NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Romantic friendship

The term romantic friendship refers to a very close but non-sexual relationship between friends, often involving a degree of physical closeness beyond that common in modern Western societies, for example holding hands, cuddling, sharing a bed, as well as open expressions of love for one another. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 400 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (512 Ã— 768 pixel, file size: 156 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): TÃ¼bingen Romantic friendship ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 400 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (512 Ã— 768 pixel, file size: 156 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): TÃ¼bingen Romantic friendship ... Late Baroque classicizing: G. P. Pannini assembles the canon of Roman ruins and Roman sculpture into one vast imaginary gallery (1756) Neoclassicism (sometimes rendered as Neo-Classicism or Neo-classicism) is the name given to quite distinct movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that... TÃ¼bingen, Neckar front TÃ¼bingen, a traditional university town of Baden-WÃ¼rttemberg, Germany, is situated 20 miles southwest of Stuttgart, on a ridge between the River Neckar and the Ammer. ... Human sexuality is the expression of sexual feelings. ... Italic text This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Friendship is a term used to denote co-operative and supportive behavior between two or more humans. ... The term Western world, the West or the Occident (Latin occidens -sunset, -west, as distinct from the Orient) [1] can have multiple meanings dependent on its context (e. ... Two or more people voluntarily hold hands for one of the following reasons and purposes: in various rituals: handshake in certain religious services, to pray in various occult rituals to express friendship or love, to enjoy physical contact (not necessarily of erotic character), for emotional support, to guide (a child... Physical intimacy is: Physical closeness Touching, especially tenderly Touching intimate parts, outercourse Sexual penetration The list is logically in order of increasing degree, with each form implying the previous one, but of course, it is not necessarily in order of increasing enjoyment. ... Love is any of a number of emotions and experiences related to a sense of strong affection or profound oneness. ...

Same-sex romantic friendship was considered common and unremarkable in the West, and was distinguished from then-taboo homosexual relationships, up until the second half of the 19th century,^[1] but after that time its open expression generally became much rarer as physical intimacy between non-sexual partners came to be regarded with anxiety.^[2] Since its coinage, the word homosexuality has acquired multiple meanings. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Several small groups of advocates and researchers have advocated for the renewed use of the term, or the related term Boston marriage, today. Several lesbian, gay, and feminist authors (such as Lillian Faderman, Stephanie Coontz, Jaclyn Geller and Esther Rothblum^[3]) have done academic research on the topic; these authors typically favor the minority view that sexual orientation is a modern, culturally constructed concept.^[4] In the 19th century, Boston marriage was a term used for households where two women lived together, independent of any male support. ... A lesbian is a woman who is romantically and sexually attracted only to other women. ... GAY can mean: Gay, a term referring to homosexual men or women The IATA code for Gaya Airport Category: ... Feminism is a social theory and political movement primarily informed and motivated by the experience of women. ... Lillian Faderman is a scholar whose books on lesbian relationships in history have earned critical praise and awards. ... Stephanie Coontz is a feminist sociologist, author, and faculty member at The Evergreen State College. ... Sexual orientation refers to the direction of an individuals sexuality, normally conceived of as falling into several significant categories based around the sex or gender that the individual finds attractive. ...

Examples of historical romantic friendship

The study of historical romantic friendship is difficult because the primary source material consists of writing about love relationships, which typically took the form of love letters, poems, or philosophical essays rather than objective studies.^[6] Most of these do not explicitly state the sexual or nonsexual nature of relationships; the fact that homosexuality was taboo in Western European cultures at the time means that some sexual relationships may be hidden, but at the same time the rareness of romantic friendship in modern times means that references to nonsexual relationships may be misinterpreted, as alleged by Faderman, Coontz, Anthony Rotundo, Douglas Bush, and others.

Shakespeare and Fair Lord

The content of Shakespeare's works has raised the question of whether he may have been bisexual. The question of whether an Elizabethan was "gay" in a modern sense is anachronistic, as the concepts of homosexuality and bisexuality as identities did not emerge until the 19th century; while sodomy was a crime in the period, there was no word for an exclusively homosexual identity (see History of homosexuality). Elizabethans also frequently wrote about friendship in more intense language than is common today. William Shakespeare (National Portrait Gallery), in the famous Chandos portrait, artist and authenticity unconfirmed. ... The History of Sexuality is also the title of a book, by Michel Foucault. ...

