Friday, May 02, 2014

US History 1973 - 2014 Commonplace Book: Lecture 6: Lesbian & Gay Rights in the 1970s (Con't)

As to the epilogue, I could hardly be expected to stultify myself by implying that Joan's history in the world ended unhappily with her execution, instead of beginning there. It was necessary by hook or crook to shew the canonized Joan as well as the incinerated one; for many a woman has got herself burnt by carelessly whisking a muslin skirt into the drawing-room fireplace, but getting canonized is a different matter, and a more important one. So I am afraid the epilogue must stand.

— George Bernard Shaw, Preface to Saint Joan (1923)
A note of explanation for this one: I used it to introduce the final section of the Harvey Milk section of the lecture, talking about his reputation after the immediate post-assassination events (i.e. after the White Night Riots).

Introduction to (and explanation of) this quote series can be found here.  Read this tag to see all of them.

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