UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations 1-1-2008 The male homoerotics of Shakespearean drama: A study of "The Merchant of Venice," "Twelfth Night," and "Othello" Anthony Guy Patricia University of Nevada, Las Vegas Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/rtds Repository Citation Patricia, Anthony Guy, "The male homoerotics of Shakespearean drama: A study of "The Merchant of Venice," "Twelfth Night," and "Othello"" (2008). UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations. 2314. http://dx.doi.org/10.25669/mxfv-82oj This Thesis is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Thesis in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. This Thesis has been accepted for inclusion in UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Scholarship@UNLV. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE MALE HOMOEROTICS OF SHAKESPEAREAN DRAMA: A STUDY OF THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, TWELFTH NIGHT, AND OTHELLO by Anthony Guy Patricia Bachelor of Arts University of Nevada, Las Vegas 2004 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts Degree in English Department of English College of Liberal Arts Graduate College University of Nevada, Las Vegas May 2008 UMI Number: 1456363 INFORMATION TO USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. 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Eisenhower Parkway PC Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Copyright by Anthony Guy Patricia 2008 Ail Rights Reserved UNiyUNIVERSITY OF NEVADA LAS VEGAS ANTHONY GUY PATRICIA PASSED THE DEFENSE OF MASTER'S THESIS WITH DISTINCTION ON II APRIL 2008 DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS Committee Chairpersi^, Arofessor Evelyn Gajowski Committee Member, Professor Vincent Perez Committee Member, Professor Philip Rusche Graduate College Representative, Professor KC Davis Department Chair Authorization, Professor Douglas Unger Department of English 4505 Maryland Parkway • Box 455011 Las Vegas, Nevada 89154-5011 Main 702-895-3533 • Fax 702-895-4801 http://liberalarts.unlv.edu/English Thesis Approval The Graduate College University of Nevada, Las Vegas April 11 08 _ 20. The Thesis prepared by Anthony Guy Patricia Entitled The Male Homoerotics of Shakespearean Drama: A StudyThe ofMerchant of Venice, Twelfth Night, andOthello is approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in English________________________________ [7 7 ^ 7 Examination {Committee Chair Dean of the Graduate Gollege Examination Committee M embef~^\ Examination Committee Member Graduate College Faculty Representative 11 ABSTRACT The Male Homoerotics of Shakespearean Drama: A Study ofThe Merchant of Venice, Twelfth andNight, Othello by Anthony Guy Patricia Dr. Evelyn Gajowski, Examination Committee Chair Associate Professor of English University of Nevada, Las Vegas This study seeks to both challenge and complicate the assumed heteronormativity of Shakespeare’s The Merchant o f Venice, Twelfth Night, and Othello. Reading and analyzing these texts in such a manner provides the only means to access and interpret the homoerotics embedded deeply within them in a meaningful way that, in turn, enhances traditional understanding of Renaissance England. Ill TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT............................................................................................................................. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......................................................................................................v CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION: THE MALE HOMOEROTICS OF SHAKESPEAREAN DRAMA.................................................................... 1 Proem ................................................................................................................................... 1 Terminology .........................................................................................................................2 Prior Criticism......................................................................................................................7 The Male Homoerotics of Shakespearean Drama ..........................................................15 CHAPTER 2 “SAY HOW I LOVED YOU”: LOVE AND DESIRE BETWEEN ANTONIO AND BASSANIO IN THE MERCHANT OF VENICE 18 CHAPTER 3 “I DO ADORE THEE SO”: THE ROMANTIC COURTSHIP OF ANTONIO AND SEBASTIAN IN TWELFTH NIGHT..........................50 CHAPTER 4 “I AM YOUR OWN FOREVER”: THE GENERAL AND HIS ANCIENT AS WARRIORS AND LOVERS IN OTHELLO................. 81 CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION: SCREENING THE MALE HOMOEROTICS OF SHAKESPEAREAN DRAMA..........................................................113 Proem ............................................................................................................................... 113 Michael Radford’s The Merchant of Venice................................................................. 114 Trevor Nunn’sTwelfth Night ......................................................................................... 123 Oliver Parker’s Othello...................................................................................................133 NOTES....................................................................................................................................138 WORKS CITED....................................................................................................................146 VITA.......................................................................................................................................152 IV ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to dedicate this study to two individuals, Lynn Gajowski and Vince Pérez, both of whom have been to me not only professors, but also advisers, mentors, and friends. Indeed, I am profoundly grateful to them both for the warmth of their compassion, the generosity of their time, their unstinting encouragement, and for the brilliance of their teaching during the time I have been privileged to know and work with them at UNLV. My gratitude goes to Dr. Philip Rusche and K.C. Davis, M.F.A., as well, for serving as members on my M.A. examination and thesis defense committee. I would also like to recognize the following English and Foreign Languages department professors for their contributions to my education at the undergraduate and graduate levels: Dr. Aliki Bamstone, Dr. Megan Becker-Leckrone, Dr. John Bowers, Dr. Ralph Buechler, Dr. Felicia Campbell, Dr. Timothy Erwin, Dr. Richard Harp, Interim College of Liberal Arts Dean Dr. Chris Hudgins, Dr. Jeff Jablonski, Dr. Nick LoLordo, Dr. Kelly Mays, Dr. Joe McCullough, Dr. Sharon Moore, Dr. Ed Nagelhout, Dr. Beth Rosenberg, Dr. Julie Staggers, Dr. Anne Stevens, Dr. J. Michael Stitt, Dr. Denise Tillery, Interim English Department Chair Doug Unger, and Dr. Charles Whitney. Myriad are my debts to my colleagues on the 6*'’ Floor of FDH at UNLV. As such, thanks are due to: Allison Bredlau, Elaine Bunker, Sylvia Blazo, Dr. Stephen Brown, Carol Conder, Susan Summers, and Michele Sanders. Above all. Ruby Fowler deserves far more than I will ever be able repay for inviting me to work with her as the Freshman Composition Program Coordinator, and for supporting, trusting, and believing in me throughout the last two years. Thanks also to my UNLV compatriots in the English Department M.A., M.F.A., and Ph.D. programs: Jeremy Beatson, Michelle Black, Nate Botsis, Laura Brietenbeck, Justin Burnside, Joe Cameron, Maile Chapman, Jason Coley, Ken Eckert, Amber Featherstone, Susan Garcia, Peter Golub, Amy Green, Jaq Greenspon, Sam Harr, Scott Hollifield, Kim Idol, Leo Jilk, Thomas Johnson, Jennie Kearney, Rob, Kirschen, Carl Lindner, Vince Locke, Jessica Lucero, Heather Lusty, Tiger Malesh, Juan Martinez, Jessica McCall, Kata McClanahan, Karin Millhouse, Mani Rao, Jeanette Palmer, Jesse Peterson, Laura Powell, Paul Sackstedder, Homer Simms, Adam Strauss, Matt Swetnam, Sean Tribe, Mike Velez, and Monica Zarazua; and to English instructors: Jon Bauch, Kristi Beckman, Pam Cantrell, Kamy Cunningham, Steve DeVito, Regina Dickerson, Bill Donati, Edith Gelu, Sara Goosey, Sean Hooks, Justin Kidd, Christina Martinez, Beth McDonald, Megan Merchant, Madeline Montgomery, Kelly Pedrick, Joe Petrini, Roberta Sabbath, Carol Turner, and Heather Winterer. A portion of Chapter 4 of this thesis was delivered as a paper in the Lady Macbeth’s Children, Again; Or The Return of Character Criticism research seminar of the 2008 Shakespeare Association of America Annual Meeting in Dallas, Texas. My participation in this conference was funded by the