Publication details
Classical Eros under Outlawry : Edward Perry Warren's "Defence of Uranian Love" and the Ethics of a Hidden Commonwealth
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| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | This paper examines Edward Perry Warren's "Defence of Uranian Love"—a treatise envisaged from the 1890s and only privately printed in 1928–1930—as a moral testament addressed to a specific, self-conscious homoerotic reading-public. It argues that Warren's work is less an external apologia than an internal charter, setting out the ethical conditions under which Uranian love might remain honorable. Drawing on Classical paideia, Christian pastoral care, and the Edwardian code of gentlemanly honor, Warren articulates a disciplined ethos grounded in secrecy, mutual respect, and communal solidarity. The study situates the "Defence" within a lineage of moral communities, from ancient Greek city-states to modern queer counter-publics, and emphasizes Warren's expectations that his readership actively upholds and transmits these principles. Through close reading of the "Defence," this paper reveals Warren's syncretic moral vision—one that combines aesthetic appreciation, ethical rigor, and fraternal loyalty in the service of a tradition he believed both ancient and enduring. |
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