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“…I am sorry to break off so abruptly. Are there no men present? Do you promise me that behind the red curtain over there the figure of Sir Chartres Biron is not conclead? We are all women you assure me? Then I may tell you that the next words I read were these- ‘Chloe liked Olivia…’ Do not start. Do not blush. Let us admit in the privacy of our own society that these things sometimes happen. Somtimes women do like women.” -Virgina Woolf, A Room of One’s Own

This quote so interests me because it gets at the views on homosexuality not just of Virgina Woolf’s time, but of the views of many centuries before her. Only recently has the issue of homosexuality been publicly discussed and debated, and even now there are still many who are uncomfortable or against the subject. Therefore, with a subject that is still so adamantly argued today, one can only expect that the ideas were even more narrow-minded concerning homosexuality dating back for centuries.

Historically, the subject of homosexuality has been kept very hidden and private from the public. Obviously the idea and practice of homosexuality has existed for centuries, if not since the caveman, but the degree with which one was free to discuss it has changed dramatically. As reference, for example, we know that Sappho was a lesbian based on her letters and poems to women, but she could never come out and express such an idea openly to the public. The paragraph directly following this quote from A Room of One’s Own begins, “it struck me how immense a change was there. Chloe liked Olivia perhaps for the first time in literature. Cleopatra did not like Olivia.” This demonstrates that in Woolf’s time even the idea of discussing homosexuality in a public forum was revolutionary. As she describes, never before had there been a novel where a girl was in love with a girl or even a man was in love with a man. Additionally, in her preface to the actual discussion of homosexuality in literature, she makes the point of glancing around the metaphorical room of readers in order to ensure that there are no men around. This seems indicative of the ideas of the time, as though some of these ideas were finally able to be discussed in literature, the idea of discussing it with men was still considered taboo. Read more…

Honourable lords and ladies of Venice we are gathered here today to remember the life of the courageous Othello. Many of you have come to mourn his death but I on the other hand have come here before you all to celebrate, not his passing away but as a tribute to his contribution to us, the people.

What a tragic way to end a proud and honourable role of dedication, leadership, and faithful servant to the people of Venice. Many of the people in this room today will agree with me in saying that Othello never permitted devious and cowardly acts, he was a man who believed in the importance to serve, and knew his role as gallant warrior of Venice. They were given to him for his tremendous traits. Whether they be from the art of hand to hand combat to the full protection and leadership of his people. Read more…

Paradise Lost by Milton outlines the fall of mankind beginning with Adam and Eve. Although Paradise Lost is a work filled with religious influence it does not stick to biblical truth. Pride and Lust are prevalent in Milton’s version of the Garden of Eden before and after the fall; it is these two deadly sins that seemingly lead toward the fall of Adam and Eve.

Adam is portrayed as a somewhat weak individual who is uxorious. When Eve mentions working apart from each other instead of insisting they stay together he allows her to do as she wishes. Milton reveals his view that this is a mistake by Adam when he states that “hapless” Eve is walking into an ambush set by Satan.

The pride of Eve can first be seen when she is tempted by Satan. One of the arguments that Satan uses to trick Eve into partaking in eating the fruit is that if he, an animal, can eat it and gain knowledge then why can’t she? He argues that since God has given Adam and Eve dominion over everything then surely they should be permitted to eat the fruit. He also tells her that she will become like God. Eve’s lust of the fruit is apparent in the way she gazes upon it. Milton even states, “An eager appetite, raised by the smell/ So savory of that fruit, which with desire/ Inclinable now grown to touch or taste/ Solicited her longing eye.” This statement vividly and dramatically describes the lust that Eve held for the forbidden fruit. Read more…