FIC: Surprise (Master and Commander, Aubrey/Maturin, PG)

[cruisedirector]

Title: Surprise
Author: cruisedirector
Fandom: Master and Commander: The Far Side of the WorldPairing: Aubrey/Maturin

Comments

[cruisedirector]

I first read LOTR in my extreme youth, before it had even occurred to me that Kirk and Spock were in love, so I had no slash-sense there until I saw the film (and then reread the books and said, "Wow, Tolkien very nearly came out and SAID that Boromir preferred men, I just didn't notice") but I have never read O'Brian so the film was all new to me. I suppose I should not admit that when we walked out, I told my husband that it was the gayest movie I'd seen since FOTR. I mean, NO WOMEN with speaking roles...had I not been slashing, that would have frustrated me!

I think it's absolutely true that in previous eras people didn't automatically assume that an intimate relationship was by definition a sexual relationship, but at the same time I know there were a hell of a lot of sexual relationships that were simply never acknowledged as such. I haven't read enough of these characters to have any feeling about whether I think they're repressing or in denial about anything, as opposed simply to being best friends who aren't at all interested in each other physically, even when there are no women around for months on end.

I haven't read Post Captain but someone sent me an excerpt that makes it clear that they love each other:

SM: "Now listen, Jack, will you? I am somewhat given to lying: my occasions require it from time to time. But I do not choose to have any man alive tell me of it."

JA: "I should never dream of doing such a thing. Not when I am in my right mind. Quite apart from my love for you, it is far, far too dangerous."

I have little problem leaping from that kind of love to physical love in most cases, but of course I don't know enough about Sophie, Jack's relationships with other women, and what I understand are the numerous anti-sodomy declarations to know how I'd feel after reading the books, which I must do!

[not_fledged_yet]

Wow, Tolkien very nearly came out and SAID that Boromir preferred men, I just didn't notice

wow, really? where?

makes it clear that they love each other

and they call each other things like "my dear" and "joy" ALL the time - they also call each other "brother" a good deal, but I don't think that necessarily implies a non-sexual relationship, although maybe if I actually had siblings of my own I might feel differently about that, but now that I come to think of it Jack and Stephen are both only children (as far as I know) /rambling

about Sophie, Jack's relationships with other women

Jack, uh, REALLY likes women. But I don't think that necessarily implies that he doesn't like men. He is, after all, in the navy /blatant stereotype

there were a hell of a lot of sexual relationships that were simply never acknowledged as such

Yes, absolutely correct.

[cruisedirector]

wow, really? where?

It's most obvious in the appendices. First Tolkien talks about King Earnur, who refused to take a wife, only cared for the company of fighting men, and died foolishly without leaving an heir, thus requiring the Line of Stewards. Then later Tolkien says of Boromir that he was like King Earnur of old, delighting chiefly in arms and taking no wife...to me that sounds like loud and clear Victorian euphemism for "gay," as he could easily have said that Boromir had no time for a wife, given all the fighting with Mordor, but he makes it obvious that Boromir had no interests beyond being with his men.

and they call each other things like "my dear" and "joy" ALL the time

Which makes me squee. *squees* Oops. *g* As for the brother thing, Damon and Pythias were "closer than brothers" and it's pretty obvious what that means in certain versions of the myth. I think that one could go either way -- one could read it as precluding a sexual relationship or as covering up for one.

Jack, uh, REALLY likes women. But I don't think that necessarily implies that he doesn't like men.

Exactly. I'd also draw a disctinction between whom one would sleep with versus whom one would love; I tend not to define orientation by sexual choices alone, since it's pretty evident that members of the same sex, when isolated together, will share a lot more intimate contact than the same people otherwise would if not isolated with members of the same sex, which would seem to suggest that people are a lot more practical and flexible than the Moral Majority would have us believe.