Keywords: Keywords: abuse. gender and violence of sexual result the as agency and of notions identity the with connected discourses contemporary and Victorian address will article this inscriptions, Grosz’s bodily about idea Elisabeth and from Butler’sperformance gender on theories drawing Therefore, a man. like dresses and behaves who woman by alesbian exerted is prostitution male where story a in extremes to its “the other.”and taken is Butler’s Judith notion of performance gender marginalised the voice as given are protagonists two its and century nineteenth the Waters’sSarah Neo-Victorian novel Abstract formatividad, Judith Butler, Elisabeth Grosz. Butler, Judith Elisabeth formatividad, violencia, clave: prostitución,Palabras Tipping the Velvet de género. abuso yel sexual violencia la de resultado como yagencialidad identidad de nociones las con relacionados y contemporáneos victorianos a discursos acercarse de tratará artículo este corpóreas, sobre inscripciones Grosz Elisabeth de idea y la género del performatividad la sobre Butler de teorías las hombre. un como Por utilizando viste tanto, yse que comporta se mujer por una lesbiana ejercida es masculina donde prostitución la historia una en extremos los hasta llevada es Butler Judith de género de noción performatividad de La otras». y «las xix siglo del décadas mas Waters Tipping Sarah de the Velvet novela neo-victoriana La Resumen Grosz. Butler,Judith Elisabeth PROSTITUTION, IDENTITY AND THE NEO-VICTORIAN: Revista Canaria de Estudios Ingleses Estudios de Canaria Revista violence, prostitution, TIPPING THE VELVET WATERS’S THE TIPPING SARAH y sus dos protagonistas lesbianas reciben voz como marginadas marginadas como voz reciben lesbianas protagonistas dos ysus María Isabel Romero Isabel María Ruiz Universidad de Málaga de Universidad Tipping the Velvet, Tipping Velvet, the , 72; April 2016, pp. 187-198; April , 72; 0211-5913 ISSN: (1998) is set in the last decades of (1998) decades last the in set is bodily inscriptions,bodily performance, (1998) últi las en situada está , inscripciones corpóreas, per corpóreas, , inscripciones *

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REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 72; 2016, PP. 187-198 187 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 72; 2016, PP. 187-198 188 and the European Regional Development Fund for the writing of this essay. of this writing the for Fund Development Regional European the and Transit”, in FFI2013-47789-C2-1-P) ref. “Bodies Project (Research Competitiveness and Economy that, on the one hand we feel that it is a period very close to us, and, on other, the and, to close us, it very aperiod is on that one we feel the hand that, culture’s contemporary our “double vision”shares she of Victorians: thinks the (141, history interest in the and egories 143); similarly, Waters her work that states modernity, own our of Victorians: cat crisis with the we share that aspects several by implication, and, of present.are the fabric of There past the very the contests it continuously because form of postmodernism most essential the interpreted as be can fiction historical 139) Llewellyn, and Llewellyn and Heilmann Following past.” know, the to read, desire (Heilmann the interpret repossess and share both as fiction, historical in fused “become readers Accordingly, and writers imagination. to haveour left archives and traces thelack of gaps the in to fill and issues silenced the representation through of the revision is pretend fiction their they to do with forbidden. the and secret by the What attracted century, especially nineteenth the of Neo-Victorian what precisely is narratives to their convey have in tried writers from another.one period to andchange (Dennis this 45, notAnd are 48) fixed class and gender, that so aprocess, sexuality is history and things, temporary visional, pro are society and culture interview, that she stated present. same to the the In its relevance to do with has period Victorian the with fascination the that plained site of vulnerability and dependency of dependency “the and other.”site of vulnerability the of prostituted violenceas the and genderbody and abuse, of sexual result the as agency identity and notions the of with sexual connected discourses contemporary and Victorian address Grosz’s will paper this inscriptions, ideaofElizabeth bodily from Butler’s Therefore,violencedrawing abuse. and theories genderon and identity of sexual victim become the also but a man, who will like dresses and who behaves awoman through prostitution where exerted is male astory in to its extremes taken record. Judith Butler’s historical notion is of gender performance mainstream the were not whose lives Neo-Victorian of