Queer Phenomenology and Tactility in Sarah Waters's Neo-Victorian Fiction

Palabras claves sensoriales. fenomenología estudios ylos la como tales críticos enfoques de aplicación la mediante contemporánea cultura yla victoriano pasado el entre sensorial interacción la Waters de ilustra neo-victoriana piel. Por narrativa yla la mano último, la especial en tacto, del sentido del importancia ysobre la corporal, hermenéutica yla afectiva materialidad la de através victoriano pasado del relevancia sobre la versa artículo este Además, nólogos. Merleau-Ponty fenome yotros Maurice de presupuestos los de parte quien Ahmed, Sara Waters desde una perspectiva innovadora: las nociones de orientación y contacto orientación ycontacto de nociones las innovadora: perspectiva Waters una desde Sarah de trilogía la examina artículo Este yorientación lésbicas. punto su vista de evidencia queer estudios los empleado Waters’sSarah Tipping neo-Victorian trilogy, the Velvet Abstract the Velvet Waters, Sarah de neo-victoriana trilogía la analizado ha especializada crítica La Resumen phenomenology, fiction, tactility. Waters, neo-victorian : Sarah Keywords studies. sensory and phenomenology as such approaches critical by employing today’s and culture past Victorian the between interplay sensuous the Waters’sillustrates Sarah Lastly, neo-Victorian fiction skin. the and hand on the emphasis a special of with touch sense the particular in hermeneutics, corporeal and materiality affective through past Victorian of the relevance the analyse will article this addition, In phenomenologists. Merleau-Ponty other and Maurice from she draws touch, queer which of notions and orientation Ahmed’s Sara perspective: new altogether an consider from Waters’swill trilogy neo-Victorianarticle This agenda. her lesbian clear Waters made that has mind in bearing novels, three of these analysis the in utilised been smith (2002), have been largely discussed from many perspectives. Queer approaches have have approaches Queer perspectives. many from discussed (2002), largely been have Revista Canaria de Estudios Ingleses, 74; April 2017, 74; April pp. 41-54; e-2530-8335 Ingleses, ISSN: Estudios de Canaria Revista (1998), Affinity (1998), IN TACTILITY AND PHENOMENOLOGY QUEER SARAH WATERS’S NEO-VICTORIAN FICTION* WATERS’S NEO-VICTORIAN SARAH : Sarah Waters, narrativa neo-victoriana, fenomenología, tactilidad. fenomenología, neo-victoriana, Waters, narrativa : Sarah (1999) yFingersmith para el análisis de estas novelas ya que la autora ha puesto en en puesto autora que ha la ya novelas estas de análisis el para Universidad de Málaga de Universidad Rosario Arias Rosario (2002), desde perspectivas diversas. Se han han Se diversas. (2002), perspectivas desde (1998), Affinity (1998), (1999), Finger and queer Tipping Tipping de de - -

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 74; 2017, PP. 41-54 41 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 74; 2017, PP. 41-54 42 novación novación (1999), Fingersmith and (1964) 2-5). (Baldwin on “phenomenon is the My focus embracing as of body” the 1961, in sudden death his posthumously, after titled contribution main to philosophy. his constitutes abook work published was last His (1945), of Perception Phenomenology to title published be ogy, under the came and heavily influenced by Edmund Edmund Husserl. by influenced heavily subject”the (4). me here interests Merleau-Ponty’s is What on phenomenology, view from a first-person experience point as is view, it presentedis, of investigates to that as ently. defined it “philosophythat Romdenh-Romluc succinctly Komarine has differ conceived be can philosophy the phenomenologist, the on depending since, phenomenology define to task easy an not It is Merleau-Ponty. as such philosophers later followed method by century, French aphilosophical of twentieth the beginning Phenomenology Husserl at the founded by 2004. Edmund in was died when Derrida in Merleau-Ponty with who engaged Jacques Derrida century, including twentieth the 1961, in death his end after the of neglected interest renewed towards he attracted Partly body, recentthe years. in perception, have sprung and over that and senses the studies. sensory and phenomenology as such approaches today’s by and employing critical past Victorian culture the between Waters’sobject world. Sarah interplaythe sensuous neo-Victorianillustrates fiction the and subject involves flow which are-orientationpotential, between the towards nomenon relation of in body perceived to world, of the the a source transformative as phe the and on corporeality focus the shift my doing, so combined approach will In skin. the and on hand emphasis the of aspecial touch sense the with particular in hermeneutics, corporeal and materiality affective through past of Victorian the relevance the analyse will Ponty other phenomenologists. and article addition, In this notions of Merleau- orientation from queer Maurice touch, and she draws which Waters’s Ahmed’s Sara perspective: new altogether from an neo-Victorian trilogy consider will article This agenda. her Waters lesbian clear that made mind in has novels, bearing three of these analysis the in approachesQueer utilised have been Dickens’sCharles and novel,sensation by fiction influenced heavily work. crafted neo-Victorian in Finally, literature. Fingersmith landmark a signifying while age, Victorian the in occult the and spiritualism with fascinated 285-305). Affinity Wilson (Pettersson; spectacle of Butler’s culture Victorian in and studies, notion of spatial performativity, in tives: On TouchingOn production in (2005), – Jean-Luc Nancy already was abook which Tipping the Velvet (Research Project FFI2013-44154-P and VINS Research Network FFI2015-71025-REDT). Network Research VINS and FFI2013-44154-P Project (Research * Waters’sSarah neo-Victorian trilogy, Tipping the Velvet Merleau-Ponty’s second doctoral thesis, with this emphasis onMerleau-Ponty’s phenomenol emphasis this with thesis, second doctoral debates over Merleau-Ponty’s theMaurice philosophical to crucial is figure Ministerio de Ciencia eIn Ciencia de the Ministerio by financed been has essay this forout carried research The was extremely well-received by critics interested in Judith interestedin well-received by critics extremely was (2002), have been largely discussed from many perspec from many (2002), discussed largely have been , in turn, drew the attention the of those drew turn, , in The Visible and the the Invisible and The Visible was welcome as awell- welcome as was (1998), Affinity - - - - -

