This is a thoroughly enjoyable unpicking of content ,form ,and origin of Orwell’s misogyny.I had noted and done some analysis of the erotic conundrum in 1984,(it purports to be a proposal for autonomy and liberation,but is undercut with Orwell’s repulsion from women),but had not noticed the links to the programme of the early 20c feminists.So a lucid uncovering for me .
I'm embarrassed to admit that I never picked up on this in 1984. I see by your examples that I'll never read it again in quite the same way. So thanks for enlightenment.
This is a superb, thought-provoking close read of the book which I read long ago. I was never a fan of Orwell, just an average follow-the-crowd lesbian to the left of left. It rings true to Firestone’s take on love’s oppression but more importantly calls out with wit Orwell’s misogyny.
There are so many great lines! Thank you and happy new year!
This is next-level writing and research. I haven't read any essay/article this analytic and thoughtful for many many years regarding classic tomes as such . EXCELLENT original analysis---kudos. I took some Women's Studies classes in university in the 80s and this reads as well written and scholarly as any of the texts we covered. Thank you for writing this!
This was a wonderful essay to read! I noted the misogyny the first time around, but never connected the dots, especially regarding the anti-sex league, Julie as the ideal non-ideological, sex-object, and the nostalgia for sexual access to women both privately (reminiscing about the old family ties and women's suffering) and publicly (hence the kind of reminiscing for prostitution and 'fun').
I read 1984 before 1984--probably about 1970, found it irritating and boring, and read nothing else by Mr. Orwell. Recently, I decided to give this icon another try with a Goodreads group. One essay (about working in a bookstore) was enough for me to recognize his irritating elitism and casual sexism. I went looking for feminist analysis of his work, and found a great book, published (of course) in 1984, "The Orwell Mystique: A Study in Male Ideology" by Daphne Patai. She analyzes his complete oeuvre, with references to the work of many others. One of these others is Katherine Burdekin, whose novel "Swastika Night", published under the name Murray Constantine, was written twelve years before "1984", and bears a suspiciously large number of similarities to it. "Swastika Night" is not easily tracked down, but I just borrowed it though the library system, so I can check out what Orwell "borrowed" from her and what he changed to suit his misogyny.
I think it is important to note that "Julia" is a proposed novel by Sandra Newman, not a movie. I haven't read anything by her, and have no idea what direction her feminism takes, but it will be interesting to see if your predictions are correct. The rights for a movie have been optioned, apparently, but nothing will be happening with that for a few years. https://granta.com/contributor/sandra-newman/
And by the way, did you, Jo, by any chance join in on a Trollope Society conversation about Anthony Trollope's "Orley Farm"? I thought I might have recognized you.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable unpicking of content ,form ,and origin of Orwell’s misogyny.I had noted and done some analysis of the erotic conundrum in 1984,(it purports to be a proposal for autonomy and liberation,but is undercut with Orwell’s repulsion from women),but had not noticed the links to the programme of the early 20c feminists.So a lucid uncovering for me .
I'm embarrassed to admit that I never picked up on this in 1984. I see by your examples that I'll never read it again in quite the same way. So thanks for enlightenment.
This is a superb, thought-provoking close read of the book which I read long ago. I was never a fan of Orwell, just an average follow-the-crowd lesbian to the left of left. It rings true to Firestone’s take on love’s oppression but more importantly calls out with wit Orwell’s misogyny.
There are so many great lines! Thank you and happy new year!
This is next-level writing and research. I haven't read any essay/article this analytic and thoughtful for many many years regarding classic tomes as such . EXCELLENT original analysis---kudos. I took some Women's Studies classes in university in the 80s and this reads as well written and scholarly as any of the texts we covered. Thank you for writing this!
This was a wonderful essay to read! I noted the misogyny the first time around, but never connected the dots, especially regarding the anti-sex league, Julie as the ideal non-ideological, sex-object, and the nostalgia for sexual access to women both privately (reminiscing about the old family ties and women's suffering) and publicly (hence the kind of reminiscing for prostitution and 'fun').
I read 1984 before 1984--probably about 1970, found it irritating and boring, and read nothing else by Mr. Orwell. Recently, I decided to give this icon another try with a Goodreads group. One essay (about working in a bookstore) was enough for me to recognize his irritating elitism and casual sexism. I went looking for feminist analysis of his work, and found a great book, published (of course) in 1984, "The Orwell Mystique: A Study in Male Ideology" by Daphne Patai. She analyzes his complete oeuvre, with references to the work of many others. One of these others is Katherine Burdekin, whose novel "Swastika Night", published under the name Murray Constantine, was written twelve years before "1984", and bears a suspiciously large number of similarities to it. "Swastika Night" is not easily tracked down, but I just borrowed it though the library system, so I can check out what Orwell "borrowed" from her and what he changed to suit his misogyny.
I think it is important to note that "Julia" is a proposed novel by Sandra Newman, not a movie. I haven't read anything by her, and have no idea what direction her feminism takes, but it will be interesting to see if your predictions are correct. The rights for a movie have been optioned, apparently, but nothing will be happening with that for a few years. https://granta.com/contributor/sandra-newman/
And by the way, did you, Jo, by any chance join in on a Trollope Society conversation about Anthony Trollope's "Orley Farm"? I thought I might have recognized you.