Passions of John Addington Symonds
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Author Description
This Book Offers A Connected, Critical Survey Of The Public And Private Writing Of John Addington Symonds (bristol 1840 - Rome 1893), One Of Victorian Britain's Most Prolific Authors And A Major Figure In Queer History And Thought. Works Receiving Particular Attention Include An Introduction To The Study Of Dante (1872), Studies Of The Greek Poets (1873-76), The Renaissance In Italy (1875-86), Animi Figura (1882), Vagabunduli Libellus (1884), Life Of Michelangelo Buonarroti (1893), In The Key Of Blue (1893), And Sexual Inversion (in Collaboration With Havelock Ellis, Published Posthumously In 1897 But Quickly Censored), As Well As His Twin Essays, A Problem In Greek Ethics (privately Printed 1883) And A Problem In Modern Ethics (privately Printed 1891), The Latter Of Which Contains The First Appearance In English Print Of The Word Homosexual, A Recent Coinage Of German Sexology-- Provided By Publisher.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates the intersection of John Addington Symonds' public literary career and his private identity as a foundational figure in the development of queer thought. Shane Butler, a scholar of classical literature and cultural history, utilizes a comprehensive analysis of Symonds' published works, private journals, and correspondence to argue that his intellectual output was inextricably linked to his personal struggle with sexuality in the Victorian era.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- A chronological survey of major works including The Renaissance in Italy and Studies of the Greek Poets.
- An analysis of the collaborative effort with Havelock Ellis on Sexual Inversion.
- Examination of the linguistic history surrounding the first appearance of the word 'homosexual' in English print.
- Contextualization of Symonds' private essays on Greek and modern ethics.
Scope Limits
- The text does not provide a comprehensive cradle-to-grave biography, focusing instead on the thematic relationship between his writing and his identity.
- It does not offer an exhaustive bibliography of every minor pamphlet or ephemeral piece written by the subject.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and critics recognize this work as a significant contribution to the study of Victorian intellectual history and the genealogy of queer identity. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous framework for understanding Symonds' complex legacy.
Page Count:
0
Publication Date:
2023-01-01
Publisher:
New York : Oxford University Press,
ISBN-10:
0191957879
ISBN-13:
9780191957871
Non-Fiction
Biography
History
Queer History
Literature
Literary Criticism
Community Tags
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