the constitution of sense and meaning, because it occurs in the interaction of the both: in it occurs because meaning, and constitution ofthe sense and world in self between thereis that mutuality means This life. world, to social to the contributes from and meaning to give form and draws experience sensory the sense, this In situatedness. embodied an involving thus embodied, always rience is world the in situated (as are subjects, being-in-the-world),embodied expe our and 9-11). philosophy and help (Baldwin of indispensable the modern art with We, as world object the another in subject of situate the as objects, and experience organise worldceived which (in philosopher’s the senses the world) real through the terms, world: the for Merleau-Ponty, constituting and per the to aneed rediscover is there for example, studies of landscape and monumentality, and archaeology, particularly, of landscape studies for example, 122). present” (Hamilakis and past time same perception at the is sensorial memories, “every and material reservoir of are a senses operate. The they when affect unlock and affectivity, contributeevokeand the senses activate to because affective the and sensorial the 115). (Hamilakis ontological status” equal between Additionally, alink is there are concerned,of is sensoriality as far as which, and memories,ideas, affects, discourses, movements,as and well as gestures, substances... material encompass flows thesensorial and field sensorial the redundant: dichotomies [becoming] themind-body subject-object in flow. and “the the and results of experience This Merleau-Ponty isathere movementas fieldthe to from the object/thing affirms, the Invisible and in The Visible “flesh” “field”, the as laterintois the developed known outwhich aspace, in cancelled is world, the and object, subject whose separation and self between interweaving an constitution, duality. a mutual other words, In is there move beyond Cartesian the (19), world” and of self irreducible mutuality of astrictly terms in to effort an in Phenomenology is now being utilised in a variety of contexts and disciplines, disciplines, and of contexts avariety in Phenomenology now utilised is being object, subject “midway” and attention between space to the paying In (139-40). afact be fact the makes what aword: facticity, in fact; the where of the inauguration more: the to location adherent yet and of facts, or asum Not afact ing. an“element” Be sense of this in is Theflesh of being. afragment is there wherever of being astyle brings principle that of incarnate asort idea, the and individual of ageneral thingsense the in is, that fire, and of water, air, earth, to speak used it old “element,” was term the sense need this in it, we should isdesignate substance. mind, not is matter, To isnot not The flesh understood be must to Christopher Watkin, “meaningfulness According Phenomenology (Merleau-Ponty, of perception subject it the were, as and, self anatural is body body, our we do with the as perceiving since, self, our rediscover also we shall world, the with and body the with contact body. our remaking with But by thus world the we perceive as body, far so our in and world the through in we are as far so in to us it world appears of the as experience our to reawaken need We shall 239). : and the when the and , midway between the spatio-temporal spatio-temporal the between , midway , the possibility and exigency for exigency and possibility , the and to the now to the and . Much - - -

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 74; 2017, PP. 41-54 43 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 74; 2017, PP. 41-54 44 culture to explore the tension between opening-onto to explore tension the culture between on recent material perception embodiment, work and on topics the of landscape, John others. among Wylie literature, drew and studies museology,and feminist absence and presence of tension the between by supplementing analysis his distance, and this perspectival orientation in turn affects other bodies and spaces: bodies other affects orientation turn in perspectival this and desire, sexual in place their and objects, oriented as is others, towards jectivity notion the of ’orientation’to discuss sub embodied ahostways: of in our different Perception of Merleau-Ponty’s Maurice uses Ahmed Phenomenology by others” (9).left Queer Phenomenology: In Orientations, Objects, Others ’impressions’ by the shaped is that and feels a border as that its skin, has also social of skin...the the on surface the textures to new create lines, like accumulate which thesounds... air, thethe smells, ’impressions’ skin...thelandscape, different of a new “migration the involves migration: phenomenology reinhabiting with intersecting inherent in possibilities the discussed already who has Ahmed, complished by Sara Merleau-Ponty’sMaurice ac been has philosophy a more in This positive light. into incursion phenomenology an have made have re-considered and studies Queer ably) “encompasses a range of very different experiences and has many different many andhas experiences ably) different of very “encompasses a range interchange touch terms (or that two the perception’ he ’tactual uses argues as Touch?,” Is “What In years. few last the in Ratcliffe philosopher Matthew Kristeva Julia and by works Jean-Luc Nancy through mediated approach, also this in tiny world”,the come have recently scru under renewed of bodies touch sense the and as and “flesh of Treanor flesh and 2). individual as its Flesh, ample in incarnations (Kearney accordingly” of sense sense only makes by embodiment and our mediated is to death, from birth experience, “all to which according perspective, this in texts key Hermeneutics approach, anew proved as emerged hermeneutics” publication by has the Carnal world, and object, subject self “carnal and between attempt to open dialogue up the and studies. queer feminist desire, phenomenology for offers sexual of Merleau-Ponty’s “orientation” sense on potential light the new Ahmed’s cast has world the in (67). orientationwhich “becom[es] coexisting and of inhabiting ways projection” a“sensitive orientation which in aform of is body” “bodily gesting in Merleau-Ponty’s against criticism orientation by world” sug the “universal towards Butler’scorrects Judith way68).in a Ahmed (Ahmed effects” to phallocentric thus gender specificities: “[Merleau-Ponty’s] un-gendered,areand leading bodies ’neutral’ subject/object the philosophy for division, (i.e. example), in dismantling but lacking Judith Butler who like have found some critics ited critique by feminist of Cartesian

