Considered by Gide to be the most important of his books, this slim, exquisitely crafted volume consists of four dialogues on the subject of homosexuality and its place in society.
Published anonymously in bits and pieces between 1911 and 1920, Corydon first appeared in a signed, commercial edition in France in 1924 and in the United States in 1950, the year before Gide's death. The present edition features the impeccable translation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Richard Howard.
In spirited dialogue with his bigoted, boorish interviewer, Corydon marshals evidence from naturalists, historians, poets, and philosophers to support his contention that homosexuality pervaded the most culturally and artistically advanced civilizations, from Greece in the age of Pericles to Renaissance Italy and England in the age of Shakespeare. Although obscured by later critics, literature and art from Homer to Titian proclaim the true nature of relationships between such lovers as Achilles and Patrocles--not to mention Virgil's mythical Corydon and his shepherd, Alexis. The evidence, Corydon suggests, points to heterosexuality as a socially constructed union, while the more fundamental, natural relation is the homosexual one.
"My friends insist that this little book is of the kind which will do me the greatest harm," Gide wrote of his Corydon. In these pages, contemporary readers will find a prescient and courageous treatment of a topic that has scarcely become less controversial.
Published anonymously in bits and pieces between 1911 and 1920, Corydon first appeared in a signed, commercial edition in France in 1924 and in the United States in 1950, the year before Gide's death. The present edition features the impeccable translation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Richard Howard.
In spirited dialogue with his bigoted, boorish interviewer, Corydon marshals evidence from naturalists, historians, poets, and philosophers to support his contention that homosexuality pervaded the most culturally and artistically advanced civilizations, from Greece in the age of Pericles to Renaissance Italy and England in the age of Shakespeare. Although obscured by later critics, literature and art from Homer to Titian proclaim the true nature of relationships between such lovers as Achilles and Patrocles--not to mention Virgil's mythical Corydon and his shepherd, Alexis. The evidence, Corydon suggests, points to heterosexuality as a socially constructed union, while the more fundamental, natural relation is the homosexual one.
"My friends insist that this little book is of the kind which will do me the greatest harm," Gide wrote of his Corydon. In these pages, contemporary readers will find a prescient and courageous treatment of a topic that has scarcely become less controversial.
Used availability for André Gide's Corydon
See all available used copies of this book at: Abebooks UK or Abebooks US
Hardback Editions
March 1985 : Hardback
| Title: Corydon (Gay Modern Classics) Author(s): Andre Gide ISBN: 0-907040-54-3 / 978-0-907040-54-5 (UK edition) Publisher: GMP Publishers Ltd Availability: Amazon Amazon UK Amazon CA More details... |
January 1983 : Hardback
| Title: Corydon Author(s): Richard Howard (trans) Andre Gide Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux Availability: Amazon More details... |
January 1983 : Hardback
| Title: Corydon Author(s): Gide Andre ISBN: 0-374-13012-4 / 978-0-374-13012-1 (USA edition) Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux Availability: Amazon Amazon UK Amazon CA More details... |
1973 : Hardback
| Title: CORYDON Author(s): GIDE ANDRE Publisher: Gallimard Availability: Amazon UK More details... |
1956 : Hardback
| Title: Corydon Author(s): Andre GIDE Publisher: Secker & Warburg Availability: Amazon More details... |
December 1952 : Hardback