Although twenty-six of the Shakespeare's sonnets are love poems addressed to a married woman (the "Dark Lady"), one hundred and twenty-six are addressed to a young man (known as the "Fair Lord"). The amorous tone of the latter group, which focus on the young man's beauty, has been interpreted as evidence for Shakespeare's bisexuality, although others interpret them as referring to intense friendship or fatherly affection, not sexual love. This article is about the sonnet form of poetry. ... The Dark Lady is a woman referred to by William Shakespeare in a number of his sonnets. ... The Fair Lord is the unnamed young man to whom Shakespeares sonnets 1â€“126 are addressed. ...

Among those of the latter interpretation, in the preface to his 1961 Pelican edition, Douglas Bush writes:

Bush cites Montaigne, who distinguished male friendships from "that other, licentious Greek love" ^[8], as evidence of a platonic interpretation. Michel Eyquem de Montaigne (February 28, 1533 - September 13, 1592) was an influential French Renaissance writer, generally considered to be the inventor of the personal essay. ... Sir Thomas Browne (October 19, 1605 - October 19, 1682) was an English author of varied works that disclose his wide learning in diverse fields including medicine, religion, science and the esoteric. ... The creation of the printing press encouraged authors to write in the local vernacular rather than in the classical languages of Greek and Latin, widening the reading audience and promoting the spread of Renaissance ideas Some famous authors of the literary movement of the Renaissance are Dante (writer of The... Michel Eyquem de Montaigne (February 28, 1533 - September 13, 1592) was an influential French Renaissance writer, generally considered to be the inventor of the personal essay. ... Same-sex love was an sporadic part of civic life in ancient Greece from the seventh century until the Roman era. ...

Montaigne and Estienne de La Boétie

The French philosopher Montaigne described the concept of romantic friendship (without using this English term) in his essay "On Friendship." In addition to distinguishing this type of love from homosexuality ("this other Greek licence" sp.), another way in which Montaigne differed from the modern view^[9] was that he felt that friendship and platonic emotion were a primarily masculine capacity (apparently unaware of the custom of female romantic friendship which also existed): Michel Eyquem de Montaigne (February 28, 1533 - September 13, 1592) was an influential French Renaissance writer, generally considered to be the inventor of the personal essay. ...

Lesbian-feminist historian Lillian Faderman cites Montaigne, using "On Friendship" as evidence that romantic friendship was distinct from homosexuality, since the former could be extolled by famous and respected writers, who simultaneously disparaged homosexuality. (The quotation also further's Faderman's beliefs that gender and sexuality are socially constructed, since they indicate that each sex has been thought of as "better" at intense friendship in one or another period of history.) Lillian Faderman is a scholar whose books on lesbian relationships in history have earned critical praise and awards. ... A social construction, social construct or social concept is an institutionalized entity or artifact in a social system invented or constructed by participants in a particular culture or society that exists because people agree to behave as if it exists, or agree to follow certain conventional rules, or behave as...

Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Speed

Some historians have used the relationship between Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Speed as another example of a relationship that modern people see as ambiguous or possibly gay, but which was most likely to have been a romantic friendship. Lincoln and Speed lived together and shared a bed in their youth and maintaned a lifelong friendship. David Herbert Donald pointed out that men at that time often shared beds for financial reasons; men were used to same-sex nonsexual intimacy since most parents could not afford separate beds or rooms for male siblings. Anthony Rotundo notes^[11] that the custom of romantic friendship for men in America in the early 1800's was different from that of Renaissance France, and it was expected that men will distance themselves emotionally and physically somewhat after marriage; he claims that letters between Lincoln and Speed show this distancing after Lincoln married Mary Todd. Such distancing, which is still practiced today,^[12] could indicate that Lincoln was following the social customs of his day, rather than rebelling against the taboo on homosexuality. The sexuality of Abraham Lincoln is a topic of dispute. ... David Herbert Donald (b. ...

Emily Dickinson and Sue Gilbert

Faderman uses the letters between poet Emily Dickinson and her friend and later sister-in-law Sue Gilbert to show how love between women, understood as nonsexual romantic friendship, was accepted as normal at the time, and only later thought of as deviant: This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Following is an excerpt of the examples of censorship that Faderman cites: The 1924/1932 editions of Dickinson's letters include a letter dated June 11, 1852, from Emily, saying: Sigmund Freud (IPA: ), born Sigismund Schlomo Freud (May 6, 1856 â€“ September 23, 1939), was an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist who co-founded the psychoanalytic school of psychology. ...

