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A review by worm_food
The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall
3.5
I found this well written easy to follow, most of this high ranking is attributed to how much it made me think and wanna talk about its contents in so many different ways. People say that classic novels where all you have to say is "I think it's important" are dogshit - I see the point but I do disagree with the dogshit part for this book. Stephen's relationship with her parents and the conversations and dynamics w Angela especially are endlessly intriguing to me and as the introduction of this edition states the book itself is outdated by its own existence - progress made BECAUSE of it that makes its contents feel old, and of course, that is important. I enjoyed it overall but its ending and final thesis pissed me off so much my vision went completely black for a sec and I lost my hearing for 3 days.
This book is less devastating if you see Stephen's "self sacrifice" and aversion to community as the internalised homophobia that it is, and I AM cutting her some slack but you have Brockett you have Valerie you can't show me people who revel in the company of others' queerness, who tried for YEARS to get Stephen to do the same and her rejecting any and all olive branches. Stop pursuing straight women and go to a butch centered event find a hot dyke n fuck them is advice that has been and is still relevant for the past, present, and I am sure will also be for the future eternal.
It's interesting to me how this book also sees Puddle as the voice of reason, an understanding voice that never condemns Stephen's nature, but the book also sees her as something holding Stephen back - it was only after her departure that Stephen could allow herself to be happy. Self policing WITHIN "inversion" is seen as a noble act (being one of the good gays etc) for the biggest chunk of this book, it's interesting how Stephen is so resentful of her mother for hating her for doing femininity wrong, but she herself is very much a cop about it still in the way Brockett is always described as effeminate n slimy, how he does feminity wrong. Femininity is only noble when it's 'right' and when it fits: Anna, Mary, Angela. With Brockett and Valerie she fucking hates so much oughhh how dare you not suffer! Radclyffe put the Catholicism DOWN I beg.
Speaking of, I believe the real sin here isn't lesbianism but completely removing any and all personal agency from Mary and have the narrative JUSTIFY that as a noble act. Who was introduced mid-war as a confident and self assured young woman who we are then forced to accept that should not have any say on her fate because she's too young and naive I am SICK OF IT. God.
Anyway. Go to a gay club and understand even the most obnoxious of queers are your real ride or dies, not French countryside hags who think are arbiters of what is and isn't socially acceptable. Fuck
This book is less devastating if you see Stephen's "self sacrifice" and aversion to community as the internalised homophobia that it is, and I AM cutting her some slack but you have Brockett you have Valerie you can't show me people who revel in the company of others' queerness, who tried for YEARS to get Stephen to do the same and her rejecting any and all olive branches. Stop pursuing straight women and go to a butch centered event find a hot dyke n fuck them is advice that has been and is still relevant for the past, present, and I am sure will also be for the future eternal.
It's interesting to me how this book also sees Puddle as the voice of reason, an understanding voice that never condemns Stephen's nature, but the book also sees her as something holding Stephen back - it was only after her departure that Stephen could allow herself to be happy. Self policing WITHIN "inversion" is seen as a noble act (being one of the good gays etc) for the biggest chunk of this book, it's interesting how Stephen is so resentful of her mother for hating her for doing femininity wrong, but she herself is very much a cop about it still in the way Brockett is always described as effeminate n slimy, how he does feminity wrong. Femininity is only noble when it's 'right' and when it fits: Anna, Mary, Angela. With Brockett and Valerie she fucking hates so much oughhh how dare you not suffer! Radclyffe put the Catholicism DOWN I beg.
Speaking of, I believe the real sin here isn't lesbianism but completely removing any and all personal agency from Mary and have the narrative JUSTIFY that as a noble act. Who was introduced mid-war as a confident and self assured young woman who we are then forced to accept that should not have any say on her fate because she's too young and naive I am SICK OF IT. God.
Anyway. Go to a gay club and understand even the most obnoxious of queers are your real ride or dies, not French countryside hags who think are arbiters of what is and isn't socially acceptable. Fuck