those found in history the trend of re-writing the following “the considered other.” as are themarginalised, givenas are voice They as women who society in Victorian their Butler,place own to find try Kitty and King Nan novel’s century, protagonists, the of nineteenth lesbian the two decades last the Waters’s Sarah in Tipping the Velvet object the be of discussion will abuse of sexual analysis the particular, In societies. contemporary reflection on worldour their and of prostitution past Victorian the in * September in 2007, Dennis Waters Abigail ex Sarah with interview an In the violenceand in identity explore is sexual to of issues article this aim of The The author wishes to acknowledge the funding provided by the Spanish Ministry of Ministry the Spanish by provided funding the acknowledge to wishes author The (1998) identity. and of agency terms in in Set - - - slang Victorian expression which makes allusion to an erotic activity known as as known erotic activity to an allusion makes expression Victorian which slang 68).titlethe loves and (Neal of novel, lives The very lesbian Tipping the Velvet, private their in involve readership contemporary they audience, the music-hall their from distance the keep Kitty, and Nan protagonists, the although fantasy; lesbian charged to reader enjoy the erotically the allows and character’s perspective, main The narrative of Tippingnarrative The the Velvet societies. contemporary our in or “deviant” connotations of the “homosexual” has term term novel the in continuous ofby the the use stressed is issue ofpresence lesbian the (Koolen 2010, desire of same-sex discontinuities continuities and 372-373). The sent of word concepts the and pre past between differences and about similarities think its readers makes Waters’s particular, In England. Victorian in Tipping desire same-sex the Velvet of possible account of experiencing ways an record, giving historical the in gaps the Consequently, role novelspast. of important have filling the queer historical of aqueer portrayals alluring and rich allow that discontinuities continuities and 41) (Dennis not did exist. historical ofidea the lesbianism She both interested in is society, Victorian in when the at atime sexuality their with to engage which in of post-modern politics our era. sexual to question the simultaneously and past Victorian the in plurality asexual to claim 195). of generations”thepower previous histories (Llewellyn has fiction Historical written the with textually engaging or “rewriting at least through challenge that women’s and it.”of emotions history and within desires to She make bodies, wants view “a patriarchal her in novels; normal she concerned about is challenging as ity 18-20) (Constantini writer, alesbian text-making. Waters As homosexual portrays of process people the destitute in and about stories of the women, criminals , particularly emotions; and events she talks to details, resorting marginalised the of lives present. the haunt our to to light She bring wants still that mind Victorian of present preoccupations to the the secret back to the bring she wants a genealogy; trace is to theaim present.with Her affinities detecting images, literary with data world the she of combines Victorians, historical when she and reconstructs stages, initial at their discourses sexual and her political to explore social, allows the that to approach present own our anxieties. aim the with novelVictorian society and elements the in deviant of these marginality the Neo-Victorian subverting texts, in of analysis focus become the gender sexuality and criminality, race, like themes of centre were at the debate; then which societies of contemporary our sent aspects it.”with 105) (Heiberg pre to Madsen to the bring past the other words, In it uses aform of dialogue to establish as muchso to culture Victorian reproduce great the “not seeking era Victorian the re-writerevise and to re-evaluate, past Victorian the Therefore, 286) Neo-Victorian wrong. (Wilson writers are look at occasions many on which about time the stereotypes we have many because it completely is strange of , the words of the title clearly allude to the lesbian practice known known practice Waters, lesbian to the allude wordsof clearly of title the Sarah the latio , both practiced by heterosexual and homosexual couples. However, homosexual and case the in by heterosexual practiced , both queer Waters herself affirms that her lesbian protagonists are capableways find are to that lesbian herprotagonists Waters affirms herself her in fiction method of ahistorical Waters use makes Sarah sense, this In , which in the past had the meaning of “funny” or “strange,” but of which “funny” meaning the had past the in , which and therefore reflects upon the past and present the past upon therefore reflects and is given in retrospect in the first person from thefrom person first the in retrospect given in is is a is fel - - - -