Those who favor the homosexual interpretation might argue that Dickinson would feel no need to censor any sort of relationship in a private love letter, even if the relationship was taboo at the time. Faderman's position is that the originals were not destroyed because they were not taboo at the time; in reference to other such letters from the Victorian era, Coontz writes that "these sentiments were so respectable that surviving relatives often published them in elegies."^[13]

Biblical and religious evidence for romantic friendship

Proponents of the romantic friendship hypothesis also make reference to the Bible. Historians like Faderman and Robert Brain^[14] believe that the descriptions of relationships such as David and Jonathan or Ruth and Naomi in this religious text establish that the customs of romantic friendship existed and were thought of as virtuous in the ancient Near East, despite the simultaneous taboo on homosexuality. This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library. ... The Near East is a term commonly used by archaeologists, geographers and historians, less commonly by journalists and commentators, to refer to the region encompassing Anatolia (the Asian portion of modern Turkey), the Levant (modern Israel/Palestine, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon), Georgia, Armenia, and...

The relationship between King David and Jonathan is often cited as an example of male romantic friendship; for example, Faderman uses 2 Samuel 1:26 on the title page of her book: "Your love was wonderful to me, passing the love of women."^[15]

Ruth and Naomi are the female Biblical pair most often cited as a possible romantic friendship, as in the following verse commonly used in heterosexual wedding ceremonies: Nuptial is the adjective of wedding. It is used for example in zoology to denote plumage, coloration, behavior, etc related to or occurring in the mating season. ...

Faderman writes that women in Renaissance and Victorian times made reference to both Ruth and Naomi and "Davidean" friendship as the basis for their romantic friendships.^[17]

Jesus himself is sometimes cited as an example; for example, queer author Elizabeth Stuart states that "The only model of relating that we can definitely see operating in the life of Jesus, as presented to us by the Gospels, is friendship."^[18] Examples of pre-modern standards of physical contact in the Gospels include John 13:23: "One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was lying close to the breast of Jesus." This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ...

While some authors, notably John Boswell, have claimed that ecclesiatical practice in earlier ages blessed "same sex unions", the accurate interpretation of these relationships rests on a proper understanding of the mores and values of the participants, including both the parties receiving the rite in question and the clergy officiating at it. Boswell himself concedes that past relationships are ambiguous; when describing Greek and Roman attitudes, Boswell states that "[A] consensual physical aspect would have been utterly irrelevant to placing the relationship in a meaningful taxonomy."^[19] Boswell's own interpretation has been thoroughly critiqued, notably by Brent D. Shaw, himself a homosexual, in a review written for the New Republic ^[20] :

It should be noted that historian Robert Brain has also traced these ceremonies from Pagan "blood brotherhood" ceremonies through medieval Catholic ceremonies called "gossipry" or "siblings before God," on to modern ceremonies in some Latin American countries referred to as "compadrazgo"; Brain considers the ceremonies to refer to romantic friendship.^[21]

Same-gender friendships with romantic overtones in pop culture

In literature and popular culture there has often been depiction of same-gender relationships whose nature seems ambiguous. These friendships exhibit a degree of closeness beyond what is common for heterosexual friends, and yet these relationships are not explicitly depicted as homosexual relationships. These friendships are often depicted as containing romantic elements.

J.D and Turk

John Dorian and Chris Turk, the two male protagonists on the US sitcom Scrubs, have a friendship that contains many romantic overtones and often goes beyond friendships as depicted between heterosexual males. For example, in the episode "My Musical", the two friends sing a romantic duet to one another called "Guy Love". The song contains the lyrics: "Guy love, that's all it is / Guy love, he's mine, I'm his / There's nothing gay about it in our eyes." ^[22] John Dorian (portrayed by Zach Braff) Dr. Jonathan Michael Dorian (most commonly referred to as J.D.) is a fictional character played by Zach Braff in the American sitcom Scrubs. ... Information Gender Male Age 31[1] Occupation Surgical doctor Title Attending surgeon Family Margaret Turk (mother), Kevin Turk, Jabbari Turk (brothers), Lesley (aunt), Nfume, George, Shedaisy (cousins) Spouse(s) Carla Espinosa (wife) Children Isabella Turk (daughter) Portrayed by Donald Faison Created by Bill Lawrence Dr. Christopher Chris Duncan Turk[2... Scrubs is an Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning American situation comedy/dramedy that premiered on October 2, 2001 on NBC. It was created by Bill Lawrence, who also co-created Spin City. ... List of Scrubs episodes My Musical is a five-time Emmy-nominated musical episode of the the American situation comedy Scrubs. ...