In this “sensitive of touch sense role. the apredominant plays body” this an In In One argument against Merleau-Ponty’s pos been against has One argument subjectivities embodied 23). (Ahmed bodies inhabit spaces and how spaces inhabit bodies how affects objects such “toward” direction bodily to how the by attending desire; sexual in object of the place the bytion rethinking orienta sexual to approach an offer phenomenology aqueer might that I suggest in landscape studies with Derrida’s with of Merleau-Ponty studies reading landscape (275-89).in (2015). Husserl’s Merleau-Ponty’s and of become embodiment analyses and distancing-from and as a springboard aspringboard as (2006) Sara Sara (2006) , openness openness , ------of the inaccessibility of past: the of inaccessibility the notions postmodern questioning as of past the return of spectral the relevance to the More have Parsons concretely reference recently, made Deborah and Mitchell Kate Kontou). Pulham; and (Arias other critics alongside Ihave explored elsewhere, as spectrality, and of trope haunting master the through addressed been has culture neo-Victorian (1). studies contemporary in of Victorians the pervasiveness the Indeed, on field the hauntedness” ofof and “the impact the of idea haunting knowledge Poore Benjamin and Palmer ac Beth co-editors neo-Victorianism stage, the and Ann Heilmann and Mark Llewellyn (2010). Llewellyn Mark and Heilmann Ann developed by adouble as edge possessing future, to the itself it turns as well as past, adouble-oriented as described been movement has Victorian to it the back looks as Therefore,imply a double age. Victorian neo-Victorianism the with engagement of them afew. adaptation, to name and All spectrality, and haunting intertextuality, as such frameworks out theoretical following modeVictorian carried have been interventionsinto the neo- Critical the past. in Victorian set fiction contemporary into to offer productive readings frameworks theoretical and conceptualisations the Redemptivein Neo-Victorian “The Past Novel” (1997), have mobilised critics article “neo-Victorian” term the used Shiller in groundbreaking hertime for first the ’embody’ present and the to ’inhabit’ past. the in reader the inviting present, thus contemporary the (past) and dead Victorian the between existing and space time the narrow to distance, theout to flatten seems past Victorian the novels in set contemporary in experience tactile the sense, this theliving” 35).(Classen and the dead In tomb flesh, the the and animate, the and inanimate the “to between object, subject and threshold and the cross between gap to the bridge other, and capacity the self it and has between distinction the erases 103). “What?” (Kearney, senses” the “touch all Thesense of touch crosses because philosophical Touch extremely of but senses. sense, also scale the enigmatic an is in highest ranked of always touch, sense sight had the while privileged mainly has (2-3). functions” of his article. of his the ghost (spectre) encapsulates, and towards a consideration and conceptualisation aconsideration conceptualisation and towards and (spectre) ghost the encapsulates, of figure absence)the (presenceme vs to move that beyond productive the ambiguity In the latest issue of the online journal Neo-Victorian journal of online Studies the issue latest the In field,when Dana of neo-Victorianism acritical as beginnings the Since 1 The phantasmic presence a achieves the reader’simagination, through and, representation fictional though returns past the remains, textualised its in only existing than Here, rather past. of the inaccessibility and absence of notions the postmodern discrediting, entirely not though challenging, present, the it haunts as past of the return ...the spectral

I wish to express my gratitude to Matthew Ratcliffe who has generously sent me a copy copy sent mea generously has who Ratcliffe Matthew to my gratitude express to I wish presence 1 At this point it is necessary to remember that the sensorial turn turn sensorial to the remember that point it necessary is this At of the (spectral) past, through “its textualised remains”, led has textualised “its through past, of (spectral) the in the present (Mitchell and Parsons 12; my emphasis). Parsons and (Mitchell present the in , devoted to -

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 74; 2017, PP. 41-54 45 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 74; 2017, PP. 41-54 46 phenomenology and sensory studies. sensory and phenomenology into follows, Ioffer a what reading Waters’s neo-Victorianlight of the in fiction 4). Stacey In and of “subjects accounts without (Ahmed bodies” poststructuralist some challenge relationship and ameaningful in world the and engage bodies encounters, tactile Through of body, the skin. the boundaries as and such limits object-world: the subjectthe and phenomena are interrogate precisely the these that between affection forand flow the world, allow sensation the of nection with that 3). Stacey and Iconsider For reason, phenomena that (Ahmed of body, the con in on and its meaning entirely on is its singularity focus the if body the fetishising in more disciplines. attention various in now is attracting that and of sight, sense to the subordinated traditionally been of had touch, which tactility, thesense to give predominance Then,will phenomenology I as senses. such the and approaches by today’s employing and and critical past Victorian culture, the between Water’s interplay sensuous the on Sarah focus illustrates that neo-Victorian trilogy Iwill doing, so In culture. and literature contemporary materiality, in sensorial intothe through overflow thepresent the past of as well as past, of Victorian the ghostly, are tangible Victorians butthe also Victoriana in Kaplan Cora lines, these present.and Along vivid felt perceived as and of past, the vestiges and remains textualised of actual the 40 (2015): 13-30. 