Although it has been posthumously proven that Willa Cather had lesbian relationships, she did not openly celebrate lesbian desire, and is sometimes described as homophobic and mysogynistic. In this study of Cather's life and work, the author aims to show her sexual coming-of-age occurred at a time when a cultural transition was recasting love between women as sexual deviance rather than romantic friendship. The book examines Cather's writings, from her controversial love letters of the 1890s - in which "queer" is employed ...
Read More
Although it has been posthumously proven that Willa Cather had lesbian relationships, she did not openly celebrate lesbian desire, and is sometimes described as homophobic and mysogynistic. In this study of Cather's life and work, the author aims to show her sexual coming-of-age occurred at a time when a cultural transition was recasting love between women as sexual deviance rather than romantic friendship. The book examines Cather's writings, from her controversial love letters of the 1890s - in which "queer" is employed to denote sexual deviance - to her epic novels, short stories and critical writings. The author points to the "queer" qualities of Cather's fiction - rebellion against traditional fictional forms, with sometimes unlikable characters, lack of emphasis on heroic action, and lack of engagement in the drama of heterosexual desire.
Read Less