Xena and Gabrielle

There has been some speculation about the nature of the relationship between Xena and Gabrielle. Their relationship was kept ambiguous throughout the show. Xena and Gabrielle are never depicted as declaring themselves as a lesbian couple, but in the last episode they refer to one another as being "soul mates". The show cultivated a devoted lesbian following in part because of the ambiguous relationship between Xena and Gabrielle, a relationship which most of the lesbian viewers interpreted as a lesbian relationship. Sherrie Johnson, author of the essay "Xena and Gabrielle: A Revisitation of the Classic Romantic Relationships", has suggested that Xena and Gabrielle do not have a lesbian relationship but a romantic friendship. Xena. ... For the dwarf planet formerly nicknamed Xena see Eris (dwarf planet). ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

However, in an interview with Lesbian News magazine two years after the series ended, Lucy Lawless (the actress who portrayed Xena) said that she came to believe the two were lovers after the scene in the last episode when Gabrielle revived Xena with a mouth-to-mouth water transfer. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

In human sexuality, bisexuality describes a man or woman having a sexual orientation to persons of either or both sexes (a man or woman who sexually likes both sexes; people who are sexually and/or romantically attracted to both males and females). ...

Joey Tribbiani and Chandler Bing

Joey Tribbiani and Chandler Bing, characters from the American sitcom Friends, are often depicted as having a bond with ambiguous undertones and are occasionally put in situations that could be defined as romantic. For example, in the episode The One Where Eddie Moves In, Joey moves out of the apartment he shares with Chandler. Toward the end of the episode, the song "All by Myself" plays as Chandler sits by himself with a sad expression on his face as he stares out the window at a rainy night. Joey is depicted as sitting by himself with a sad look on his face while staring at a water feature. The song "All by Myself" is a power ballad about the loss of a lover. Joseph Joey Francis Tribbiani, Jr. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Chandler Bing (foreground) and Joey Tribbiani Chandler and Joeys apartment is a fictional Manhattan apartment that served as a regular setpiece on the American sitcom Friends. ... A sitcom or situation comedy is a genre of comedy performance originally devised for radio but today typically found on television. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... The One Where Eddie Moves In is the seventeenth episode of season two of the television situation comedy Friends. ... All by Myself is a power ballad written and performed by Eric Carmen in 1975 that has spawned numerous cover versions. ... Water feature is a term used by landscape architects and garden designers to include the full range of fountains, pools, ponds, cascades, waterfalls, and streams. ... To emphasize the emotional aspect of a power ballad, crowds customarily hold up lit lighters. ...

A long-running gag depicted Joey and Chandler occasionally fighting with each other like an old married couple, with Chandler often assuming the wife role while Joey assumed the husband role, suggesting homosexual undertones in their friendship. Each would occasionally refer to the other as his "boyfriend." This dynamic was curtailed when Chandler fell in love with and married Monica. A boyfriend is a male partner in a non-marital romantic relationship, or a male friend. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Carl Carlson and Lenny Leonard

The Simpsons characters Carl Carlson and Lenny Leonard in some ways maintain a relationship arguably in the tradition of a romantic friendship. In one episode, Lenny dreamily recalls carving "Mount Carlmore", a huge bust of Carl in the side of a hill, over "one wonderful summer". In another episode, various characters are depicted looking at the stars to "see into their souls". When Lenny looks up to the stars, he sees an image of Carl. In a Halloween episode where Lenny dies and sees Heaven, the angels all take the form of Carl. They chorus, 'Lenny! Hurry up! We'll be late for work at the plant!" In the Hex and the City Halloween episode, a helicopter crashes through the roof of Moe's Tavern and pins both Carl and Lenny to the ground, slowly crushing them to death. Lenny begs Carl to let him die first, saying, "I couldn't bear to watch you die." In an episode where Lenny becomes trapped on a burning oil rig, an attempt at rescue by helicopter is denied by Lenny because of nothing to live for, until Carl appears in the helicopter and Lenny is convinced to board the aircraft and return home with Carl. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Lenford Lenny Leonard, MPhys is a fictional character in The Simpsons, voiced by Harry Shearer. ... Simpsons redirects here. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Lenford Lenny Leonard, MPhys is a fictional character in The Simpsons, voiced by Harry Shearer. ... Mount Rushmore National Memorial, near Keystone, South Dakota, is a monumental granite sculpture located within the United States Presidential Memorial that represents the first 150 years of the history of the United States of America with 60-foot (18 m) sculptures of the heads of former U.S. Presidents George... Treehouse of Horror XII is the first episode of The Simpsons thirteenth season, as well as the twelfth Halloween episode. ... An exterior of Moes Tavern, in The Simpsons. ...