40 ( Fiction”. Neo-Victorian in Perception and Nerves’: Sensation the to 2014, or ’Appealing Fiction, pp. Routledge, 111-122; “Neo-Sensation Gruss. sanne Arias in and Literature and Culture: Immersions and Revisitations, gersmith formance on the music hall world depicted Tipping impersonationin as on of music male the hall formance commonplace to note of influence the Butler’sJudith theoriesper as genderof “[i]t that Helen states aptly Davies a socialist. become a critical and a lesbian has in Florence, relationship andmature lovetrue a finds Finally, Nancy her mistress. exploits her presents her and to becoming her “Saphic” thus who friends, sexually woman awealthy Diana, with relationship alesbian in London, in engages already abandoned by and her, Nancy, Kitty with she disappointed is When of mashers. apair as on stage to perform the begin both and singer a male-impersonator and Butler, love in Kitty with falls Nancy entertainments, and music halls with nated oyster-parlour. an in works and Astley, lives Fasci Nancy protagonist, the since chapters, for first the setting the is Whitstable ment England. late Victorian in Ahmed and Merleau-Ponty and itsAhmed application and to Waters’s fiction. Waters’s with connection in theorisation Pohl Ahmed’s mentioned Rebecca Sarah that fact of Waters’s analysis in-depth Despite combined the perspective. novels from this Journal ofJournal Victorian Studies , in “Traces and Vestiges of the Victorian Past in Contemporary Literature”. Neo-Victorian Literature”. Contemporary in Past Victorian of the Vestiges and “Traces , in pose, there is always a danger adanger always is there Skin pose, the editorsThrough of the Thinking As Tipping Velvet the (1998) entertain and sexuality, gender issues, with deals 2

Affinity Affinity I have very briefly considered the relevance of the sense of touch in Affinity touch of sense the of relevance the considered briefly very I have (29-41), she did not expand on the fruitful relationship between (29-41), between relationship on fruitful she not the did expand editors: Mariaconcetta Costantini and Saverio Tomaiuolo, Saverio and n. Costantini Mariaconcetta editors: ). Guest 2 To not any been has there my knowledge, Here I will focus on the materiality on materiality the focus Here Iwill (5). edited by Nadine Boehm-Schnitker and Su- and Boehm-Schnitker byNadine edited RSV - Rivista di Studi Vittoriani Vittoriani Studi di - Rivista RSV (2002) aptly suggested that that (2002) suggested aptly and in Fin in and - - - - - as Paulina Palmer have considered the queer gothic in Waters’s have in considered Palmer queer the gothic Paulina as fiction. However, and transformed, precisely in the interweaving of subjects and objects: of and subjects interweaving the in precisely transformed, and different life their made them with herand brother,of living fact Just the Ralph. by Florence out amember of family by as the herthrown landlady, accepted and ababy been out had delivering of wedlock, who, woman, ayoung after to Lilian, Tipping in seen the Velvet be 106).can This (Ahmed world” the and bodies between as well as bodies between Invisible the Merleau-Pontybefore, Maurice and in The Visible later developed into “flesh” the “field”, the as as mentioned known outwhich, aspace, in cancelled is separation world, the and object, subject whose and self between interweaving constitution, an predominate. amutual other words, In is there engagements sensorial and relations affective thethe theand flow,from field body to which involves in shift a This ies. bod of between ’contact connection lines are there which in zone’ desire of lesbian (68). space” a social and of She bodily exists there contends that surfaces the shapes ’toward’ objects direction how bodily the orientation by rethinking proach to sexual orientation, it offer since ap might sexual “an and body the with of engaging ways 9). (Mitchell work” queer phenomenology However, Ahmed’s opens up new Sarah to Judith back Butler’s of “talking potential about liberating some the ambivalence Waters that manifests argue Davies, some like scripts, critics, away from constricting later, and, to imitate abilities movedevelopment her performing she uses which in the Velvet but there are flashbacks to and1872 but flashbacks are there 1873. in set is Thestory Selina’s alternate. and 1874, Margaret’s entries which in journal form Terry (60). following Castle diary in The written novelis spectralised, been neo-Victorian come fore toity this the in novel, proves has which how lesbianism verac historical and of control surveillance, issues Victorian and spiritualism, and upside of her gender life down.Questions turn will assault, and ofconvicted fraud medium, arenowned Dawes, spiritualist prison. Her encounter Selina bank with of Mill inmates the work visiting to do charity spinster, opportunity given the is upper class an her brother. from asuicide attempt, Margaret, Recovering to marry by of her her recent former as by father, death the well lover’s as caused decision significance. added too). However, it Waters’s in is Affinity for Florenceliberating potentially is forLilian, (and construct, they that ’field’ the Clearly, Clearly, Affinity This connection between bodies, and between the bodies and theand world in thebodies andbetween bodies, connectionbetween This (395). me things” We together. She together. taught read slept upstairs, We sisters. we weren’t’It didn’t that than —closer matter lovers; close we were so rug.’ ... that She made them. paint and walls, the strip us She spirit. its had just not it, Imean, changed —really house the She changed happiness. with dazzled was I dazzling; was It life. my all of months happiest the think, I were, ’Those ” (117). of aprocess undergoes Nan to deny Even it hard that is though . In this work, Merleau-Ponty this . In andon touch reflects “on contact forms of (1999) revolves around the trauma that Margaret Prior suffers, Prior (1999) suffers, Margaret that trauma the revolves around Affinity portrays queer sexuality in a gothicised form. Critics such such form. Critics agothicised in queer sexuality portrays , for example, when Florence is recounting her experience when her, for Florence experience example, recounting is where the concept of the ’field’ acquires an where conceptacquires the of ’field’ the - - - -

