Lytton Strachey, a Rebellious Man of Peculiarity: A Review of Holroyd’s Lytton Strachey: The New Biography
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18533/journal.v6i10.1292Keywords:
Strachey, rebel, conduct, love, feminist viewAbstract
Lytton Strachey: The New Biography is an important biography by Michael Holroyd, portraying the extraordinary life of Lytton Strachey, who is also a biographer, in detail. Based on reading the text of Lytton Strachey: The New Biography, this paper analyzes Lytton Strachey’s most distinct character - rebel combined with the social background and the theory of “the New Biography” in three aspects. First, Strachey’s rebellious character in his daily life is analyzed. His beating falsetto, ironic tone and ambiguous silence make him mysterious; his unique dressing style makes him different in the Victorian Age when people tended to wear similar clothes with others in dark suits; and at this time people were all optimistic because of their powerful country while Strachey was always surrounded by a mysterious pessimistic air. Second, Strachey’s view of love is analyzed. He had a strong tendency of homosexual and most of his lovers in his life were males. While, in the Victorian Age, homosexual was illegal. Under the pressure of morality and law, Strachey still followed his heart and fell in love with his boys. His life interprets what love really is — his love is a kind of humanistic love, rather than simple lust. Third, this paper analyzes Strachey’s feminist and religious view. He was one of the supporters and participants of the feminist movement in the 19th century. In the society which was dominated by males, Strachey realized that human are born equally. Therefore, he started to fight for the females’ rights. In addition, in order to think independently, Strachey did not follow the crowds blindly to believe in God.
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