Other characters on The Simpsons are often depicted as being without the ability to categorize the relationship maintained by Carl and Lenny. Devoid of any other category in which to place the bond between Carl and Lenny, other characters on The Simpsons are depicted as assuming that Lenny and Carl are latent homosexuals. A notable example of this occurs in the show's 16th season in the episode "There's Something About Marrying". In this episode, Homer Simpson is depicted as running a church that exists solely to marry homosexual couples. When Homer runs out of homosexual couples to marry, he speculates that Lenny and Carl might be interested. Marge Simpson scolds Homer by saying, "Don't you push them! They need to work that out for themselves." Latent homosexuality is an erotic inclination toward members of the same sex which is not consciously experienced or expressed in overt action. ... Theres Something About Marrying is one of the most controversial episodes from the sixteenth season of The Simpsons. ... Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons, voiced by Dan Castellaneta. ... Marjorie Marge Simpson (nÃ©e Bouvier) is a fictional character featured in the animated television series The Simpsons and is voiced by Julie Kavner. ...

Batman and Robin

Though Batman, both as a superhero and in his identity as Bruce Wayne, has been portrayed in comics and other media as a heterosexual - having enjoyed a number of romantic and/or sexual relationships with women—questions have arisen naturally regarding the nature of his relationship with Robin; the bond between them extending far beyond what many consider typical of a heterosexual, platonic friendship. This relationship has been toyed with by subsequent authors to write and actors to portray the characters, although with the exception of the female Robin, the identity Robin is always Bruce Wayne's adopted son. Various media have parodied the romantic overtones of Batman and Robin's friendship, including Saturday Night Live, The Onion, and Rotten.com. Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a DC Comics fictional superhero who first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a DC Comics fictional superhero who first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Stephanie Brown, a. ... For other uses, see Adoption (disambiguation). ...

Cory and Shawn

In the ABC sitcom Boy Meets World, the main character Cory Matthews and his best friend Shawn Hunter are often depicted as being so close that Cory's girlfriend (and later wife) Topanga is a little jealous of it. In fact she once remarked that Shawn loves Cory more than she does, then turns to her mother and says bitterly, "It's true, but I'm okay with it." And another time, she says to Cory, "Why don't you just marry Shawn?" to which he replies, "Because our kids would look like horses." Cory and Shawn frequently hug, give each other soppy looks and fight like an old married couple. In season three Shawn adopts a piglet whom he names Little Cory. And in season four, Shawn's girlfriend forbids him from seeing Cory, causing the boys to meet up in secret like two people having an affair. Boy Meets World is an American television sitcom that chronicles the events and everyday life lessons of Cory Matthews, who grows up from a pre-pubescent boy to a married man. ... Ben Savage as Cory Matthews Cornelius A. Cory Matthews is a fictional character played by Ben Savage on the television sitcom Boy Meets World. ... Shawn Hunter (right) with best friend Cory Matthews in Season 1 Shawn Patrick Hunter is a fictional character played by Rider Strong on the television sitcom Boy Meets World, the best friend of protagonist Cory Matthews. ... This article contains character information for the American television sitcom Boy Meets World. ...

Frodo and Sam

Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee in the book and films The Lord of the Rings. Frodo Baggins is one of the most significant characters in J. R. R. Tolkiens legendarium. ... In J. R. R. Tolkiens legendarium, Samwise Gamgee, later known as Samwise Gardner[2] or Samwise the Brave and commonly known as Sam, is a fictional character who is Frodo Bagginss servant and companion on the journey to Mordor. ... The Lord of the Rings is an epic high fantasy novel written by the English academic J. R. R. Tolkien. ...