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 74; 2017, PP. 41-54 47 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 74; 2017, PP. 41-54 48 heart”, which she often rereads. In this sense, Rebecca Pohl argues that: Pohl argues Rebecca sense, this In heart”, rereads. she often which of the “journals Margaret’s recorded in is at Selina’s this and meetings cell, their and andMargaret Selina between produced mainly is for The desire space desire. zonethus contact producing a for itself, way manifest to diverted a finds sexuality Therefore, of space. the queer for boundaries subversion the within allowing time same at the whilst gaze, attempt control to exercise disciplinary upon the under those mother Margaret’s respectively, and home,Margaret’s wardens by dominated the in relevant (67). by inhabited space” being and ing metaphoris particularly The spatial “[p]henomenologyterms involves of ways inhabit helps to consider us how sexuality conceptin ofher orientationsince uponview anotherAhmed’s sexuality, queer offers a hexagon; and they are lined entirely, from floor to ceiling, with shelves, that are that entirely,shelves, with lined are they from floor and ceiling, a hexagon; to Room’,Clothes prison’s the of shape the “are storeroom, arranged...in whose walls of haptics. acase as of Spiritualists Association National rooms of British the meeting and of Peter library when the she visits hand cast Quick’s description of plaster the Margaret’s her and spirit explain control, Selina with Peter Iwill Lastly, ting Quick. to develop her aprivate desires sitter, spirit sit she powers has and Isherwood, Miss one which in scene to refers the prison; second instance the at Millbank belongings Selina’s peruses Margaret the107). moment which scenedescribes in first the Thus, (Ahmed of skin” the felt on surface ’reaching’ the already how is and this bodies, novel,the prove which how “[t]his model of other touch reach shows how bodies of touch in of relevance the instances to on centre three Iwould like forms. carnal in spirits become ’materialised’ disembodied which in ways the world, with and visiblethe theinvisibleworldand fluidbetween (corporeal) relationship (spiritual) these subjects becomes erased in the field of experience, through tactility. through fieldexperience, the in of erased becomes subjects these between distinction forthewhich in once gesture small this by deeplyis affected (254). suddenly, anyoneshown me, ever anyonegesture, had at that all” Margaret her hip amoment, it kindest the seemed put and to my heragainst head—and hand loose: “[Vigers] working held are her her that tray pins straightening in Margaret of plot the to her, deceive mastermind crucially, the and, maid Margaret’s assists when, happens Vigers, for into as example, contact, getting bodies in illustrated is 106). This (Ahmed space inhabit” that that of bodies going the and by “the coming novel field the the interaction, in perceived in produced is material and solid, tangible Affinity The entry dated 28 dated November The entry visitthe1874Margaret’s to ’Own- marks Indeed, touch is a privileged sense in Affinity in sense touch aprivileged Indeed, is intotheir relationship The experience’, a the more of turns which ’realness (Pohl 33).experience” of the realness the it enhances much as as in more more ’material’ solid, becomes the heart... repetition ’growthis firmer’...andthrough passage the makes on, that forwards moving been previously she has path same the along backwards moving by turning enabled [where her desire]... re-reading, she recorded it this is of her diary pages on out the [a ’crooked makes passage’] Margaret Ahmed] lowing produced...[fol is sexuality that practice of aspatial [i]t repetition the through is , whose spaces and places, namely Millbank prison (panopticon-like) and Millbank namely places, and , whose spaces , a novel dealing with the the with , anovel dealing pages and and pages - - - tion of ’touching’, process the through of encounter the established one is rela in body nature the asite which in of “becomes possibility that skin the conducted through outside” and inside (Cohen between 65). congress permits that Touchboundary is the skin, permeable “a of thenature in illustrated is particularly materiality. This for emergence of the a sensorial allowing thus erased, been has bodies their between her, Ifelt lure then. of the her, of her” (276). grasp the demarcation the It that seems “’your them: mine’...Icomes creeping to between flesh no separation of tug the felt is there that her believe to make powers her over mesmerising Margaret uses Selina subjects/objects a“midway” in encounter, Merleau-Ponty. following later on, fact, In between of distinction the contributes and erasure to the experience, tactile the flow the through of emotions facilitates status in-between this and for Margaret, in itself meaning not is significant token”, a“material and is bears hair hair the as tokens” into (Ofek material 51). parts body the itments, turns as However, Selina’s emotions memories... people, and not senti only their to It objectify said be may relationships, of objectification human an memorabilia... as seen of “hair case the in as of fetishisation, example consideredencounter Selina’s be an could with hair tactile Margaret’s culture. in not but literature only in also artefacts, hair and hair torian Literature and Culture (239). of Hair in Vic herme; her in it Representations Ofek made real” had Galia of “I her put body: to my it. fingers It feltdry...I andheavy, vivid made to her had ametonymic element, as Here herhair. replacing for Selina’s apart functions hair [239]), all” them touches Selina’s turned and her and (“I objects touched lifted and when Margaret especially crucial, be of touch sense the will case, world. this In theperceived andthe perceiver between and emotionsflowestablished sensations