Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Galatea 1: Virgins on the Rocks



Andromedas, from 1890, 15th c, and 1624, respectively. See:


Some lines worth thinking about, in the vein of Stallybrass's account of indeterminacy and oscillation:

"the chastest virgin" (1.1.48) / "whose virgins are all chaste" (1.2.26)

"Fair boy, or god, or whatever you be" (1.2.3)

I will make their pains my pastimes, and so confound
their loves in their own sex that they shall dote in
their desires, delight in their affections, and practise only
impossibilities. (2.2.7-10)

Art thou no sooner in
the habit of a boy but thou must be enamoured of a boy? (2.5.3-4)