Oral Presentations
A Queer Approach to Progressive Era Feminism: The Life, Work, and Thought of Djuna Barnes
Presentation Type
Presentation
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Claire Arcenas
Faculty Mentor’s Department
History
Abstract / Artist's Statement
My research explores the writings of Djuna Barnes, an early-twentieth-century journalist and feminist who would be considered queer by modern standards. It analyzes key moments in Barnes’ writing as it related to Progressive Era feminism. It also considers what her experience with queerness looked like to deduce if (and if so, to what extent) it impacted her work. My research reveals the complexities of Progressive Era feminism and its relationship to queer women in particular. To carry out this research, I am studying primary sources written by Barnes, focusing especially on her articles published in New York newspapers in the 1910s. I consider the opinions held by Barnes as well as her methods of communication, such as where her work was originally published and what rhetorical tools she used. Additionally, where accessible, I analyze personal documents, such as letters, that can provide insight into her personal life and queer experience. I chose to study this figure for three reasons: first, her intimate and romantic relationships with women, which informed her most famous work, Nightwood. Second, she was a feminist writer who produced a great number of works, providing ample material to consider. Finally, Barnes' manifestation of feminism was not typical at the time and included a disdain for the suffrage movement. This research adds to the marginal history-focused literature on Barnes and contributes to the growing efforts to consider queer identity and experience in historical studies.
Category
Humanities
A Queer Approach to Progressive Era Feminism: The Life, Work, and Thought of Djuna Barnes
UC 331
My research explores the writings of Djuna Barnes, an early-twentieth-century journalist and feminist who would be considered queer by modern standards. It analyzes key moments in Barnes’ writing as it related to Progressive Era feminism. It also considers what her experience with queerness looked like to deduce if (and if so, to what extent) it impacted her work. My research reveals the complexities of Progressive Era feminism and its relationship to queer women in particular. To carry out this research, I am studying primary sources written by Barnes, focusing especially on her articles published in New York newspapers in the 1910s. I consider the opinions held by Barnes as well as her methods of communication, such as where her work was originally published and what rhetorical tools she used. Additionally, where accessible, I analyze personal documents, such as letters, that can provide insight into her personal life and queer experience. I chose to study this figure for three reasons: first, her intimate and romantic relationships with women, which informed her most famous work, Nightwood. Second, she was a feminist writer who produced a great number of works, providing ample material to consider. Finally, Barnes' manifestation of feminism was not typical at the time and included a disdain for the suffrage movement. This research adds to the marginal history-focused literature on Barnes and contributes to the growing efforts to consider queer identity and experience in historical studies.