Lesbian Historic Motif Project: #68c Whitbread 1992

[hrj]

(I explain the LHMP here and provide a cumulative index.)

The excerpted entries for this year (and remember that I'm only summarizing material relating to romance/gender/sexuality) illustrate a number of continuing themes in Anne Lister's life. Those around her (both of her own class and outside it) perceive her habits and style of dress to be odd and even masculine (though there is no indication that she does anything that could be called cross-dressing). She dithers and sighs over Marianne, accepts the affection and attentions of Tib while holding her at arm's length, pays pointed attention to a fresh young thing to the point of exciting comment, and hints at former relationships with other women in her large social circle.

* * *

Whitbread, Helena ed. 1992. I Know My Own Heart: The Diaries of Anne Lister 1791-1840. New York University Press, New York. ISBN 0-8147-9249-9

1818

The first part of the year was very quiet, but in April Miss Browne returned and Anne becomes quite attentive to her, despite considering her family vulgar. This resulted in comment as the friendship was between the two women alone and not between their families. Anne finds many excuses to encounter her casually but there are no formal visits. Halifax society begins teasing Anne about the peculiar relationship. Anne also records encounters with more lower class persons who mock her for her masculine appearance and habits. She has given Miss Browne the nickname Kallista in her diaries (though she uses it rarely).

When Anne writes of Marianne now, she is colder and doubts they will ever be together. Anne turns her thoughts to whether she can shape Miss Browne into a suitable companion. In general, Miss Browne seems both flattered and flustered by Anne's attention. Anne seems to believe Miss Browne understands the nature of her affections but this is not at all clear to an outside observer.

The Norcliffes, including Anne's friend Tib, have returned from their travels and Anne plans to spend from September to the end of the year with them in York. During her journey there, Anne has a couple more encounters with strangers acting as if they take her for a man. (Note that there is no indication that she is wearing men's clothing, though perhaps severe and masculine styles.)

There is nothing regarding any romantic renewal with Tib and in November Anne stays with a different friend in York when the Norcliffes travel south for the winter. The friend seems to be a previous interest of Anne's and they talk about Anne's wish for a companion. The friend seems somewhat regretful that Anne had not approached her about it before her (the friend's) marriage.

In late November Anne moves again and spends much time with the Belcombes (Marianne's family). There is an interesting conversation with Lou (Marianne's sister) on the topic of female companions and Lou seems to be hinting of her own interest. In December, back to Halifax where Anne again begins mooning over Miss Browne.

Comments

[marfisa.livejournal.com]

Did the strangers who acted as if they mistook her for a man seem to think she was a man in a dress or skirt? I'd have expected people of that era to really freak out over that (assuming they were convinced enough of their own interpretation of what was happening to say anything). This sounds more as if they merely made derisive remarks in passing, when I'd have thought that people seeing what they took to be a cross-dressing man in that period might actually harass or confront "him."

Of course, if Anne's clothes, however odd, were of sufficiently obvious cost and quality, the presumably less than friendly onlookers might have been worried about some sort of financial or legal retaliation if they got too aggressive with somebody who appeared to be conspicuously well off. Or maybe I'm refining on this too much and the strangers in question only saw Anne sitting down or from some other angle that obscured the fact that she was wearing a skirt.

[hrj.livejournal.com]

It's a bit hard to tease out what the exact thoughts of the people commenting were. Note that there are a couple places in the diaries where women talk about cross-dressing for a lark, and it's clearly very odd and noteworthy, so that definitely doesn't seem to the case for the ordinary rudeness. And there are entries talking about petticoats and skirts, if further counter-evidence were needed. As best I can make it out, it has to do with body language. As example:

28 June, 1818 The people generally remark, as I pass along, how much I am like a man. I think they did it more than usual this evening. At the top of Cunnery Lane, as I went, three men said, as usual, 'That's a man' & one axed 'Does your cock stand?' I know not how it is but I feel low this evening.

Sometimes there's no gender comment, just a bystander accosting her while walking:

22 July 1818 In going down the old bank, a littlish tipsyish-looking young man stopped me. Fancying I was going to strike him with my umbrella, he stepped back, saying, 'If you do, I'll drop you'. I quietly walked off, adding, 'I should like to see you.'

(Anne often makes violent reaction to this sort of encounter.)

There are a number of entries where Anne describes conversations with her closest friends where she seems to be seeking to be reassured that her behavior isn't too outrageous. For example:

9 February 1820 M[arianne & Eli [i.e., Eliza, one of Marianne's sister] and I stayed at home [i.e., at the house she's staying in at York] … Just before Harriet [another sister of Marianne's] went, happening to talk a little to her in the complimentary style, M[arianne] and Eli remonstrated. M[arianne] and I talked about an hour after we got into bed. A very little would make M[arianne] desperately jealous. Speaking of my manners, she owned they were not masculine but such was my form, voice and style of conversation, such a peculiar flattery and attention did I shew, that if this sort of thing was not carried off by my talents and cleverness, I should be disgusting. I took all in good part. Vowed over and over constantly, etc., and M[ariane] gave me a good kiss. [Note that "kiss" is sometimes used as a code for orgasm.]

One suspects, in the preceding conversation, that her friends may be reluctant to be too honest about how Anne comes across.