Saint-Just and Robespierre being intimately involved, really are... I bring up slightly my thoughts about it in this part of my critique on the BBC docudrama (http://community.livejournal.com/revolution_fr/89018.html#cutid2). I'm planning on bringing it up in a part of my master diss so maybe then I can speak about it in a slightly more academic and a slightly less "fangirly" way. However, the one sure thing is that there are no sources to confirm this rumor, and even by the late sources/comments (memoirs, etc.) of the 19th century (I'm thinking of Georges Duval especially), there are more assumptions that can be made from our biased 21st century look on the texts. I'm not sure how to interpret them because I'd need to know of the period's codes to subtly hint at homosexuality, and it's not the easiest thing to figure out. But there's really nothing in late 18th cent. sources, shortly after their death, to allude that they may have been antiphysiques (the term to say homosexual used then). The Thermidorian sources even had to actually invent them vices -- but then, that could also be argued: they never aimed at accuracy and pamphlets always had a pornographic feel to it, and I don't think anyone either cared about accuracy or wanted to read about their gay adventures.
Overall, as it looks right now, it all seems like it's a very recent interpretation. The worst, however, is that even though it's recent (and thus contemporary or after the fights for homosexual rights) they are still seemingly using this to disparage them or make them look "evil".
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2010-02-07 06:47 pm (UTC)I bring up slightly my thoughts about it in this part of my critique on the BBC docudrama (http://community.livejournal.com/revolution_fr/89018.html#cutid2). I'm planning on bringing it up in a part of my master diss so maybe then I can speak about it in a slightly more academic and a slightly less "fangirly" way. However, the one sure thing is that there are no sources to confirm this rumor, and even by the late sources/comments (memoirs, etc.) of the 19th century (I'm thinking of Georges Duval especially), there are more assumptions that can be made from our biased 21st century look on the texts. I'm not sure how to interpret them because I'd need to know of the period's codes to subtly hint at homosexuality, and it's not the easiest thing to figure out. But there's really nothing in late 18th cent. sources, shortly after their death, to allude that they may have been antiphysiques (the term to say homosexual used then). The Thermidorian sources even had to actually invent them vices -- but then, that could also be argued: they never aimed at accuracy and pamphlets always had a pornographic feel to it, and I don't think anyone either cared about accuracy or wanted to read about their gay adventures.
Overall, as it looks right now, it all seems like it's a very recent interpretation. The worst, however, is that even though it's recent (and thus contemporary or after the fights for homosexual rights) they are still seemingly using this to disparage them or make them look "evil".