Shore and Crane

Alan Shore and Denny Crane in the television show Boston Legal. Alan Shore is a fictional character on the ABC Network television series Boston Legal, portrayed by James Spader. ... Information Gender Male Date of birth 1932 or 1933 Occupation Lawyer Portrayed by William Shatner Created by David E. Kelley Dennis Denny Crane is a fictional character on the television series Boston Legal. ... Boston Legal is an American dramedy television series that began airing on ABC on October 3rd, 2004. ...

House and Wilson

Gregory House and James Wilson in the television show House, M.D.. Information Specialty Infectious Disease and Nephrology Occupation Head of the Department of Diagnostic Medicine Family John House (father) Blythe House (mother) Portrayed by Hugh Laurie Dr. Gregory House M.D. is a fictional character and protagonist of the Fox medical drama House. ... This article contains a trivia section. ... House, M.D. (commonly promoted as just House) is an American television series aired by the Fox Broadcasting Company. ...

Sora and Riku

Sora and Riku in the video game series Kingdom Hearts. Sora ) is the protagonist of the Kingdom Hearts role-playing video game series. ... Riku ) is a fictional character from the Kingdom Hearts series. ... Kingdom Hearts ) is a series of action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix Co. ...

Fitz and the Fool

From the Farseer Series by Robin Hobb. FitzChivalry Farseer and the Fool, whose real name is Beloved, have a relationship of this kind. It is not apparent until the third book of the series, when the two frequently share a bed, and whenever one is injured, the other carries the first in his arms to safety. Other characters observe that they treat one another "like brothers", and their relationship is so close, in fact, that one character theorizes that the Fool (whose gender is uncertain, though he is assumed to be male) is actually a woman, and in love with Fitz. When questioned, the Fool evades the question, declaring that gender is nothing more than "plumbing", and gets the embarrassed Fitz to admit that he loves the Fool. Later, while connected magically to Fitz, the Fool rejoices to see that Fitz really does love him.

In the middle trilogy, the Fool masquerades as a woman, and carves Fitz's face onto a ship, leading the other characters to believe that Fitz is the Fool's lover.

In the last trilogy, the closeness of their relationship frightens even Fitz, who eventually pushes the Fool away, believing his friend to desire Fitz's body. The trilogy ends with a reconciliation, but is ambiguous about the nature of the Fool's feelings for Fitz, and the depth of Fitz's feelings in return. Adding to the ambiguity, the Fool reveals to Fitz that his name at birth was Beloved. Fitz is uncomfortable referring to the Fool as Beloved, but because of a custom of his people, the Fool refers to Fitz, in private, as Beloved. As the novels progress, the author routinely lowercases the b, so that the Fool is no longer referring to Fitz by his own name, but rather referring to Fitz as the one whom he loves. Furthermore, all White Prophets and their Catalysts have been lovers up until Fitz and the Fool, where it is possible that only Fitz's perception of the Fool's gender prevents the additional intimacy. *SPOILER* After the Fool has died, Fitz is broken-hearted beyond his grief at the death of other friends throughout the series, excepting Nighteyes. After Fitz brings the Fool back to life and the Fool tells Fitz that he will leave Fitz to his life, Fitz implies that he would abandon the woman he loves, Molly, simply to spend the rest of his life with the Fool.

Notable opposite gender friendships with romantic overtones

The Doctor and his companion

An example of an opposite sex romantic friendship is the relationship between The Doctor, the lead character in the BBC sci-fi drama Doctor Who, and his various companions. Throughout the series, whether or not the Doctor was an at all romantic being was a debatable and contested issue. The Doctor had strictly exhibited no explicit sexual or romantic inclinations until his eighth incarnation in the Doctor Who movie where he kissed companion Grace Holloway. Since the start of the revived 2005 series, the characters of Rose, Martha, Jack and past companion Sarah Jane have all hinted at being in love with the Doctor. Doctor Who or, see History of Doctor Who. ... Doctor Who or, see History of Doctor Who. ... Doctor Who is a long-running award-winning British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The series depicts the adventures of a mysterious time-traveller known as the Doctor who travels in his TARDIS (Time And Relative Dimension(s) In Space) time ship, which appears from the exterior... Companion, in the long-running BBC television science fiction programme Doctor Who and related works, is a term used to describe a character who travels with and shares the adventures of the Doctor. ... Doctor Who or, see History of Doctor Who. ... The Eighth Doctor is the name given to the eighth incarnation of the Doctor seen on screen in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. ... Doctor Who (also unofficially known as Enemy Within by fans, as labeled by the films executive producer Philip Segal) is a television movie based on the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. ... Dr. Grace Holloway is a fictional character played by Daphne Ashbrook in the 1996 television movie Doctor Who, a continuation of the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. ... Rose Tyler was a fictional character played by Billie Piper in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. ... Martha Jones is a fictional character played by Freema Agyeman in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who, and reportedly will appear in its spin-off series, Torchwood. ... Captain Jack Harkness is a fictional character played by John Barrowman in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who and its spin-off series, Torchwood. ... Sarah Jane Smith is a fictional character played by Elisabeth Sladen in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who and its related spin-offs. ...

