Sexual heretics: male homosexuality in English literature

by Brian Reade

The years between 1850 and 1900 were the vintage years of a discreet homosexual culture in England. In this period, educational, personal and foreign influences all contributed to the establishment of a trend expressed in the works of authors such as John Addington Symonds, Walter Pater, and A.E. Housman, and in those of lesser writers, now largely forgotten. This book, first published in 1970, is an anthology of English prose and verse, either homosexual in tone or providing a vehicle for homosexual emotions, and in several examples even overtly and experimentally frank. The book includes an introduction by Brian Reade explaining the network of friendships and associations which underlay this development and tracing some of its origins.

Genres: History, Gay, Literature

459 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1970

About the author

Art historian.

Reviews

[My Little Forest · Rating 3 out of 5]

Greatly fulfilled with references and intertextuality. This is a good document for anyone interested in homoeroticism and its first signs shown in literature.

[Ronnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first picked up this book for an essay written by JA Symonds which I intended to cite in a paper of mine, and was so fascinated by this book that I decided to read it cover to cover instead.

In the latter half of the 18th century, male homosexuality (or buggary, which is the sex act) was illegal in England, though it was no longer punishable by death as it was in the earlier half of the century. It was as the idea of homosexuality became to change -- it began to be seen as more of a way of being that people were born as, and there were a few people who decided to make a study of it.

Because it was still illegal, it could not often be written about publicly, and could definitely not be published (publishers would be tried under the Obscene Publications Act). And so, this anthology is one of the only places some of these poems, stories, and letters can be found -- many of them were passed around in private newsletters spread among friends or small groups of like-minded individuals, which Brian Reade unearthed in private collections.

I found this collection excellent. It, of course, suffers from many of the issues you might expect from any collection of writing from the Victorian era, but it's not that egregious. In it there are some beautiful and heartbreaking poems -- including one written by Lord Alfred Douglas, Oscar Wilde's lover, after the latter's imprisonment for homosexuality. It has a number of thoughtful essays that show the changing understandings of homosexuality. It has some prose, some of it lovely, some of it straight up pornographic. Not all the writing is good, but all of it is heart-felt and vulnerable, and I enjoyed this collection very much.

I'll be sad to give the book back to the library after all these months, though sadly I believe it is out of print and difficult to find these days.

[Liam Ostermann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book, I even owned a copy, back in the 1980's and remember it as very good. Of course I no longer own it or any of my books from half-a-century ago so I can't confirm that it is still worth reading. I suspect that it is, I am looking out for a copy to buy. Until then I can offer only my recollections of its high quality and tell you of my intention to buy it and of course read it, again as proof of its quality.