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 72; 2016, PP. 187-198 189 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 72; 2016, PP. 187-198 190 Limits of (1993), “Sex” Undoing and Gender an oyster-girl to a dresser and a music-hall artiste, then to a renter then artiste, a music-hall and oyster-girlan to a dresser from herself transforms Nan fact, In tale. alesbian and protagonist afemale with novel aBildungsroman apicaresque representation. and interpreted be as It can and about identities,questions realism but raising defining tradition belongs it to a in her characterization as a music-hall artiste: amusic-hall as herin characterization gender citation of 1880’s; male the the music-hall through Butler performs Kitty of context London the the in especially ofperformed, be how genderexamples can reproducing novel conventions the norms. In we practices, following find and ing gender “citational,” and repeat being sex idea of we construct is, performativity that conduciveare to agender identity. Later, that Bodies Matter in which enactments of social performances repeated through gender materialised is but born with, you body itthe are not one’s does determine gender or one’s desire; to corresponds sex Anatomical gender gender sex, identity and performance. cal anatomi dimensions: three has body the that and constructs cultural genderand are 131). (Jackson feminine and masculine Gender In Troubleas andgender and , male of 1970sas the wereby defined biology sexes the that notion She to feminist contest wanted the systems. on binary based gender sex and point, to Butler question of wanted concepts Monique a starting and as Witting Irigaray, Foucault Michel Luce Simone like de Beauvoir, Kristeva, Julia thinkers cal of Identity Subversion the and Gender Trouble: identity: enormously contemporary notionshave influenced sexual of major to refer to which and works her three about gender performativity sex, and andsocialist. a to a housewife/parent finally as as appearance were known as mary-annes. as known were appearance ( the for words Latin the from derived is term The intercourse. or as intercourse, during intercourse, sexual before of part as cunnilingus ceive re may Afemale or . vulva , female’s the stimulate to tongue and lips mouth, of the pornographic term for cunnilingus for term pornographic velvet,” aVictorian the or “tipping service,” lip,” “lip “giving are used terms slang common Several out.” someone or “licking pussy” out,” someone “eating “eating called commonly also It is diving.” cunnilingus for terms slang are numerous There anus. the into and/or g-spot, of the stimulation simultaneous the for allows which vagina, the into toy sex of finger(s) or a insertion bythe accompanied be may cunnilingus. To talk about gender performance, we need to revise Judith Butler’sTo we to need revise about gender performance, theories talk 2 1 —as topper off she took the atopper. When was there on her head bow-tie; and awhite was collar the Around high. inches two collar astand-up with white, snowy of shirt shone astiff—fronted her waistcoat From beneath ather pocket. gloves lavender and lapel, her in rose a was There silk. flashing with flaps the and cuffs atthe lined and gentleman’s to her cut size, suit, handsome She wore —a asuit

, including “DATY” (for “dining at the Y”), “drinking from the furry cup” and “muff- and cup” furry the from “drinking Y”), the at (for “dining “DATY” , including Renter Cunnilingus 1 is the Victorian word for a young male prostitute. Those who had a more feminine feminine amore had who Those prostitute. male ayoung word for Victorian the is The novel fights against traditional ways of ordering the past and past the ofways ordering traditional against The novelfights is an act performed on a female. It involves the use by a sex partner partner byasex use the It involves on afemale. performed act sex oral an is . (1990), (1990), (2004). of theoreti tradition the Taking Bodies that Matter: On the Discursive Discursive the On Matter: that Bodies cunnus ) and tongue ( tongue ) and she establishes that sex sex that she establishes , she introduces the the , she introduces , lingua 2 a sex-slave, and ). ). Cunnilingus but but - - - -

