The debate on homosexual relationships has been around for a long period. As far back as the Roman Empire, there is literature featuring lesbians including the love story between Iphis and Ianthe. At this point, such relationships were frowned upon due to the strict gender roles. In the Medieval period, the Christian community was stricter on same-sex relationships between women. Thus many lesbians were imprisoned, jailed or executed for their involvement in these activities. In the early modern period, lesbianism was more visible in culture. Notably, it was better tolerated than male homosexuality at the time.
In the 1920s, women often had intimate relationships in public. Strict gender rules in this century meant that men were often at work, leaving women to house-work and exploring their social circles ( Lane, 2018) . As a result, they bonded and relied on each other for emotional support which eventually developed into romantic relationships. Therefore, women in same-sex relationships were sometimes married and living a secret life or their husbands ignored their romantic relationships until it was toxic for the relationship. These interactions between women were referred to as homosocial since there was no definitive term used at the time.
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Radclyffe Hall featured this dynamic in his book as a commentary of the atmosphere in the United Kingdom in reference to lesbianism. Stephen, the protagonist, falls in love with a New York actress who feels the same way about her. Despite their mutual feelings and intimacy, the actress named Angela Crossby is sleeping with Roger Antrim and is also married ( Hall, 2005, p,32) . This shows that while lesbianism was practiced, women were not open about it. Consequently, when confronted with by her husband on the issue, Angela pretended she was trying to reform Stephen who was aggressively pursuing her. She threw Stephen under the bus because she feared the judgment and stigma around same-sex relationships among women.
At the beginning of the 20th century, relationships among women developed as a result of constant interaction among similar social circles. Women sort company among their friends and people they knew. As a result, most women in same-sex relationships were in the same socio-economic status. They bonded on similar social issues and found comfort against the gender demands and pressures in each other. They enjoyed having a listening ear and intimacy that was often rare in relationships with their husbands or boyfriends as well.
In ‘The well of loneliness’, Stephen explores her sexuality in Paris after a nudge from her best-friend, Jonathan Brockett. He gives her a tour of Paris and hints at the inversion history in Paris. This depicts the Paris lesbian and gay culture where same-sex relationships were more acceptable and people interacted on the issue. After the WWI, when Stephen and Mary actively pursued their relationship they found solace and more friends at a gay and lesbian meeting spot run by Valerie Seymour ( Hall, 2005, p,45) . Here, they were comfortable interacting with other couples and enjoyed the minimal judgment of being around people of the same mindset.
During the publication, the concept portrayed by sexologists such as Richard von Krafft-Ebing and Havelock Ellis had just begun. They suggested that lesbianism was innate and an unalterable trait. Therefore, the attraction and desire for an individual from the same-sex was not a choice. This idea was frowned upon and many people believed it was an unnatural and shameful act. Havelock actually described sexual inversion as a difference where an individual took on traits more common in the opposite sex. These contradicted the popular idea that lesbianism was a defect or flawed psychological development that could be corrected.
Radclyffe Hall reflected this new concept in his work. Stephen Gordon was a female character who preferred a different life to other women in her time. She loathed dresses and preferred pants like her father. Growing up she often played war hero games. Also, she often fenced and rode horses which allowed her to develop muscles. Stephen was uncomfortable in social settings where she was required to make small talk with other ladies. It was clear that society did not approve of this difference as Lady Anna Gordon insisted that she try to fit in. Even Stephen herself thought that her kind was ‘hideously maimed and ugly.’
The criticism against lesbianism was greatly founded in Christianity during the 1920s. The church frowned against same-sex relationships and openly spoke against any individual found in the practice. In fact, women who openly identified as lesbians were banned from church. A majority of the United Kingdom population was Christian and strictly followed the teachings. Therefore, lesbians were shamed by society. Despite the fact that there were many openly lesbian women, they met in secret because of the stigma around them.
The interaction between Christianity and lesbianism is clear in ‘The Well of Loneliness.’ Stephen makes an attempt to justify her sexual orientation with the scripture. This desperation stemmed from the fact that she was born Catholic and wanted to prove that God supported her choice. In fact, she was named after the first Christian martyr which indicated to her that her life was different. After reading Krafft-Ebing she looked through the Bible for a sign and held on to Genesis 4:15 which spoke about Cain’s mark( Hall, 2005, p,15) . This was the foundation of her religious argument and she used it to defend the fact that this was not a lifestyle choice but the essence of her being.
Though lesbianism was more open, marriage and heterosexual relationships were still the norms in the 1920s. Women were confined to their gender roles while included getting married, having children and caring for their household. Therefore, the measure of success was how well they fulfilled these roles. WWI made a significant difference in the weight of these responsibilities. Since women had to provide for their families as the men were at war and some joined in the fight, there was more room to explore personal decision making. Therefore, more of them were adamant about their decisions and defining themselves after the war.
This change in dynamics is visible in Radclyffe Hall’s work. Stephen’s upbringing before the war put a lot of pressure on her to have a ‘normal life’. As a result, she struggled with her identity as she did not feel comfortable amongst men or women at social gatherings. In fact, she did not speak openly about her inversion until she moved to Paris. Before the war, her relationships were mainly hidden. However, after the war, where she met Mary, she was open about her love interest and interacted with other lesbians at Valerie’s salon. This is an indication of the evolving times and where lesbian activism began.
In conclusion, ‘The Well of Loneliness’ is indeed a commentary on the social views of lesbianism in 1920s England. Christianity, identity crisis, activism, and stigma were all relevant issues that Radclyffe Hall featured in his work. He skillfully mirrored the internal and external turmoil that most people in this situation embraced before they could embrace their sexual orientation. For today’s society, this book encourages society to review their stance and realize how their stigma affects the personal well-being of same-sex couples. It openly challenges the critics and encourages lesbians to follow their path despite the struggle.
References
English, E. (2015). Lesbian modernism: Censorship, sexuality and genre fiction . Edinburgh University Press.
Lane, H. (2018). Queer Citizenship: Lesbian and National Identities in Radclyffe Hall's" The Well of Loneliness" and Compton Mackenzie's" Extraordinary Women".
Hall, R. (2005). The well of loneliness . Wordsworth Editions.
