The LGBTQ+ HISTORICAL IMAGINATION AND ITS NARRATIVES

The Reception of The Song of Achilles by Online Readers

Abstract

Using methods from Reception Studies, this investigation seeks to understand the effect the Historical Novel The Song of Achilles (Miller, 2011) had on its readers and their understanding of the past and the Historical discipline. We argue that the LGBTQ+ historical imagination and the cultural works it creates can be used to legitimise a contemporary identity, and as affective points of identification and recognition for the community. We also show how the novel is being used as a platform for readers to criticise History as a discipline, to voice their suspicion and distrust of its professionals, and to demand further representation for LGBTQ+ subjects in narratives about the past, whether fictional or historical. Finally, we also consider the emotional impact marginalised communities feel when they are represented in History and in Literature in a positive way.