LITERARY scene

An Informal column of reviews of fiction and non-fiction books on themes of sex variation

GENE DAMON

NEW TITLES, SOME GOOD, SOME INDIFFERENT, but no dearth of the presentation of homosexuals in current fiction.

The Unicorn (Viking, 1963), Iris Murdoch's latest excursion into the unusual byways of life begins with the always fascinating cliche-the damsel in distress. Young and foolish Marian Taylor goes to Gaze Castle as a governess, only to discover that there are no children at Gaze Castle. She is instead to be the tutor of Hannah Crean-Smith who is virtually a prisoner in her own home.

Hannah's "keepers" are Gerald Scottaw, a brooding Heathcliff sort of male who turns out to be gay, and Violet Evercreech, a cousin of Hannah's, who is a lesbian. Violet is in love with Hannah, but not so involved that she does not happily throw a pass at Marian. Marian seems to respond, but at the last moment, she retreats with a delicious shudder or two.

The chauffer, Jamesie Evercreech, is the beautiful younger brother of Violet; and also the current love of Gerald. As the plot unfolds (or uncurls) we find that Gerald has been the lover, in the past, of Peter Crean-Smith, the absent husband of Hannah.

This is just a sampling of the characters. For action we have murder, attempted murder, suicide, etc. Jane Eyre plus Sigmund Freud plus any number of English murder mysteries. Despite the melodramatic tone this, is excellent, and Iris Murdoch is not to be missed.

Henry, the heterosexual protagonist of E. Valentine White's short story, "Goldfish and Olives," (in New Campus Writing No. 4, ed. by N. Miller & J. Jerome, Grove Press Black Cat Books, 1962) has many male homosexual

mattachine REVIEW

friends. One such friend introduces him to Marie and gradually her relationship with another girl dawns on Henry. His growing realization of the necessary limitations in his friendship with Marie makes up the basic plot of a well written, if overly youthful, story. The homosexual aspects are well handled.

novel creating lots of critical noise is Thomas Pynchon's V (Lippincott, 1963). V is a feminine symbol of society. In one chapter she is involved in an overt lesbian affair with a dancer, Melanie L'Heuremaudit. It is all very weird and involved; since things are seldom what they seem to be in this allegory.

Remember the very different King of a Rainy Country by Brigid Brophy? Her latest novel to reach America, Flesh (World, 1963) is a lesser study but the same quality writing. Marcus, the hero, marries Nancy, who claims an aversion to lesbianism. Her personality, however, soon dominates and effeminizes Marcus into a pseudo-homosexuality. Ilse, sister of Marcus, is attracted to Nancy; and to square off the cast into a neat foursome, Marcus' boss, Polydore, is an aging auntie type. This is subtle English stuff, similar to, and inferior to, Iris Murdoch's work.

There are two stories of interest in Prize College Stories 1963, edited by Whit and Hallie Burnett (Random, 1963). In "One Blind Mouse" by Mark Medoff, one boy leads another into instruction using the old D. H. Lawrence theme of sadistic domination heavily tinged with erotic attraction. In "Barefoot in Tangier" by Wendy Gibson, a pregnant girl is befriended by a male homosexual. (Someone's been reading Shelagh Delaney).

It is sad to have to note that the treatment of the homosexual teacher in The Principal by Benjamin Siegel (Harcourt, 1963) is the only example of prejudice in an otherwise good novel. A vicious student goads an effeminate teacher into striking him. The principal seems happy to lose both of them; since he fears having to make a decision in the case. The teacher was definitely in the right in this particularly instance.

The reader who enjoys finding a homosexual character or two in each

FOREIGN PUBLICATIONS

The Circle (Der Kreis)

Published monthly since 1932 in French, German, and English (no translation duplications) Contains photos, illustrations, and art reproductions. Rolf, editor. Annual subscription $11 first class. sealed. Bank draft or cash to Lesezirkel Der Kreis, Postfach 547, Fraumunster, Zurich 22, Switzerland.

Arcadie

Monthly literary and scientific review in French. A. Baudry, editor. Subscriptions $9 per year. Address 74 Blvd. de Reuilly, Paris XII, France.