in Victorian times to refer to lesbians, and Kitty cannot bear to be identified with with to identified be bear cannot Kitty and to refer to lesbians, times Victorian in butch 473-477); (Vicinus tom twentieth-century the of forerunner the commitment to women was and sexual and emotional her primary established lesbian mannish century, the nineteenth the in friendships; romantic and women free actresses, soldiers, cross-dressed women female like forms:four passing by men under past interpreted the in was desire sexual Lesbian that. notdoes like women, of lesbian Nan and With she her contributes attitude, stigmatization to the They’reall. when “They’re she says us, at community tom notlike front in afriend lesbian ofher the people. as just behave with She not does identify andmakes secret with Nan her to keep affair she wants identity; her lesbian accept not does Kitty 107).(Heiberg Madsen because However, finishes relationship this whyis in Undoing This Gender addresses. of her to audience whom impersonation, connivance she the she male needs this gender, male the In citing but female. anatomy her are of and body performing, form of sexual self-gratification and the gratification of your sexual partner: sexual of your gratification the and self-gratification form of sexual a as women, masturbation, excitement, including between sex but describes then (Waters 104) her thighs” inducing to sexual between of her nipples, of hair the and “...I as such say things Nan felt brush the Waters explicit, making to very be wants purely physical. is passion erotic their and highly is scene the love-making, of their thebeauty and together experience sexual first their was this that Despite fact the debate. for lesbian the important so of community sense develops a protagonist the stage, last identity. ofrecognition alesbian this in Also, Florence love acquisition and the represents mature and stage third the tion; in and exploita and objectification sexual means Diana the second stage love; in first and desire same-sex to the awakening means Kitty stage first the subject: in alesbian as Tipping in the Velvetcharacter about queer Her desire. main to of convey naturalness asense women trying between scenes sexual describes about and explicitly sex, very writer, alesbian sheAs talks of theatricality. aspects certain implies this and mind in audience out an with carried is alone; gender performance performer by the gender not is that constructed adding further theory formance was cropped. (Waters 12) cropped. was her hair one that saw “Hallo!”— agay with audience the now to salute she did She then describes the moment of climax with “moans, groans and ” orgasms” and “moans, groans with moment the She describes then of climax (Waters 105) her, hard. to rub rather began and strokings my gentle Iceased Soon did. hers jerk as hips my own warm, and damp grow me: Ifelt my drawers to stroke her seemed stroked which hand slippery the now, myself Itouched for if as but it was myself; sometimes, except, before- this like anyone touched never, Ihad of velvet. course, as smooth and wet, Here she was her in process of amale those are appearance herHer and physical clothes The first sexual encounter Waters describes is that between Nan and Kitty. and Nan between encounterthat is sexual describes first Waters The Waters’s its exploration and one is of Sarah concerns. sexuality main Lesbian , Nan, goes through three stages in her in development stages three through , Nan, goes , Judith Butler develops her per gender develops Butler Judith , and tommish and were terms used used were terms ” (Waters 131). - -

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 72; 2016, PP. 187-198 191 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 72; 2016, PP. 187-198 192 a lesbian relationship. We could even go further and talk about fetishism and lack lack and about fetishism talk and relationship.a lesbian We further go even could also in present be can body the female of commodification and objectification the 300). my In opinion, Waters what of pretends to possibility show the here that is (Wilson denied are of her identity beyond sexuality aspects all existence her lesbian of stage this At time. for first the Lethaby Diana meets Nan which way in the is this 65). (Neal society’s expectations not does correspond with that of hidden by is dress a gendered sex style biological and thecross-dressing” of act by manipulated be can desire Therefore,time. “sexual at not any is betrayed sex her real that good so is acting her and drag to its limits taken is gender performance to hear. want Again, her they what clients telling and men’s ridiculing desire, by male penises not she does aroused feel that showing of men’s fun gratification, for 106). money (Nead return makes even Nan sexual in sex public the for exchanging sphere men were and invading such, reserved they As ideal. feminine the with connected purity and to notions Victorian of morality to women fashion who prostitutes, represented athreat asimilar in agency exerts (Watersa spend” 