Tue Oct 24 11:45:45 1995
From: jlionarons\@acad.ursinus.edu
Is there a hierarchy of transgression in the Middle Ages? I.e., would a
man cross-dressing as a woman be considered more or less transgressive &
therefore dangerous than a woman cross-dressing as a man? Would such a
hierarchy obtain differently in and out of a theatrical setting?
I have to say I don't know the answers to any of these question, but I
think they're worth asking.
Tue Oct 24 17:32:48 1995
From: rclark\@ksu.ksu.edu
In response to jlionarons: I don't think that one can speak of a
"hierarchy of transgression" in the M.A., but rather, as you seem to
suggest, "setting" or context is what will determine the extent of
transgression in instances of crossdressing. Claire and I have argued
that the medieval theater is an instance in which crossdressing has
always been been bracketed in order to contain its potential for transgession. We suggest ways in which these strategies of containment ultimately fail. In response to the first comment: this is what is "so queer" about our paper. That us, showing how containment ultimately fails to control the text and its queer moments.
Tue Oct 24 18:09:33 1995
From: rclark\@ksu.ksu.edu
Addendum to above: When the bracketing of stage crossdressing is not in effect, I would say that female-to-male crossdressing is less transgressive than male-to-female. In romance, women crossdress to escape incest or not have access to avenues which normally are closed to them. It is a question of "dressing up." Men dressing as women is the opposite, and the few examples I know of suggest that it was more seriously condemned (although Claire's Robin Hood example is an interesting exception). In the Roman de Silence, for example, the main character's crossdressing is ultimately rewarded. The queen's lover, who has crossdressed as a nun so as to have access to her, is executed. For what it's worth.
Wed Oct 25 09:42:36 1995
From: J. Rine (jrine\@aol.com)
I understand your use of "queering" as a verb to give gender its dissonance in cross-dressing .. but is *class* a category that one can queer (e.g., through the Robin Hood plays)?
Thu Oct 26 01:15:55 1995
From: rclark\@ksu.ksu.edu
Yes, we would argue that class is a category that can be queered. We discuss several instances of crossdressing in which it is clear that the erotic is as much sexual as it is social. In this sense, transvestism is the sign of homosocial desire (with the accent on "social").
Wed Apr 3 19:32:33 1996
From: jameserb\@uclink4.berkeley.edu
Does this kind of "queer play" exist (can we call it drag instead?) even with literal transvesticism?
Can it be purely or primarily verbal?
Wed Apr 24 12:32:38 1996
From: bkehoe\@ollamh.ucd.ie
Great Article! I am currently researching themes of crossdressing and
gender role reversal in Irish theatre for my MA thesis in Drama.
I would be very happy if you could recommend any books or articles which
could be helpful. Thank you.
Barry Kehoe.
Tue Jun 4 01:11:44 1996
From: rjregan\@fair1.fairfield.edu
I've taught both medieval drama and Comedy, where I look at drag as a comic device. Drag is increasingly interesting as the dragster (sic) begins to enjoy the disguise beyond the demands of intrigue and escape. In your examples, I would suggest that Robin Williams plays Mrs. Doubtfire entirely from the outside, while Dustin Hoffman begins to explore some of the emotions of Tootsie, and moves beyond simple caricature. (Jack Lemon is on the edge of this kind of response in Some Like It Hot.) In Victor, Victoria the center of the cross dressing is not Julie Andrews but Robert Preston, when he inhabits the drag role as a gay man, especially since his character is such a sympathetic one.
Thu Jun 20 04:56:57 1996
From: synge\@well.com
Many thanks for your informative and entertaining paper. By far the most interesting document we have seen to date. I find it quite interesting that our(or my) American culture(or lack of it) has this tendency to water down classic stories to suit their own mediocre hollywood needs while loosing the significance of the original text. Once agian' thanks for setting the Robin Hood story straight.