9.1 Queer literary theory and criticism

Queer literary theory looks at how LGBTQ+ themes and identities show up in books. It covers things like hidden gay characters, gender roles, and how queer people are shown in stories.

This theory helps us see beyond straight, traditional ideas in literature. It shows how queer writers and characters challenge normal ways of thinking about love, gender, and time in books.

Queer Representation and Subtext

Queer Coding and Subtext

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• Queer coding involves using subtle cues, traits, or stereotypes to imply a character's LGBTQ+ identity without explicitly stating it
• Homoerotic subtext refers to the implied or suggested same-sex desire or eroticism in a text, often through interactions, dialogue, or imagery (Isherwood's "A Single Man")
• Subtext can be intentional or unintentional and is often interpreted through a queer lens by readers and critics
• Queer subtext has been prevalent in literature, particularly during periods when overt LGBTQ+ representation was censored or taboo (Victorian literature, Hollywood's Hays Code era)

LGBTQ+ Representation and Performativity

• LGBTQ+ representation involves the inclusion of queer characters, themes, and experiences in literature
• Representation can range from explicit depictions of LGBTQ+ identities to more subtle or coded references
• Gender performativity in text refers to how characters construct and express their gender identity through actions, speech, and appearance (Butler's theory of gender performativity)
• Camp, an aesthetic style characterized by exaggeration, artifice, and humor, is often associated with queer representation and sensibilities (Sontag's "Notes on Camp")

Critical Reading Approaches

Queer Reading and Narratology

• Queer reading involves analyzing a text through a lens that challenges heteronormative assumptions and explores LGBTQ+ themes, characters, and experiences
• Queer narratology examines how narrative structures, techniques, and conventions intersect with queer identities and desires
• Queer narratology considers how queer experiences may disrupt or subvert traditional narrative forms and expectations (non-linear storytelling, unconventional relationships)

Heteronormativity and Queer Temporality

• Heteronormativity in literature refers to the assumption and privileging of heterosexuality as the default or "normal" sexual orientation
• Queer readings often challenge and deconstruct heteronormative assumptions in texts, revealing how they marginalize or erase LGBTQ+ experiences
• Queer temporality explores how queer experiences of time may differ from linear, heteronormative conceptions of time and life progression (Halberstam's "In a Queer Time and Place")
• Queer temporality considers how queer lives may not follow expected timelines of marriage, reproduction, and family (Woolf's "Orlando", Bechdel's "Fun Home")

Authorship and Identity

Queer Authorship and Biographical Criticism

• Queer authorship refers to the study of LGBTQ+ writers and how their identities and experiences shape their work
• Biographical criticism examines how an author's life, including their sexual orientation and gender identity, influences their writing (Wilde, Baldwin, Lorde)
• Queer authorship considers how LGBTQ+ writers navigate self-expression, censorship, and social norms in their work
• The relationship between an author's queer identity and their work is complex, and autobiographical readings should be balanced with textual analysis (Woolf, Forster, Highsmith)