Attending a class: "The Immoralist"

An unfortunately grainy still from the February 9, 1954 NYT review of the play "The Immoralist."

My Monday was perked up considerably by attending the class "Burning the Curtain: Homosexuality on the American Stage." The teacher, Eric, is a fellow "Tretter Boy" and a graduate student in the UMN theater department. He was a good lecturer and good at conducting discussion, which I found inspiring. Here are my in-class notes:

Cory, Donald Webster. The Homosexual in America a Subjective Approach. New York: Greenberg, 1951.  "Donald Webster Cory" is a pseduonym of Edward Sagarin, sometimes called "the father of the homophile movement." Students are asked to summarize Cory's argument in four sentences. After the in-class writing, they formed groups of 4, two people who have written about chapter 1, two about chapter 21. Students report back, and Eric creates a conversation by attempting to respond to their statements with clear emphasis on terms: the idea of homosexuals as a "minority," the idea that we should work for change in the future. He created a mind map at the same time. Eric surprised me by not welcoming the idea that Sagarin actually believed homosexuality was a neurosis and a sexual orientation of less value than heterosexuality. Eric wants to emphasize that Sagarin's "call" for thinking of homosexuals as a minority within society were impressively innovative for 1951. Question from a student: "how did he get this published?" There was a lot of discussion on the topic at the time. This book was published by a small press, but it was a success for the next two decades. Eric inspects the book, and points out the significance of the "check list of literary works." "He is recognizing the power of culture, literature, and art and drama as a way of creating a sense of community. Pretty remarkable."

Goetz, Ruth. Andre Gide's the Immoralist, [Rev. New York]: Dramatists Play Service, 1962.  Eric asks that students write down the two most memorable scenes from the play. "Being gay is not immoral, lying is." Eric dwells on this -- pursue pleasure when it doesn't hurt anyone, "lying" is opposed to homosexuality as something that is bad, where as being gay is not as much.  The ending of the play is quite different from the ending of the novel: "There are many kind of marriages....sacrifices..." Introducing Gide, the "philosopher" who found his sexuality (and self) when in "a relationship" with a North African boy prostitute. This "pain," because it appears in the novel "The Immoralist" makes it "autobiographical" in some sense.

Before the play premiered, the married couple the Goertz's who made adaptation, put out an article in the New York Times. (Also in the Times: Brooks Atkinson reviewed the play on February 9, 1954, and in a more extended response on February 14. I also located an advertisement page which mentions the play, as well as another ad page that also mentions Tea and Sympathy. A mostly-unrelated, but funny, letter to the editor from that year implies that The Immoralist could and should not be close-read in high schools.

Eric: "Do you see it as a tragedy?" Students quickly find this to be an interesting issue, with even division between thinking it had a tragic ending, or not. "I am what I am." They seem to settle for something less than what they actually want, but the do seem to love each other. It's not that different from other representations of 50s couples, with a man who has sex with other women and a woman who lives with this at home. The Immoralist, post-1954 got lukewarm reviews. Not at all like Tea and Sympathy, which is considered a strong adaptation of Gide. The subject matter is considered "not to be helped, because it's Gide." Its a beginning to the end of "intellectual theatre" (aka "golden age," mid 1920s to mid 1950s). At the same time, Harvey was a big hit on stage. "A big white bunny." There is a major shift to popular entertainment. (Eric's example here is a review by a critic I already forgot.) Orientalizing in GLBT literature.

Nolte, Charles. Journal. Responses to Tea and Sympathy, Immoralist. Brief bio of Charles Nolte for the students. Billy Budd. What do you make, what statements can you make, based on this journal entry? Charles doesn't see it from the perspective of "progress" for GLBT.

The Army-McCarthy Hearings. The idea that all gay people are affiliated with Communists. Blackmail: Tell us the state secrets we will reveal your homosexuality. The House Un-American Activities Committee. Roy Cohn, etc. The hearings were televised, which backfires against McCarthy to some extent. You can watch footage in a documentary called "Point of Order." He shows a few clips: "Pixie" -- what it shows it that much of the hearing was a game, a play on words. Popular with television audiences. Clip: Welch, defending "two young men." Dressing down McCarthy. "Have you no decency?" The end of McCarthy's career.

The Early Homophile Movement. The mission statement of the Mattachine Society. "Can you see how this ties back?" Harry Hay tried "to radically change society." FOllowed by One, Inc. Journal: One magazine. The Daughters of Bilitis.