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kristin m. commentUniversity of Massachusetts— Lowell and Framington State College Charles Brockden Brown’s Ormond andLesbian Possibility in the EarlyRepublic Charles Brockden Brown’s Ormond (1799) contains the first ex- tended fictional portrayal in America of what the novelist calls ‘‘roman- tic passion’’ between women. Early critics generally treat the homoeroti- cism between Constantia Dudleyand Sophia Courtland either with disdain or as a psychological aberration. Harvey R. Warfel, for example, claims that ‘‘emotions of normal love are alien to [Constantia’s] nature, and there seems to be a homosexual tendency in her conduct’’ (135); Donald A. Ringe remarks that ‘‘Constantia’s relationship with Sophia leaves much to be de- sired [. . .] at best, the relationship is not one to increase the stature of Constantia as the heroine of the novel’’ (44); Norman S. Grabo views Con- stantia’s ‘‘queer’’ friendship with Sophia as one of ‘‘a series of tests or temp- tations’’ in the formation of her ‘‘sexual identity’’; and Steven Watts argues that ‘‘it seems no accident that as [Constantia’s] rational faculties steadily prov[e] less able to illuminate the social and moral atmosphere, she turn[s] to the attractions of female homoeroticism’’ (97). In contrast to theseviews, Lillian Faderman identifies the text
Early American Literature – University of North Carolina Press
Published: Feb 17, 2005
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