Cecil Dreeme - Hardcover
$162.73
Skip to product information
Cecil Dreeme - Hardcover
$162.73
Shipping calculated at checkout.
by Theodore Winthrop (Author), Peter Coviello (Introduction by)
A curious gem of 19th-century gothic fiction
Cecil Dreeme is one of the queerest American novels of the 19th century. This edition, which includes a new introduction contextualizing the sexual history of the period and queer longings of the book, brings a rare, almost forgotten, sensational gothic novel set in New York's West Village back to light. Published posthumously in 1861, the novel centers on Robert Byng, a young man who moves back to New York after traveling abroad and finds himself unmarried and underemployed, adrift in the heathenish dens of lower Manhattan. When he takes up rooms in "Chrysalis College"--a thinly veiled version of the 19th-century New York University building in Washington Square--he quickly finds himself infatuated with a young painter lodging there, named Cecil Dreeme. As their friendship grows and the novel unfolds against the backdrop of the bohemian West Village, Robert confesses that he "loves Cecil with a love passing the love of women." Yet, there are dark forces at work in the form of the sinister and magnetic Densdeth, a charismatic figure of bad intention, who seeks to ensnare Robert for his own. Full of romantic entanglements, mistaken identity, blackmail, and the dramas of temptation and submission, Cecil Dreeme is a gothic novel at its finest. Poetically written--with flashes of Walt Whitman, Charles Dickens, and Oscar Wilde--Cecil Dreeme is an early example of that rare bird, a queer novel from the 19th century.
Number of Pages: 288
Dimensions: 0.81 x 8.5 x 5.5 IN
Publication Date: April 26, 2016
Details
This product is crafted with quality materials to ensure durability and performance. Designed with your convenience in mind, it seamlessly fits into your everyday life.
Shipping & Returns
We strive to process and ship all orders in a timely manner, working diligently to ensure that your items are on their way to you as soon as possible.
We are committed to ensuring a positive shopping experience for all our customers. If for any reason you wish to return an item, we invite you to reach out to our team for assistance, and we will evaluate every return request with care and consideration.
Shop The Full Collection