The new series has heavily focused on the romantic tension developed between the Ninth and Tenth Doctors and Rose Tyler, characterized by portrayer David Tennant as "a love story without the shagging". In the episode "Doomsday", Rose and the Doctor were separated and left in parallel dimensions, but shared one final meeting on a beach. Rose asked the Doctor what he will do without her, and he simply says he will go on, alone. Weeping, Rose tells the Doctor she loves him. As it is his last chance to do so, he begins to reply, but only manages to get out her name before his image fades. In the TARDIS, the Doctor stands for a minute, lips still parted as if in the middle of a sentence. Wiping his own tears from his eyes, he starts to work the console. The Ninth Doctor refers to the ninth official incarnation of the fictional character known as the Doctor, in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. ... The Tenth Doctor is the name given to the tenth and current incarnation of the Doctor seen on screen in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. ... David Tennant is the stage name of David John McDonald (born 18 April 1971), a Scottish actor from Bathgate, West Lothian, best known as the tenth actor to portray the Doctor in the television series Doctor Who. ... Doomsday is an episode in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. ... The current TARDIS prop as seen at the BBC Wales reception in 2005. ...

Will Truman and Grace Adler

Will Truman and Grace Adler, the protagonists of television sitcom Will & Grace are a gay man and straight woman typically described as being "in love" with one another, a situation which burdens them both. While there is no physical intimacy between them, the two have an almost marital relationship, at one point wishing to raise a child together. When the two fall out, their closest friends treat the situation like a break-up and "matchmake" to get them "back together". William Will Pierce Truman is a fictional character on the American sitcom Will & Grace, portrayed by Eric McCormack. ... Grace Elizabeth Adler is a fictional character on the popular American sitcom Will & Grace, portrayed by Debra Messing. ... A sitcom or situation comedy is a genre of comedy performance originally devised for radio but today typically found on television. ... Will & Grace is a popular Emmy Award winning and Golden Globe nominated American television sitcom that was originally broadcast from 1998 to 2006. ... In psychology, there are several models that attempt to explain and account for the trajectory of the breakup of a relationship. ... Matchmaking is any process of introducing people for the purposes of dating and mating, usually in the context of marriage. ...

Karen Walker and Jack McFarland

Another example of an opposite-sex romantic friendship is that of Karen Walker, a sexual predator and flamboyant bisexual woman, and Jack McFarland, an equally flamboyant gay man, in the television sitcom Will & Grace. Karen and Jack are often found together behaving in a similar way to two best friends who are women; often gossiping or discussing feminine issues (though at times Jack has shown little knowledge about female anatomy and other things of the same nature). Jack and Karen often caress, kiss, dance in a passionate style, and act in other romantic ways. However, whether this is a romantic friendship is not certain as Karen acts intimately to almost anyone she knows or sometimes complete strangers. Jack is similar but not to the same degree as Karen. In the series finale, the audience sees the two go on to live a long life in each other's company. Megan Mullally as Karen Walker Karen St. ... Sean Hayes as Jack McFarland John Philip Jack McFarland was a fictional character on the American television sitcom Will & Grace, played by Sean Hayes. ...

Hedda Gabler and Eilert Lovborg

From the play Hedda Gabler. An example of a romantic friendship that went wrong. As young adults, the two were very close friends, completely confessing and confiding in each other, to the point of near intimacy. Hedda, fearing that their mere friendship was threating to become something more, decides to break off contact with Eilert. The distraught Eilert, having no idea what had happened, goes the rest of his life haunted by realization that he had done something to lose his closest friend. When the two are eventually reunited, Hedda is married and Eilert is a best selling author, still a bachelor. Hedda, learning of the developing friendship between Eilert and another woman, becomes jealous. Knowing Eilert still harbors strong feelings toward her over their estranged friendship, Hedda emotionally manipulates him into a suicide pact. The story ends in tragedy, with both characters dead. ^{[citation needed]} Actress Cate Blanchett in the title role of Hedda Gabler Hedda Gabler is both a play and a fictional character created by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. ...