197). for aching and you. abroom Ibeg I’m as handle, hard your teasing, as only cease my slit Whatever, soldier, in the breeches. through you white prefer; hand, pretty Or perhaps. simply lips, your or your pretty arse-hole at my service- your pretty words: following “Put the in requested are Her sense. services citational Butlerian a in aman as gender, behaving and male the who dressing performs Nan is time a impersonatorproper prostitute. This to a male like male behave as of her capacity for arenter taken is Nan aspect, of herby male history. Because Waters, ignored elements of society once to avoice more, give “deviant” to tries those and amutedHowever, , discourse, was prostitution, as same male the Ho The By Let Beds advertised that signs “the and Picadilly,” lavatories in bearing Haymarket” Soho its “houses the and Waters of reference to and the “the girls of time, the makes discourses cultural rians. by Victo Evil Great Social the considered as was which issue about openly an talks Waters world Sarah London the the and underworld ofwith prostitution. Again, time West the in for first contact the She End. about streets has the when walking by aboy men to avoid upnovel. as accosted She being on she is her dresses and own Walter her Bliss. manager by marrying society from mainstream and she seek Thus, toprotection decides normalization stage. on music-hall the that Carla Rodríguez González and Rubén Valdés Mirayes, Oviedo: KRK Ediciones, 2008, 103-110. 2008, Ediciones, Print. KRK Oviedo: Mirayes, Valdés Rubén and González Rodríguez Carla of women’s violation Historia the rights.” y and Representación en la Cultura Acts Global. Diseases Contagious The the Speculum: of Rape the and History of plots “The Ruiz, Romeo M.I. see Acts, 3 Prostitution and its regulation was the object of debate in all the social and and social the object the of debate all in was Prostitution its regulation and Carriages were another scenario for both male and female prostitution, female and and for male both were scenario another Carriages of her destiny, own command ofshe she in is her and life, stage this At The end of the relationship with Kitty brings about Nan’sthe brings in Kitty crisis first with The endthe relationship of 3

For a further discussion on prostitution and its regulation through the Contagious Diseases Diseases Contagious the through regulation its and on prostitution discussion For afurther ur,” Leicester Square or the Burlington Arcade. Arcade. ur,” or Burlington the Square Leicester , and she makes use use she makes , and Eds. Eds. - before Christ. century seventh of the context the in placed be should Her homoerotica well. as poetically, expressed encounters intimate these have to style her with compatible be it would and work, her in pearances ap of Sappho’s make do life parts of other elements although not known, is autobiographical be to meant are poems these Whether debate. to subject and few are women between acts of physical but descriptions , not) various for sometimes requited, love (sometimes and of infatuations speak poems of her many of narrators The century. nineteenth the until homosexuality female to word sapphic of the origin the also is name her while Lesbos, of birth, her word lesbian The genders. both and personages love various for and on passion centres Sappho’s poetry of Lesbos. island on the born was who poet Greek ancient not become amember group, of intensified. that is her of so otherness sense belong her to and friends a“Sapphicworld circle,” Diana of lesbians. but does Nan Victorian the in hierarchy aclass is there that and desire of other forms lesbian are there that learns Nan With Diana, of characters. her lesbian case the in emphasize what is complete,and this to andwants Waters never finished is which make, the on always is that aprocess is subjectivity (95). sexual processes” that states She also andsocial historical specific by culturally mediated produced is and “sexuality Curtis, of to Debra Diana’s According service at the wishes. a commodity becomes Nan for of money, sex sense, exchange the this before, in prostitutionstated and, means tart my Nan calls Diana agency; of sexual also discovers that in the rosewood trunk in Diana’s bedroom there are other things Diana’s in other things are there bedroom trunk rosewood the in that discovers also her, lewd words never she pronounced had her. she uses shocked before which She Diana’s in captive (Koolen 387). intoformed universe herself akept mistress With trans she helps has which her that to accept on even hashish, and practices sexual world on dependant but Diana’s becomes of music-hall; Nan the working-class the in than more upper-classes are the evident in immorality corruption and that implies that a boldness with them between scenes Waters sexual the pleasures. describes erotic and for material return in services sexual and her theatrical obtains Diana (Waters 241).sex-workercontinuesshe a as being because commodified is Nan for other love the respect with and not are linked that experience lesbian the living they, are and ways thereof other too,that to this were buckled.” demonstrates This narrower, on were it, fastened two buckles shorter bands with onehad strap wide of belt-like, made leather: not yet and quite it“a of abelt, harness, for though kind The of Monsieur presence 107).