This paper will deal with the covert plot and if it can actually be classified as homosexual or if there is another sense of understanding the clandestine plot. Homosexuality is defined by sexual attraction. The intense passion and affection the male characters feel for each other can also depict a deep form of friendship which every person may have experienced once in their life. Sometimes these profound friendships can be confused with love, resulting in faux feelings which are a figment of the imagination.
To argue whether homosexuality is dealt with in the secret plot, the history of homosexuality has to be looked at in the specific time both books have been written and published. The difference for the publications adds up to 37 years — not a short period for history to progress and reshape the minds of the writers and readers. Besides history, faith, especially the Catholic faith, has to be taken into consideration as well. The history of homosexuality will be discussed in the next part of this paper. "A Room with a View" plays in Italy and England; the difference of homosexuality will be shown in both countries in the following section.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. HOMOSEXUALITY: ITS MEANING AND HISTORY
2.1 THE LAND OF DESIRE
2.2 THE LAND OF INTOLERANCE
3. LEITMOTIFS OF FORSTER’S AND WAUGH’S BOOKS
4. DEEP FRIENDSHIP, LOVE OR SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY?
5. CONCLUSION
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the presence of "covert plots" concerning homosexuality in the novels A Room with a View and Brideshead Revisited, analyzing whether these narratives reflect genuine homosexual desire or merely depict deep, non-sexual male friendships within the historical context of their publication.
- The socio-historical construction and evolution of the term "homosexuality."
- The influence of religious and legal frameworks on the perception of male intimacy in Italy and England.
- Literary techniques, specifically the use of double plots to navigate censorship.
- The distinction between homoerotic desire and profound platonic companionship.
Excerpt from the Book
DEEP FRIENDSHIP, LOVE OR SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY?
Even though homosexuality is dealt with in the covert plot, Waugh indeed writes more openly about such topics when compared to Forster. Maybe it changed with the bygone time between the publications of both books or the shifted attitude towards homosexuality after the First World War.
In Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited the relationship between Charles and Sebastian is extraordinary and intriguing from the very beginning. They met under peculiar circumstances but became inseparable from then on. “At Sebastian’s approach these grey figures seemed quietly to fade into the landscape and vanish, like highland sheep in the misty weather” (Waugh 29). This passage matches a young girl falling in love at first sight, and Charles continues to describe Sebastian in the most flattering way, “he was the most conspicuous man of his year by reason of his beauty, which was arresting, and his eccentricities of behaviour, which seemed to know no bounds” (30). Throughout the novel, Charles speaks only in the highest tones of Sebastian's unmatched beauty; so much that other people around them seem to notice the special friendship between them.
There is a myriad of passages to deduct from that their friendship has a deeper meaning. When Charles went home to see his father, Sebastian stayed in Brideshead castle writing letters to Charles of how much he misses him and wishes he were here with him. Sebastian says that he is never alone because a member of his family is always around, yet this expresses his innermost desires. Even though there are people around, he must write Charles (cf. 82) which signifies his loneliness which only Charles’ presence would be able to fill. Also, when Charles receives a telegram of Sebastian, saying that he has been gravely injured, he drops everything and leaves at once, afraid that Sebastian might die (cf. pp. 83-84). When they both visit Sebastian’s father in Venice, Cara assesses that Charles is “very fond of Sebastian” (117) and he does not deny it. In the third part of the novel, Julia and Charles become a couple, and when she asks him if he loved Sebastian, Charles replies with, “Oh yes! He was the forerunner” (307).
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: Outlines the core research problem regarding the distinction between homosexual subtexts and deep platonic friendships in literature.
2. HOMOSEXUALITY: ITS MEANING AND HISTORY: Explores the etymological and social development of homosexuality, contrasting the relatively tolerant historical climate of Italy with the stringent legal intolerance in England.
3. LEITMOTIFS OF FORSTER’S AND WAUGH’S BOOKS: Discusses how authors utilized double plots as a literary device to mask potential homosexual themes under the guise of heterosexual romances to avoid censorship.
4. DEEP FRIENDSHIP, LOVE OR SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY?: Analyzes specific character dynamics in Brideshead Revisited and A Room with a View to determine the threshold between romantic desire and platonic bond.
5. CONCLUSION: Synthesizes the findings, suggesting that while Waugh's work contains strong evidence for a covert homosexual plot, the interpretation of Forster's work remains ambiguous and subject to reader perspective.
Keywords
Homosexuality, Homoeroticism, Brideshead Revisited, A Room with a View, Double Plot, Literature, Censorship, Social Constructs, Male Intimacy, Friendship, Sexuality, History, Interpretation, Religion, Gender Roles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary objective of this research paper?
The paper aims to investigate whether the subtexts in selected novels by E.M. Forster and Evelyn Waugh represent authentic homosexual themes or if they can be explained as profound, platonic friendships within their historical contexts.
What are the central thematic fields addressed?
The analysis centers on the intersection of literary theory, the history of sexuality, social and religious attitudes towards male love, and the impact of legal restrictions on artistic expression.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The author employs a comparative literary analysis, examining textual evidence from the novels against historical, social, and legal documentation regarding the perception of homosexuality in the 20th century.
What is the significance of the "double plot" in this context?
The double plot serves as a defensive narrative structure, allowing authors to depict potentially controversial homosexual nuances beneath a conventional heterosexual surface, effectively bypassing censorship and social stigma.
What does the main body of the work focus on?
The main body details the historical definitions of homosexuality, examines the contrasting legal environments of Italy and England, and provides a close reading of character relationships in both novels to identify potential subtexts.
Which keywords best describe this study?
Key terms include homosexuality, homoeroticism, double plot, literary censorship, male friendship, and cultural construction of sexuality.
How does the author characterize the relationship between Charles and Sebastian in Brideshead Revisited?
The author notes that while there is strong textual evidence for a deep, potentially homosexual connection, it remains a subject of interpretation, as these interactions could also be viewed through the lens of a "romantic friendship" common for the era.
Why is Mr. Beebe's interest in George Emerson considered ambiguous?
The author argues that while critics have identified homoerotic undertones, there is a lack of substantial textual evidence to confirm Beebe as a homosexual, as his behavior is often framed through comedy or simple interpersonal tension.
- Citar trabajo
- Melanie Höpfler (Autor), 2019, The Leitmotif of Homosexuality in Edward Morgan Forster’s "A Room with a View" and Evelyn Waugh's "Brideshead Revisited", Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/499304
