E-Book Overview
While lesbian literature can trace its name back to the Greek poet Sappho, who was born on the Island of Lesbos in 630 B.C., it was not until the past century that the genre really gained popularity. More lesbian poems, novels and plays, as well as secondary literature, have been produced during the last one hundred years than during all the previous centuries put together.The Historical Dictionary of Lesbian Literature serves two primary functions: to provide further information to those who are already familiar with the field, and to explain it to those who are just getting acquainted. Several hundred cross-referenced dictionary entries on important writers such as Sappho, Colette, Mary Wollstonecraft, and many others who are less well known are included. Other entries deal with the styles, themes, literary movements, publishers, and outstanding works of the genre. It is hoped that the entries, taken together, will provide an idea of the factors, which have influenced the development of the lesbian identity as an interaction between readers and writers of all kinds of literature. Also included are a chronology and an introduction depicting the progression of the genre, and a bibliography for further research.
E-Book Content
LITERATURE
HISTORICAL DICTIONARY OF Historical Dictionaries of Literature and the Arts, No. 8 While lesbian literature can trace its name back to the Greek poet Sappho, who was born on the Island of Lesbos in 630 B.C., it wasn’t until the past century that the genre gained significant popularity. produced during the last one hundred years than during all the previous centuries put together. This Historical Dictionary of Lesbian Literature serves two primary functions: to provide further information to those already familiar with the field and to explain it to those discovering it for the first time. A chronology provides a historical perspective, an introduction gives a general yet detailed overview, and the dictionary contains several hundred cross-referenced entries on important writers such as Sappho, Colette, and Mary Wollstonecraft, styles, themes, literary movements, publishers, and outstanding works of the genre. Completed by an extensive bibliography, this book examines the factors influencing the development of the lesbian identity as an interaction between readers and writers of all kinds of literature.
MEREDITH MILLER is a senior lecturer in English at the College of St. Mark and St. John in the United Kingdom. Her research interests are focused on nineteenth- and twentieth-century literature and theories of race, gender, and sexuality.
For orders and information please contact the publisher SCARECROW PRESS, INC. A wholly owned subsidiary of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc. 4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200 Lanham, Maryland 20706 ISBN-13: 1-800-462-6420 • fax 717-794-3803 ISBN-10: www.scarecrowpress.com Cover illustration by Dan Saunders; images of (clockwise from top) Audre Lorde, Radclyffe Hall, Angelina Weld Grimk e, ´ and Colette
978-0-8108-4941--9 0-8108-4941--0
HISTORICAL DICTIONARY OF
Lesbian Literature
More lesbian poems, novels, plays, and reference sources have been
MILLER
Lesbian Literature
MEREDITH MILLER
Historical Dictionaries of Literature and the Arts Jon Woronoff, Series Editor 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Science Fiction Literature, by Brian Stableford, 2004. Horror Literature, by John Clute, 2005. American Radio Soap Operas, by Jim Cox, 2005. Japanese Traditional Theatre, by Samuel L. Leiter, 2006. Fantasy Literature, by Brian Stableford, 2005. Australian and New Zealand Cinema, by Albert Moran and Errol Vieth, 2006. 7. African-American Television, by Kathleen Fearn-Banks, 2006. 8. Lesbian Literature, by Meredith Miller, 2006.
Historical Dictionary of Lesbian L