(Curtis gratification of objects sexual illegitimate and legitimate are there that Nan, implying and Diana present relation is between the desire in forms” of sexual 383-384). (Koolen agency exploitation, of exerting without possibility sexual any and pleasure between line the blurring and fetishization, of objectification victim the becomes Nan relationships. lesbian of power certain in imbalance the consent of and and eroticization issues contemporary with connects and dangerous, and destructive becomes formances erotic enjoyment to arouse and her her per in with audience to admired be desire Fetishism, based on the assumption that there are “natural” and “unnatural “unnatural and “natural” are there that on assumption the based Fetishism, 4

sapphists sapphists called also were women Lesbian in their sexual encounters which Nan describes as as describes Nan encounters which sexual their in , a Victorian word, aVictorian Ihave for prostitute. As in the nineteenth century. Sappho was an an was Sappho century. nineteenth the in derives from the name of the island island of the name the from derives ; neither word was applied applied word was ; neither 4 Nan’s Nan’s - - -

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 72; 2016, PP. 187-198 193 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 72; 2016, PP. 187-198 194 community based on mutual assistance and respect for diversity and what she calls she what calls and for diversity respect and assistance on mutual based community by their Florence accepted when is she with alesbian is and like dress and behave 131). (Jeremiah of community can importance hence Nan aconsequence, the As relational, agency,” constitutes on always repetition is variation that is “it agency and to Judith139). Butler’s according of and gender, view respect, performative this In not adopted asimple in 138- (Jeremiah or unquestionable form, but it affirmed is heris identity. own to atomcollectivity be asserts The and wants idea of a lesbian Nan class. with associated mainly lesbians, between differences acknowledges and outside culture, dominant arena the Waters to an to avoid lesbianism tries relegating (Koolen 390-391). of upper-classes the competition hierarchy the and Therefore, environments without mutual and egalitarian in experience lesbian the of living ways other not are is there there butSapphic show one just circles that that community disappear. exploitation sense, objectification and this In gaze. the return also not are only looked where at, but lesbians communities, can toms’ working-class in especially respectful, and desiring be also can gaze lesbian the her that showing moment, club represents Boat in acrucial the Boy the episode in the toms. For this, groupby accepted peer sheher is that of 9).time for first (Kohlke the feels Nan agency gain they which through open terms and on equal based relationship lesbian a Flo establish and liberation: Nan sexual through progress social liberation and (113). role personal to reach afundamental has of idea the community sense, this In experience lived personal on reflecting through theory we move alesbian towards End of Gonda, London. to help Caroline Following people East the energy the in and her devotes time that aphilanthropist and Florence Banner, asocialist who is formation the of in Nan’s transition identity. crucial to another lesbian witnesses about women. black circulated Here, we ideas are similar or asylums; workhouses over-crowded of in prisons, confinementlike or other places girls with dwellings rubbing of constant because to apenis similar bigger had poor girls that the other ple as poor identified peo which evident, made are sexuality relation toin working-class theheld beliefs upper-classes by certain time, thesame At objectification. and gaze upper-class Sapphic from the circle’s Zena servant when girl slum she the protects time her for first with the agency power exerting class and Diana’s sexual against (Koolen 388). tolerant apparently present rebels spaces be these Nan in fact, can In oppression and exploitation that and misleading is attitudes mainstream homophobic