Okay though! This’ll just be me ranting about queer coding in general, and may turn into an essay.
First things first, and it’s not even too mythological: Enjolras being described as a ‘Savage Antinous’. Antinous was the lover of Hadrian (emperor; Antinous’ much older sugar daddy), and BELIEVE IT OR NOT super gay. Beginning in the 19th century, Antinous was used as a way of saying someone was gay without actually saying it (and when did Hugo write Les Mis? Oh dear, the 19th century!). Antinous: young, beautiful, very gay, described as a twink (literally; ‘eromenos’ was a historical way of saying pillow princess, and it’s used to describe Antinous).
Hugo? Used Antinous as a way of saying ‘yes, gay’ without actually saying it. If he had gone out and said it, he never would have been published, as simple as that. This was also the reason he described Enjolras as ‘chaste’ and ‘virginal’; being gay? Not the worst thing ever but not great. Being gay and sexually active? Absolutely not. Many authors used chaste as a way of saying ‘gay but not gay enough for you to refuse to publish my book’.
Side note: Antinous is often compared and depicted to a son of Apollo. Apollo.
Other couples they are compared to: Orestes and Pylades. Achilles and Patroclus. Nisus and Euryalus.
To unpack that:
Nisus and Euryalus – Virgil describes them as friends AND lovers, who – believe it or not! – die together. (Also Euryalus was described as ‘eromenos’ as well)
Orestes and Pylades – okay this one is! Okay kills me. Orestes and Pylades? Are a prime example of authors using coding. Their relationship has always been used as a way of describing homoeroticism without actually saying the words. Also – Orestes is a tiny bit sentenced to death. Pylades refuses to leave his side, even though he had not committed the crime.
Grantaire was described as ‘an unaccepted Pylades’ in his first introduction. He then dies next to Enjolras (after asking permission), therefore is an ‘accepted Pylades’, which just kind of hurts all over.
Believe it or not, the very queer Lord Byron used Orestes and Pylades in letters to his male lovers. Also used by him and others? Achilles and Patroclus.
Honestly, is there any reason to explain Achilles and Patroclus except to say: used by every author writing a queer character, or even writing to partners. From the aforementioned Lord Byron to Oscar Wilde and everything and everyone in between – queer coding at its most obvious and purposeful.
All dying next to/for each other. All queer. All historical uses of coding.
(Also don’t think I didn’t notice you saying @enjoloras instead of enjolras)
Of course Enjoloras is gay but pleeeeeease talk about the mythological stuff babe
Published
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