F H
in arly odern rama
E M D
Denise A. Walen
CONSTRUCTIONSOFFEMALEHOMOEROTICISMINEARLYMODERNDRAMA
© Denise A.Walen,2005.
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2005 978-1-4039-6875-3
All rights reserved.No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any
manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief
quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
First published in 2005 by
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ISBN 978-1-349-53086-1 ISBN 978-1-4039-8106-6 (eBook)
DOI 10.1057/9781403981066
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Walen,Denise A.
Constructions of female homoeroticism in early modern drama /
Denise A.Walen.—1st ed.
p.cm.—(Early modern cultural studies)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1.English drama—Early modern and Elizabethan,1500–1600—
History and criticism.2.Homosexuality and literature—England—
History—16th century.3.Homosexuality and literature—
England— History—17th century.4.English drama—17th
century—History and criticism.5.Lesbians in literature.6.Women in
literature.I.Title.II.Series.
PR658.H58.W35 2005
822(cid:2).309353—dc22 2005049191
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Design by Newgen Imaging Systems (P) Ltd.,Chennai,India.
First edition:September 2005
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
For Dianne
“For if your house were gold, and she not in it,
Sir, I should count it but a cage to whistle in.”
John Fletcher, The Pilgrim
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ontents
C
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction 1
1 The Eidolic Lesbian in Early Modern England 23
2 Playfully Emergent Lesbian Erotics 51
3 Anxiously Emergent Lesbian Erotics 79
4 Predatory Lesbian Erotics 103
5 Utopian Lesbian Erotics 121
Conclusion 149
Appendix: List of Plays 157
Notes 161
Bibliography 201
Index 220
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cknowledgments
A
I
would like to thank Vassar College for two Faculty Research Grants
that allowed me to conduct early research for this book at the
Huntington Library and the British Library. I am also grateful for a
Fellowship from the Folger Library, where I conducted the bulk of my
research identifying the plays in this study. The remarkable staff at the
Folger, especially Head of Reader Services Betsy Walsh and Librarian
Richard J. Kuhta, made the work a pleasure. Conversations with fel-
low readers at the Folger, such as Linda Woodbridge and Constance
Jordan, helped me conceive and clarify portions of the work. I owe
a special note of thanks to Deborah Kaplan for her friendship and
warm hospitality while in DC.
A number of colleagues at Vassar have provided generous support
for this project, including Ann Imbrie, Leslie Dunn, Anne
Constantinople, and Karen Robertson, who carefully read a late ver-
sion of the manuscript and offered invaluable comments; Rachel
Kitzinger and Rachel Friedman supplied a very useful translation.
Toni McNaron also read and commented on the manuscript and as a
guide and mentor has had a profound impact on my work. I would
also like to thank Robert Maslen, Gail Kern Paster, Heather Dubrow,
and Linda Woodbridge for pointing me toward helpful documents.
Ivo Kamps has been a wonderful editor, asking probing questions,
and offering helpful guidance. Thanks also to Jane Smith for tireless
editing and fortifying reassurance. Three different research students at
Vassar helped with various aspects of this study—Corinna Ritter,
Ursula Liff, and Tessa Rexroat—and I am grateful for their assistance,
patience, and good humor.
Portions of this work appeared previously as “Constructions of
Female Homoerotics in Early Modern Drama,” in Theatre Journal
54.3 (2002):411–430 published by Johns Hopkins University Press.
Ialso gratefully acknowledge my thanks for permission to reprint the
illustration in chapter 4, which originally appeared in Bawds and
Lodgings: A History of the London Bankside Brothels, c. 100–1675,
written by E. J. Burford, and published by Peter Owen Ltd, London.