defy they because belonging and environments of where acceptance asense is there determining. was von Krafft-Ebing or Richard Havelock Ellis work like of sexologists the sense, perversion inversion; or this in sexual as a homosexuality female defined and of twentieth, the beginning the and century of nineteenth the decades last the of to approach women’s issue the began scientists doctors in and desire same-sex 73). (Palmer period Victorian the in fact, In onsexuality lesbian discourses literary and of erotic, novels” medical and provesof existence which erotic the pamphlets she ignored. She collection finds whose existence “a practices sexual torelated lesbian The differences between working-class lesbian communities and upper-class communities lesbian working-class between differences The relation with amature when she has develops identity herNan fully lesbian of queer novel idealization the the pretends to that demonstrate this, With all , this time concerning lower-class lesbian sexuality- it was thought thought it was sexuality- lower-class lesbian concerning time , this - we find in the relationship between Nan and Flo: Nan thebetween relationship in we find elements interaction (Engelbrecht of 91-92). lesbian realistic are which what is This of movement, all of becoming, intellectual of and emotional of yearning, act an is physically. eroticized Desire is inclination of that whether regardless a woman, is object choice; a lesbian’s love interest sexual much the to do very with primary has on object(s), the incompletion without them” (Grosz afundamental 71). But desire inherentlydependence an suffers filled; it be temporarily only can or not filled be hole can a gaping relentless, that boundless, itself, insatiable, is sexuality female like tendency, to this “desire, Plato, according following Hegel Freudstudies, Lacan; and gay and object feminist subject lesbian, by of desired of or the in the absence lack Traditionally, relationships. in terms defined been same-sex has desire pervaded has dichotomy the with subject-object partners that sexual identify which stereotypes heterosexual of imitation away binary from the love far lesbian desire and pressing present persona, and those will continue to determine her future identity. continue her to future determine will those present and persona, “my of her part people.” as experiences repudiate her past Nonetheless, she cannot the transmission of systems of belief and representation” and of belief of (Grosz systems 77). transmission the of ideas, inculcation the of “ideologies, terms in ments inscriptions” than and rather move energies, of “bodies, terms in relations social possible, if at all and, relations We or to need look transgressive. at lesbian fair, moral, radical of is concepts what priority give patriarchal to genitality, and that models models, or polarized binary heteronormative relationships, of lesbian terms in in models romanticism and ity sentimental should as such omitted be that elements theory of lesbian certain are it” (Waters towould compelled to step be her kiss 403). and there that Gross states I if I looked atagain, that, it knew I because throat, her beneath flesh V of curving white from the mycontemplating object gaze the of averting her love, time the “all in Nan’sand primitiveness drivewhen the nature thoughts sheof is finds woman people and (Grosz 74-75). things between a woman’s sense, this In for desire another promotes and interaction produces alliances things, creates which primary something as desire seeing in interstices.”and Deleuze notion Spinoza This follows Nietzsche, and ofintensity, “surfaces terms in or understood force” positivity and innervation, Grosz’s should “an desire considered be as that is I propose, ideas, Elizabeth following onormative women’s but terms, accommodate it should also What desire. lesbian and Because, in my opinion, this novel is also about finding new ways of ex ways of new about my finding in novel opinion, also is this Because, Desire is a notion that has traditionally been understood in male and heter and male in understood been traditionally a notion has is Desire that (Waters 402-403) of abreast. of aswell beginnings of the hint the was of her dressing-gown— neck Vatthe spreading the in visible it —just beneath white; [...] very and ather smooth hands I looked It was ather throat. Ilooked it. beneath of of flesh her weight jaw, line subtle mouth, to the the pink and wide to her her lashes, [...] before to her face–to full her and hair from loose Ilooked so her hair seen ever Ihad that not think Idid Madonna. on aFlemish halo the like of out her chair, over spread back on abit the of was lace her hair and head, her towel from the taken She had mugs. her, steaming before the I stood holding - - - - -

