Historical fiction has often been used to create stories based on events that occurred in the past, but with fictional elements added for dramatic effect. This type of literature can be particularly effective at exploring topics that have been historically marginalized or ignored. One such topic is LGBTQ+ history, which has often been hidden or suppressed due to societal attitudes towards homosexuality and transgender identity.
There has been an increased interest in LGBTQ+ historical fiction, with authors like Sarah Waters and Tracy Chevalier writing popular novels set during various time periods. These books help bring attention to queer lives that were deliberately destroyed or forgotten.
They also raise questions about how much can truly be known about these individuals when evidence of their lives has been lost.
To answer this question, it's important to consider why evidence was destroyed in the first place. In many cases, it was because of laws criminalizing homosexuality or gender nonconformity. Even after these laws were repealed, some people continued to hide their identities out of fear or shame. As a result, little documentation exists from those times, making it difficult for writers to accurately portray them in fiction.
Despite these challenges, many authors are using historical fiction to shed light on these erased lives.
Sarah Waters' novel "Fingersmith" tells the story of two women who fall in love while working as thieves in Victorian England. By creating vivid characters and detailed settings, she brings readers into a world where same-sex relationships were considered taboo. Similarly, Tracy Chevalier's "Girl With A Pearl Earring" explores the relationship between painter Johannes Vermeer and his maid, despite the fact that no evidence of their sexual intimacy exists.
While historical fiction can never completely fill the gaps left by missing documents, it can still provide valuable insight into the experiences of marginalized groups. It allows us to imagine what might have happened, which can be powerful in itself.
It raises awareness of these histories and inspires further research into uncovering more information.
Historical fiction can play an important role in preserving queer history and ensuring that it is not forgotten.
Can historical fiction bridge the gap where evidence of queer lives was deliberately destroyed?
Historical fiction can help us understand the lived experiences of people who did not leave behind written records that were either purposefully erased or never existed due to social stigma. Authors can create characters based on what we know about their communities, and explore how they navigated their identities and relationships within them. By reading these stories, we can gain empathy for people whose lives might otherwise be lost to history, and imagine what it would have been like to live as them.