Description

‘I love thee… once more helpless, and therewith hopeless!–but this time no longer silent, before the Friendship which is Love, the Love which is Friendship.’

Considered one of the first examples of the ‘homosexual’ novel, Edward Prime-Stevenson’s Imre: A Memorandum takes the reader to the almost Arcadian capital of Hungary, where a seemingly chance encounter brings together Englishman Oswald and dashing Hungarian officer Imre. From the initial stages of their friendship, there is no doubt on Oswald’s part that this is love at first sight. But will Imre return Oswald’s feelings? Will they dare to let their guard down-the figurative ‘Mask’ that has become second nature to them? Heavily indebted to the newly established classificatory science of sexualities, Imre offers a thrilling and heart-rending account of the relationship between two super-virile men at the turn of the twentieth century.

This edition presents an authentic version of the text that preserves the author’s orthographical and other eccentricities, and opens the door to the sexological subtext that propels the plot. Also included is one of Prime-Stevenson’s dramatic short stories, ‘The Lady with the Madonna-Face’, in which Imre returns.

ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World’s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford’s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.