Spanish Writers on Gay and Lesbian Themes

Spanish literature is one of the major European literatures, with an extensive array of canonical and important writers from the Middle Ages to the present. Because Spain was a crossroads of Christian, Jewish, and Islamic cultures, its cultural traditions weave together issues related to homoerotic practices and beliefs in a particularly complex way. Because literature reflects culture, numerous Spanish authors explore gay and lesbian themes in their writings. This reference includes alphabetically arranged entries for more than 50 Spanish writers whose works treat gay and lesbian themes, including Miguel de Unamuno, Ignatius of Loyola, Federico Garcia Lorca, Juana de la Cruz, and Teresa de Arila. Each entry provides a brief biographical profile, a discussion of gay and lesbian themes in the author's works, and a brief bibliography. The volume also includes entries for several artists active in other media, whose works provide a context for homoeroticism in Spanish culture. The book includes an extensive introductory essay and a bibliography of major studies.