of the underlines andanddichotomy the subjectobject,out way flattens between rial (237).nearer” senso in a her idea objects of apprehendingthrough a subject This her to her me, bring would explain that anything, thing, of her—some something for looks Selina’s box, of “something hers, to on Margaret see them. names their with boxes” with (235).filled that have plates kept in are boxes Theprisoners’ belongings the possibility of encountering the other, thus collapsing outside of other, inside: encountering the and possibility collapsing the thus up opening and of skin the boundaries the world, the interaction with dissolving of how perceive touch sense subjects their the underlines the private séance their there” (260). fingers his feel In still touched &she can her upon &hands her face “[Peter] occasion on that that She claims Isherwood. of presence the Miss in séance had held a roomwhere dark theSelina in a sitting after occurs This terms. spiritual her ’development’ to achieve Isherwood in help Miss ’Peter and Quick’ Selina which in scene the is of touch. sense the One instance such through established is to another” (Castañeda 234). (Castañeda another” to I feel very hot.’ very I feel (262) hot.’become ofalso ’Indeed her flesh. said She You must surface the near very is spirit her because is ’That hot. Peter said very I was said Isherwood she hot?’ Miss Is upon her, Isherwood. hand it. Put your from Miss taken been has body the when the appears isspirit That how unclothed. ’Now my yousee medium Then said Peter Attentiveness to the skin is necessary in Affinity in necessary is skin to the Attentiveness (2009) has discussed the Victorian fascination with with fascination Victorian the discussed (2009) has , where personal interaction interaction where personal , - - - -

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 74; 2017, PP. 41-54 49 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 74; 2017, PP. 41-54 50 where there is fluidity between them. between where fluidity is there relationship amutual in engage objects and subjects quality. haptics, In a tactile acquired apprehensionhas that visual by a affected dizzy, being feels trembles and Then, them. Margaret between gap the subject, of extent to the bridging perceiving Margaret’s attention in particular: One belief. mould attracts spiritualist to the according forms, spirits’ disembodied materialising in proof the of mediums constituted the of veracity which the arms, and feet fingers, and of moulds faces waxen and casts of display plaster the plates she Once there, contem of Spiritualists. Association room National of British the 17). (Cohen world into contact, the in objects and subjects bringing in quality its disembodied shifts and and nearness, as proximity such characteristics way, tactile This assumes vision and Anima De both in sensations to refer to tactile Aristotle Greek hapticos from the derives quality.haptic Haptics a it acquires where ascene privileged, in sight is even that true before, it also is home), Margaret’s in prison and mentioned Millbank in as (mainly gaze by the sight predominate Affinity vision in and that (75). of body” the surface on sensitive, inscribing the Granted subject, occur the [i.e. senses proximate touch], outside the incorporate world physically into which the hierarchy, difference, and apprehension, distance, accentuates visual which with “[b]y that contrast Cohen argues A. opposed to vision. William as touching, in world inside and external the between interpenetration an exists there Nevertheless, moment encounter. of tactile the actual the in of pleasure possibility the guarantee always not does Therefore,theskin experience. tactile that in to engage willingness Isherwood’s Miss subject’s regards as other, ambiguous the interaction with remains Christopher Lilly, a collector of pornographic books and treatises. As one reviewer one reviewer As Christopher treatises. Lilly, and of acollector pornographic books seduction plot his in at Briar, of her seclusion where uncle, alife with Maud lives her. Sue must become lady’s Maud and chaperone and to Gentleman marrying maid intention the he had that her of believe Maud Lilly, make heiress, innocent and an to deceive aplan protection concocted Sucksby, how of Mrs Gentleman narrates under the chapter of novel, the ing living Sue thief Trinder, a petty and orphan an open have noted. aptly the In critics elements and as motifs Dickensian also are Braddon. There Elizabeth Mary and Collins Wilkie on like novelists sensation draws of touch from aphenomenologicalimportance point novel, of view. Waters this In Undoubtedly, Waters’s Fingersmith The description of the the thecloseness Peter’sobjectof to emphasises hand (130). Dawes’ Selina by Miss ’Materialised it said. Quick’, of moist... Spirit-Control if ’Peter ’Hand it, as caught gas-light where the glistened, that wrist, swollen,vein-ridged and a fingers bloated tumescence—five awful more some meaning, word has the as ahand hardly yet of wax, hand of aman—a hand the of mould ahand, the It was of all. thing grossest Here, however, the was reading On 23 October 1874 and her records library visit to the Margaret the in encountersmaterialise tactile how Thewhole reveals which scene, , because of the coercive power exerted of coercive power the exerted , because offers a convincing descriptiontheconvincing a offers of , meaning tactile, used by used tactile, , meaning De Sensu et Sensibilibus et Sensu De - - . transition from the limitations of the pornographic material book more to the open of pornographic material the limitations from the transition involves This “the terior emotions exterior, and and become intertwined. thoughts aphenomenologicalnotion notion of touch by in of establishing touch which in Christopher Lilly’s objectifying subverting in Sue when Maud succeed and lapses largely excludes women as desiring subjects” (145). women excludes desiring as largely which of book collecting, discourse on it anineteenth-century draws as interesting “Waters’s states, Victoria is ametaphor body Mills As for as female of the books use object-world, from the encounter. embodied any at adistance herself not establishing “shudder[s] and requested, (198), of common things” to touch surfaces