Sodom on the Thames : sex, love, and scandal in Wilde times / Morris B. Kaplan.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Kaplan, Morris B.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Symonds, John Addington, 1840-1893--Sexual behavior.

Symonds, John Addington.

Wilde, Oscar, 1854-1900--Trials, litigation, etc.

Wilde, Oscar.

English literature--England--London--History and criticism.

English literature.

Homosexuality and literature--England--History--19th century.

Homosexuality and literature.

Male homosexuality--England--London--History--19th century.

Male homosexuality.

Sex customs--England--London--History--19th century.

Sex customs.

English literature--19th century--History and criticism.

Scandals--England--London--History--19th century.

Scandals.

Sexual orientation in literature.

Sex customs in literature.

London (England)--Social life and customs--19th century.

London (England).

London (England)--In literature.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (325 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Ithaca : Cornell University Press, 2005.

Language Note:

In English.

Summary:

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.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

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

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (p.[299]-303) and index.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 08. Jul 2019)

ISBN:

9780801465383

0801465389

9780801465826

0801465826

OCLC:

797833737