| Title: Corydon Author(s): Andre Gide ISBN: 0-436-17500-2 / 978-0-436-17500-8 (UK edition) Publisher: Martin Secker & Warburg Ltd Availability: Amazon Amazon UK Amazon CA More details... |
January 1950 : Hardback
| Title: Corydon Author(s): Gide Andre Publisher: FARRAR STRAUSS & CO. Availability: Amazon More details... |
1950 : Hardback
| Title: CORYDON. Author(s): Andre. Gide Publisher: Farrar, Straus Availability: Amazon Amazon UK More details... |
1947 : Hardback
| Title: Corydon Author(s): André Paul Guillaume Gide Availability: Amazon UK More details... |
January 1926 : Leather Bound
| Title: Corydon Author(s): Andre Gide Publisher: Librairie Gallimard Availability: Amazon More details... |
Paperback Editions
July 2001 : Paperback
| Title: Corydon Author(s): Andre Gide ISBN: 0-252-07006-2 / 978-0-252-07006-8 (USA edition) Publisher: University of Illinois Press Availability: Amazon Amazon UK Amazon CA More details... |
May 1998 : Paperback
| Title: Corydon (Bibliothek) Author(s): Andre Gide ISBN: 0-85449-269-0 / 978-0-85449-269-5 (UK edition) Publisher: Gay Men's Press Availability: Amazon Amazon UK Amazon CA More details... |
October 1991 : Paperback
| Title: Corydon Author(s): Andre Gide ISBN: 0-7859-2604-6 / 978-0-7859-2604-7 (USA edition) Publisher: French & European Pubns Availability: Amazon Amazon UK Amazon CA More details... |
March 1985 : Paperback
| Title: Corydon (Gay Modern Classics) Author(s): Andre Gide ISBN: 0-907040-53-5 / 978-0-907040-53-8 (UK edition) Publisher: Gay Men's Press Availability: Amazon Amazon UK Amazon CA More details... |
November 1983 : Paperback
| Title: Corydon Author(s): Andre Gide ISBN: 0-374-51777-0 / 978-0-374-51777-9 (USA edition) Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux Availability: Amazon Amazon UK Amazon CA More details... |
1981 : Paperback
| Title: Corydon (NRF) Author(s): André Gide Publisher: Gallimard Availability: Amazon Amazon UK More details... |
January 1971 : Paperback
| Title: CORYDON Author(s): GIDE ANDRE Publisher: Alianza Editorial Availability: Amazon More details... |
1965 : Paperback
| Title: Corydon Author(s): Andre Gide Publisher: NOONDAY PRESS Availability: Amazon More details... |
January 1962 : Paperback
| Title: Corydon Author(s): Andre Gide Publisher: Noonday Availability: Amazon More details... |
January 1961 : Paperback
| Title: Corydon Author(s): Andre Gide Publisher: NOONDAY PRESS Availability: Amazon UK More details... |
January 1955 : Paperback
| Title: Corydon. Author(s): André Gide Publisher: Paris: Gallimard 1955. Availability: Amazon Amazon UK More details... |
1948 : Paperback
| Title: Corydon Author(s): Andre Gide Publisher: Gallimard Availability: Amazon Amazon UK More details... |
January 1947 : Paperback
| Title: Corydon. Author(s): André Gide Publisher: Paris: Gallimard 1947. Availability: Amazon More details... |
1938 : Paperback
| Title: Corydon Author(s): Publisher: Losada Availability: Amazon More details... |
1924 : Paperback
| Title: CORYDON. Author(s): Andre Gide Publisher: Editions De La Nouvelle Revue Francaise Availability: Amazon More details... |
Other Editions
1977 : Unknown
| Title: Corydon Author(s): Andre Gide ISBN: 0-374-93051-1 / 978-0-374-93051-6 (USA edition) Publisher: Octagon Books Availability: Amazon Amazon UK More details... |
1952 : Unknown
| Title: Corydon: Four Socratic dialogues Author(s): Andre? Gide Publisher: Secker & Warburg Availability: Amazon Amazon UK More details... |
1950 : Unknown
| Title: Corydon Author(s): Andre Gide Publisher: Farrar Straus and Co. 1950 Availability: Amazon More details... |
1950 : Unknown
| Title: CORYDON. Author(s): Andre. Gide Publisher: Farrar, Straus, Availability: Amazon More details... |
1947 : Unknown
| Title: Corydon Author(s): Andre Gide Publisher: Gallimard Availability: Amazon UK More details... |
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