«Non-conforming Pleasures»: Representations of Homosexuality in Casanova’s Histoire de Ma Vie

From Firenze University Press Journal: Diciottesimo Secolo

Tommaso Scaramella, Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia

Love between same-sex individuals is perhaps one of the aspects of human life most susceptible to anachronism. This is well understood by those who study the history of homosexuality in a context where sexual orientation had not yet been defined. Terms like «homosexuality», «sexuality», and the concept of sexual orientation itself only emerged in Western culture from the latter half of the nineteenth century. The Hungarian writer Karl-Maria Kertbeny (1824–1882) was the first to introduce the term Homo-sexualität in an anonymous 1869 pamphlet, criticizing a Prussian law that penalized sexual acts between same-sex individuals. Together with Karl H. Ulrichs (1825–1895), a German jurist pioneer of LGBT+ rights, Kertbeny is remembered among those who opposed the traditional condemnation of same-sex intercourse, paving the way for the recognition of homo-sexual identity. This recognition would later go through the process of medicalization of so-called «sexual inversions» and, more comprehensively, through the claims of the twentieth-century homosexual liberation move-ments. This process would mark a distance between the Ancien Régime’s focus on deeming sexual acts immoral and prohibited (sodomy), and the emergence of sexual differences in human experiences (homosexual orientation). Nevertheless, the absence of a specific term to describe it does not conclusively suggest the absence of love and sex between individuals of the same sex in earlier contexts, as in the eighteenth century.Literature often casts light on aspects of human lives from the past that might otherwise be overlooked if only normative discourses were considered. Homo-eroticism is no exception, and Giacomo Casanova’s Histoire de Ma Vie, despite being regarded as a classic of heterosexual adventures (using another anachronistic term), to the point that his name has become synony-mous with intense amorous activity, provides insights into same-sex eroticism in the eighteenth century. The editorial vicissitudes of Giacomo Casanova’s (1725–1798) autobiographical memoirs are well-known. Written in French between 1789 and 1798 during his thirteen-year residence in Bohemia as librarian of Dux Castle, some extracts were published in 1822, and a first German translation appeared between 1822 and 1826. They were posthumously published in French between 1826 and 1838 in a redacted version by Jean Laforgue for the publisher Brockhaus. Banned and included in the Index of Prohibited Books in 1834, it would be necessary to wait until 1960 to read the original manuscript, unadulterated by censorship or interpolations (although not yet entirely purged of Laforgue’s interventions), particularly in pas-sages considered morally sensitive, such as those con-cerning homosexuality. What may be less familiar to the public is the presence of references to sodomy and eroticism between same-sex individuals in these memoirs. At times, Casanova merely alludes to them, initially empha-sizing his own reluctance and perpetuating stereotypes, particularly those associated with male encounters (such as going «against nature», pederasty, and effeminacy). On other occasions, however, he provides more detailed descriptions, especially when involving lesbian inter-course, using such instances as focal points in the narrative. Ultimately, in a couple of instances, he recounts his personal involvement in eroticism with a male.Since the mid-twentieth century, when the Histoire de Ma Vie was finally published in its entirety, the homo-sexual theme has captured scholars’ attention. However, while there has been extensive research into (heterosexual) libertinage, a comprehensive and integrated over-view of the subject remains elusive. Studies have focused on specific incidents, such as the episode with Winckelmann, or certain aspects, like androgyny, female homosexuality, and the role of castrati. Upon examining these episodes, researchers have ventured to explore whether Casanova could be considered an «early form» of the modern homosexual or simply a libertine at heart. In his work Casanova (1969), John Masters characterized the adventurer’s sexuality as «bipolar», portraying him as «a difficult, complex and constantly varying figure». The scholar was inclined towards the view that Casano-va was not exclusively homosexual, but rather a bisexual individual who could not express himself openly. Con-trarily, J. Rives Childs (1988) argued that «his rare acts of pederasty were provoked less by inclination than the curiosity that was one of his impelling characteristics». Childs interpreted Casanova’s narrative of homosexu-al intercourses as a narrative strategy aligned with the character’s libertine lifestyle. Additionally, Michel Delon (2000) observed that Casanova, being a libertine, did not abstain from indulging in similar pleasures: «il ne s’interdit pas quelques plaisirs du même ordre». More recently, in her analysis of Casanova’s romantic and erotic escapades with women, Judith Summers (2016) has questioned the figure and the conduct of the seducer. Casanova allows himself amorous freedom, but at what cost? The focus has now shifted to the fact that, if he were operating today, Casanova «might well be in prison for breach of promise, incest, fraud, paedophilia, grievous bodily harm, and rape». Finally, Leo Damrosch (2022) has embraced these observations, re-examining his biography and exploring the sexual encounters narrated in the Histoire, including those of a same-sex nature.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ds-14950

Read Full Text: https://oajournals.fupress.net/index.php/ds/article/view/14950