the keeping as offgloves, on she she orderedher one is does When objects. to occasion take and subjects or interaction between proximity any impedes which gloved hands, with underuncle’s her theShebooks, touches material. pornographicin fied instruction, objecti largely been has body the female as as much Maud, niece, her objectifies of Waters’s as well as objects, as books his (Miller). novel” treats Christopher Lilly book... of physical [whichof writer/reader the the lies] heart ’body’ at the the and out “[t]he of touchbody sense the cancels the human through between conflict (Cohen writing 25). contact”,proximate materialist Victorian in as than distance of abstract terms in world the subject and “less relation between the attempt to present proliferate an in experience on emphasis tactile an with Scenes 234). (Castañeda alterity” through arelation and in other’s establishes particularity, the of ’feeling’ act the world, “in perceiving and their and characters the between the sense of touch from the very beginning of their mistress-maid relationship: mistress-maid of their beginning of touch sense very the from the through andis Maudenacted Sue between attachment possible.made growing The afieldwhere in subjects queer orientation for interaction between is the allowing as the andworld,as well subjects perceiving between distance theout flattens also presides over novel. that the However, of dualism sense the of touch sense the tling by Sue’s written letter the in mother, real revealed disman identity is thus true girls’ queer context” (Gamble 54), of a“distinctively whensecret both in the knowledge” Arguably, “words...act for vehicles authentic privileged. as of touch particularly is where sense objects, the and subjects encounters the between in dualisms of those novel, the in for collapse ample the space is there on duality emphasis doubling and Sue Trinder (Gamble protagonists, principal 43). Maud Lilly” two and Despite the upon itsince adoublethe “founded is novel’s first-personsplitbetween narration plot deeper” (Mullan). the Indeed, offers run themultiple reader, to deceptions the is plot, ostensibly.about novel:stated the “This the plotYet the of novel must Nevertheless, this binary dualism, objects as opposed to subjects, also col opposed also to subjects, as objects dualism, binary this Nevertheless, constituted Inevitably, mutually concept objects of as and subjects this As happened in Affinity happened in As (84) smooth. perfectly blanket the Ipulled blanket. the beneath her arms tucked and away she on.hands Then took her back pair white to buttononly another gloves, out of her silk changed she had on them—for kid-skin the to feel shuddered rather and I this; said sheas mine, upon quickly put her and fingers She reached gentle.’ is touch your yet hard...and are Susan, ’Your hands, , the sense of touch conceptualises the encounters the of touch sense , the conceptualises - - - -

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 74; 2017, PP. 41-54 51 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 74; 2017, PP. 41-54 52 light of the relevance of social media and virtual human interaction. human virtual and media of social of relevance the light the in deemednecessary is of materiality areassessment which today’s in culture, and thepast Victorian interactionbetween affective the illustrates tactility, and ogy point from of the of phenomenol engagement, view sensorial presentthe through (178). Ahmed Sara into attentionthe overflowpast to the paying of Victorian fact, In us”, behind of is what following translation imperfect the as future, to the openness an means also glance of astray. going possibility open This the keeps what is back “[l]ooking because past novelsthat way lookto adifferent these in past, Victorian of line (neo-)Victorian to the back her genealogical looking own In lesbianism. involveswhich aphenomenological producing orientation other bodies, towards encounters. Arguably, Waters tactile a ’border’,and proposing line, is a ’slantwise’ of touch sense the queer interest in orientations through novels show aparticular touch. of sense the through other the with encounter the and world, Lilly’s topher Chris sustained that the of binaries collapse the encounterillustrates tactile This stopped and her wrist...” reached her across eyes... Iquickly a hand ( clearer. She put grew her gaze Her my words colour in changed, the face. read could perception: “I didn’t sensory love through to need say [I decoded you], she anyway: and read to mutually be Sue she become texts and both her and gloves longer wears Maud no that is clear 90). remains (Palmer What culture and literature lesbian in aspect a moot in is itself which intoit erotica, her, objectified lesbian turning thus of topic ownership the once that claiming authoress, an becoming thus and pen the pornography, by writing her (546). living that” be She taking earns always I shall he me. what made still “I she am states: herself, as pornographic texts composing (Miller). of erotic the text” potentialities end the of novel At the Sue Maud watches In conclusion, as I hope to have demonstrated, Sarah Waters’s conclusion,In Ihope Sarah to have as demonstrated, neo-Victorian Revised paper accepted for publication: 26 April 2017 April 26 publication: for accepted paper Revised Reviews sent to author: 26 April 2017 April 26 author: to sent Reviews Fingersmith 547). - - Mills Miller —— Merleau Kontou Kearney Kearney Kaplan Heilmann Hamilakis Gamble Castañeda Classen Davies Cohen Castle Arias Baldwin Ahmed Ahmed The Visible and the Invisible, Invisible, the and The Visible , Rosario and Patricia Pulham Patricia and , Rosario , Victoria. “’Books in my Hands – Books in my Heart – Books in my Brain’: Bibliomania, my Brain’: in Bibliomania, –Books my Heart in –Books my Hands in “’Books , Victoria. Gender and Venriloquism Gender in, Helen. Victorian and Neo-Victorian Fiction: Passionate Puppets , William A. Embodied: Victorian A. Literature and the Senses , William The Apparitional Lesbian: Female Homosexuality and Modern Culture Modern and Homosexuality Female Lesbian: , Terry.Apparitional The , Sara and Jackie Stacey Jackie and , Sara UP, Duke 2006. Others. Objects, Orientations, Phenomenology: Queer , Sara. , Kathleen