1. What is the significance of the word 'queer' in nineteenth-century American literature?
The word 'queer' in nineteenth-century American literature holds a complex range of meanings. It appears almost everywhere in the literature of the time, often anticipating the sexually specific meanings it would later accrue. Sometimes, 'queer' simply meant odd or strange, while at other times it hinted at its semantic future. For example, Artemus Ward referred to 'Free Lovers' as 'some queer people,' and Herman Melville described the master-at-arms Claggart's behavior towards Billy Budd as 'rather queer at times.' The Queer American Nineteenth Century book makes available a set of literary texts from this period, showcasing the diverse meanings of 'queer' in the context of the long American nineteenth century.
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