(no subject)

[nigeltde]

From (the rather excellent) Virtuous Vice: Homoeroticism in the Public Sphere by Eric O. Clarke (Charles Kinglsey quote comes first):

"The age is an effinimate one; and it can well afford to pardon the lewdness of the genteel and sensitive vegetarian [Shelley], while it has no mercy for the sturdy peer [Byron], proud of his bull-neck and his boxing, who kept bears and bulldogs, drilled Greek ruffians at Missolonghi, and 'had no objection to a pot of beer;' and who might, if he had reformed, have made a gallant English gentleman; while Shelley, if once his intense self-opinion had deserted him, would probably have ended in Rome, as an Oratorian or a Passionist." Byron might indeed have "drilled" Greek ruffians, but apparently Shelley did not have such powers of penetration. (p. 160)


It's not often I get such a chuckle from the books I have to read. In related statling news, I handed up my LotR aesthetics essay today, a whole day before it was due! This is, I believe, an academic first for me.

Comments

[corvus-coronis.livejournal.com]

Hilarious - reminded me of when I was looking up the topic of bestiary in South Australian Law as part of my research for a final year assignment.

"In related statling news, I handed up my LotR aesthetics essay today, a whole day before it was due! This is, I believe, an academic first for me." - an inspiring topic demands an inspired response ^^

[nigeltde]

I can tell you, the topic was the only reason this one got handed up early ;-D