A. “Sarah Waters’s Fingersmith “Sarah A. , Kathleen , Cora. Victoriana: Criticism Fictions, Histories, , Cora. , Sarah. “’I know everything. I know nothing’: (Re)Reading Fingersmith (Re)Reading nothing’: Iknow everything. know “’I , Sarah. Spiritualism and Women’s Writing: From the Fin de Siècle to the Neo-Victorian the to Siècle de Fin the Women’s From and Writing: Spiritualism , Tatiana. The Book of Book “Touch Museum”. the The in Touch , Constance. , Richard and Brian Treanor Brian and , Richard History Literary New Hermeneutics?” Carnal is “What , Richard. The World of Perception of “Introduction”. The World , Thomas. pp. 130-152. pp. 2012, Palgrave, Boehm, LiteratureNineteenth-Century byKatharina and Culture, edited in Things and Bodies Literature”. Late-Victorian in Erotics Sensory Body, and Male the ncgsjournal.com/issue41/miller.htm Pornography”. UP, 1968. UP, 2009. Macmillan, Palgrave 1-11. pp. Carnal Hermeneutics, Palgrave Macmillan, 2010. Macmillan, Palgrave UP, 2013. UP, 42-55. pp. 2013, Sarah Waters: Critical Contemporary Perspectives, 2012. Macmillan, Palgrave 1993. Sara Ahmed and Jackie Stacey, Routledge, 2001, pp. 223-236. Routledge, Stacey, Jackie and Ahmed Sara Berg, 2005, pp. 275-286. 2005, Berg, Oliver Davis. With a Foreword by Stéphanie Ménasé. Routledge, 2004, pp. 1-28. 2004, Routledge, Ménasé. byStéphanie aForeword With Davis. Oliver by Sara Ahmed and Jackie Stacey, Routledge, 2001, pp. 1-17. Routledge, Stacey, Jackie and Ahmed by Sara Possessing the Past the Possessing - Ponty , Ann, and Mark Llewellyn Mark and , Ann, Archaeology of the Senses: Human Experience, Memory, and Affect and Memory, Experience, Human Senses: the of Archaeology , Yannis. , Claudia. “Robotic Skin: The Future of The Future Touch?”. Skin: Thinking “Robotic through the Skin, , Claudia. Phenomenology of Phenomenology Perception , Maurice. Nineteenth-Century Gender Studies Nineteenth-Century . Palgrave Macmillan, 2010. Macmillan, . Palgrave edited by Richard Kearney and Brian Treanor, Fordham UP, Treanor, 2015, Fordham Brian and Kearney byRichard edited . “Introduction: Dermographics”. Thinkingthrough the Skin Dermographics”. . “Introduction: edited by Claude Lefort. Trans by Alphonso Lingis Northwestern Northwestern Lingis by Alphonso Trans Lefort. by Claude edited WORKS CITED WORKS , editors. Haunting in Neo-Victorian and Spectrality , editors. Fiction: . “Introduction: Carnal Hermeneutics from Head to Foot”. to Head from Hermeneutics Carnal . “Introduction: . The Neo-Victorians in the Twenty-First Century, 1999-2009 Century, the in Twenty-First Neo-Victorians The . : Leaving Women’s Fingerprints on Victorian Women’s on Victorian : Leaving Fingerprints . Edinburgh UP, 2007. . Edinburgh . Trans. by Colin Smith. Routledge, 2002. Routledge, Smith. byColin . Trans. edited by Kaye Mitchell, Bloomsbury, Bloomsbury, Mitchell, byKaye edited . By Maurice Merleau-Ponty. by Trans. . By Maurice 4.2 (Spring 2008): np. 2008): (Spring 4.2 . U of Minnesota P, 2009. . Uof Minnesota , edited by Constance Classen, Classen, byConstance , edited 46 (2015): 99-124. 46 pp. ’s Deceptive Doubles”. ’s Deceptive . Columbia UP,. Columbia . Cambridge . Cambridge http://www. edited by edited , edited , edited . . .

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 74; 2017, PP. 41-54 53 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 74; 2017, PP. 41-54 54 Wylie Watkin Velvet the —— Tipping —— Fingersmith Waters Wilson Shiller Romdenh-Romluc Ratcliffe Mitchell Pohl Mullan Pettersson Palmer Mitchell Ofer , Rebecca. “Sexing the Labyrinth: Space and Sexuality in Sarah Waters’ Affinity Sarah in Sexuality and Space Labyrinth: the “Sexing , Rebecca. , Galia. Representations of Hair in Victorian, Galia. Literature and Culture Transactions of the Institute of of Institute of Love”. the of Transactions Geographies the and Absence “Landscape, , John. The Queer Uncanny: New Perspectives on the Gothic the on Perspectives New Uncanny: Queer The , Paulina. , Cheryl. “From the Drawing Room to the Stage: Performing Sexuality in Sarah Waters’s Sarah in Sexuality Performing Stage: the to Room Drawing “From the , Cheryl. , Sarah. Affinity , Sarah. Phenomenology or Deconstruction?: The Question of Ontology in Maurice Merleau- in Maurice Ontology of Question The Deconstruction?: or Phenomenology Christopher. , , Dana. “The Redemptive Past in the Neo-Victorian Novel”. in the Studies Novelthe Neo-Victorian in Past Redemptive “The , Dana. , John. “Blessed Plots”. Rev. of Sarah Waters’s Plots”. “Blessed Fingersmith Rev., John. of Sarah 34 (2009): pp. (2009): 275-289. 34 British Geographers Velvet the Tipping Ponty, Paul Ricoeur and Jean-Luc Nancy Jean-Luc and Ricoeur Paul Ponty, 1997): pp. 538-560. of Perception of pp. 1-18. pp. Remembered Past, Contemporary Critical Perspectives Contemporary 2014. Málaga, de Universidad Critical Perspectives Contemporary https://www.theguardian.com/books/2006/jun/10/sarahwaters , Kaye. “Introduction: The Popular and Critical Reception of Sarah Waters”.Sarah of Reception Critical and The Popular “Introduction: , Kaye. , Kate and Nicola Parsons Nicola and , Kate , Matthew. “What Is Touch?” Is Journal Australasian of Philosophy “What , Matthew. Gender Performance and Spatial Performance Negotiation Gender Elinor. in the Neo-Victorian, Lin Novel . Virago, 2002. . Virago, Routledge Philosophy Routledge Guidebook to Merleau-Ponty and Phenomenology , Komarine. . Routledge, 2011.. Routledge, . Virago, 1998. . Virago, . Virago, 1999.. Virago, ”. edited by Kate Mitchell and Nicola Parsons, Palgrave Macmillan, 2013, Macmillan, Palgrave Parsons, Nicola and Mitchell byKate edited Women’s Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal Reading Historical Fiction: The Revenant and and Revenant The Fiction: Historical Reading . Introduction. , edited by Kaye Mitchell, Bloomsbury, 2013, Bloomsbury, pp. 29-41. Mitchell, byKaye , edited , edited by Kaye Mitchell. Bloomsbury, 2013. Bloomsbury, pp. 1-15. Mitchell. byKaye , edited . Edinburgh UP, 2009. . Edinburgh . . Cardiff: U of Wales U of Wales 2012.P, . Cardiff: TheGuardian . Ashgate, 2009. . Ashgate, . 35.3 (2006): pp. 35.3 285-305. (2006): (2011): pp. 1-20. pp. (2011): 10 June 2006. 10 2006. June ”. ”. Sarah Waters: Sarah Waters: 29.4 (Winter .