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 72; 2016, PP. 187-198 195 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 72; 2016, PP. 187-198 196 vulnerable still coexist with evolution and social progress. evolution with social and coexist still vulnerable most who are those of discriminate power that of systems violence service at the gender oppression as extent, sexual and to a certain empowermentand afallacy is agency female in belief postfeminist the that it seems although surfaces on bodily inscribed be can desire However, slave of woman. another sexual female sexual the becomes and community lesbian to the horizon when the shesoon returns in appears time, forvictimisation but a agency gives andherpower This metropolis. her to work arenter Victorian allows agenderthe as in identity that assuming nist prostitution protago her lesbian with regarding behaviour sexual male and desires Waters ajoke on male makes civilizations. of present past acommonis feature and Waters’s identity, of lesbian the apositive to attempts build construction but violence despite of Sapphic practices form part masochism and Fetishization of life. walks and discourses all in present arepainfully exploitation commodification and sexual and , social where and prostitution, community racial a homosexual to women, agency depicts but simultaneously giving in succeeds which lesbianism of analysis an Waters in engages Sarah anxieties. contemporary see we can which in a mirror as of past Victorian recreations the of historical feature outstanding an echoes approachthe the notionto Butlerian theof story performativity in of reflection the time, exploitation violence. same the and At of sexual victims been who had those to elucidate Neo-Victorian us the sion allows power voice project and to of giving novel the found be in object of discus can which —lesbianism— sexuality deviant manifesto. of lesbian away akind in novel becomes which explored the eroticism is throughout and sex 34). Lesbian (Costantini meaningful” exploration more this love makes of same-sex quality “the and world” transgressive and,theimplication, by theofferedin present by in loveVictorian both relations Waters backgrounds. explores “the of self-development possibilities original their from different very space asocial in live protagonists the as constraints from social Velvet Waters’s fashion, same the In celebration love of lesbian end at the of the Tipping alibidosire, not or is given, innate which but not productive reproductive. though makes it different from thefromcommodity. it is to a reduced love different which freed is makes It As a way of conclusion, the analysis of this Neo-Victorian of this away of representation conclusion, ofAs analysis the Through sexual encounters, lesbian bodies’ surfaces are inscribed with with de inscribed are surfaces bodies’ encounters, lesbian sexual Through Recibido: 14-10-2015Recibido: Aceptado: 30-3-2016 - - - Nead Llewellyn Neal Jackson Kohlke and Waters’s Velvet the Tipping Sarah in “her”’:narration Queer inside “I” “‘The , Emily. Jeremiah Koolen Heilmann Grosz Heiberg Madsen Gonda Engelbrecht Costantini —— Undoing Gender —— Dennis Curtis Butler ‘Sex’ of Limits Discursive the On Matter: that Bodies Tipping the Velvet. the Tipping and Vesta Tilley impersonations: “(Neo-)Victorian , Allison. Myths of Sexuality: Representations of Women in Victorian Britain Victorian in Women of Representations Sexuality: of Myths , Lynda. The Lesbian Postmodern Lesbian The desire.” lesbian “Refiguring , Elizabeth. Cultural Cultural desires.” its and capitalism at Alook subjectivities: sexual and “Commodities , Debra. Contemporary Feminist Theories theory.” Contemporary “Lesbian , Caroline. , Judith. , Judith. , Abigail. “‘Ladies in peril’: Sarah Waters on Neo-Victorian narrative celebrations and why why and celebrations narrative Waters on Neo-Victorian Sarah peril’: in “‘Ladies , Abigail. , Marie-Louise. “The Neo-Victorian sexsation: Literary excursions into the nineteenth century century nineteenth the into excursions Literary sexsation: Neo-Victorian “The , Marie-Louise. , Mandy. “ and the revaluing of historical continuity in Sarah Waters’s Sarah in continuity historical of revaluing the and fiction , Mandy. “Historical Contemporary Feminist Theories Contemporary sexuality.” and gender “Theorising , Stevi. 1988. Print. Studies Velvet. the Tipping Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007. 195-210. Macmillan, Print. Palgrave Basingstoke: Llewellyn. Mark and Heilmann Ann Women’s Eds. Writing. Contemporary in Metahistory History.” 15.2 137-52. Review (2004): ACultural Women: Print. 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