Notes

^ Faderman, L. (1998, 1981). Surpassing the Love of Men: Romantic Friendship and Love Between Women from the Renaissance to the Present, New York, Harper Collins. ISBN 0-688-13330-4. No page reference; the prior commonness of romantic friendship is the thesis of the entire book.
^ Faderman, L. (1998, 1981). Surpassing the Love of Men: Romantic Friendship and Love Between Women from the Renaissance to the Present, New York, Harper Collins. ISBN 0-688-13330-4, pp. 231-313.
^ Rothblum, E. (1993). Boston Marriages: Romantic but Asexual Relationships among Contemporary Lesbians, University of Massachussetts Press, ISBN 0-870-23876-0
^ See Faderman's introduction in the 1998 edition of Surpassing the Love of Men; Coontz's The Way We Never Were has as its thesis the social construction of a variety of family and relationship traditions, whereas Geller (Here Comes the Bride, 2001, New York, Four Walls Eight Windows, ISBN 1-56858-193-9) advocates for the abolition of marriage and a renewed focus on friendship for feminist reasons.
^ Coontz, S. (1992). The Way We Never Were: American Families and the Nostalgia Trap, New York: Basic Books. ISBN 0-465-09097-4
^ Faderman, Surpassing the Love of Men; Faderman's book uses a variety of these types of primary sources.
^ Crompton, L. (2003). Homosexuality and Civilization, page 379, Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674011-97-X
^ Rollins 1:55; Bush cited Montaigne's 1580 work "On Friendship," in which the exact quote was "And this other Greeke licence is justly abhorred by our customes"; cited from The Harvard Classics, 1909-1914 reprinted at http://www.bartleby.com/32/105.html
^ John Ruskin's 1865 essay "On Queen's Gardens" is a good example of the later view that emotionality was a female province; Kate Millet analyzes this essay in Sexual Politics (1969, 1970, 1990, 2000), University of Illinois Press, ISBN 0252068890. Many modern books such as Carmen Renee Berry's Girlfriends: Invisible Ties (1998), Wildcat Canyon Press, ISBN 188517120X, argue that intensity in friendship is a female capacity.
^ Montaigne, "On Friendship", 1580, from The Harvard Classics, 1909-1914 reprinted at http://www.bartleby.com/32/105.html
^ Anthony Rotundo, "Romantic Friendship," Journal of the History of Sexuality 23 [1985] 1-25.
^ Geller, Jaclyn. (2001). Here Comes the Bride (New York, Four Walls Eight Windows), ISBN 1-56858-193-9, pp. 320-323.
^ Coontz, 66.
^ Brain, Robert. (1976). Friends and Lovers, Great Britain, Hart-Davis, MacGibbon Ltd, ISBN 0-465-02571-4
^ 2 Samuel 1:26
^ Ruth to Naomi, Ruth 3:15-17
^ Faderman, 67, 121
^ Stuart, Elizabeth, "Just a Perfect Blendship," Our Families, Our Values (1997). New York, Harrington Park Press, ISBN 1-56023-910-7
^ Boswell, John. (1995). Same-Sex Unions in Pre-Modern Europe, Vintage; ISBN 0-67975-164-5; p. 76
^ A Groom of One's Own? By Brent D. Shaw From The New Republic (July 18 1994), 33-41 - [1]
^ Brain, 75-107
^ "Guy Love" music video from Scrubs Retrieved January 26, 2007
^ Xena and Gabrielle: A Revision of the Classic Romantic Friendship
^ Lucy Lawless interview

Lillian Faderman is a scholar whose books on lesbian relationships in history have earned critical praise and awards. ... Collins was a Scottish printing company founded by a schoolmaster, William Collins, in Glasgow in 1819. ... Lillian Faderman is a scholar whose books on lesbian relationships in history have earned critical praise and awards. ... Collins was a Scottish printing company founded by a schoolmaster, William Collins, in Glasgow in 1819. ... Stephanie Coontz is a feminist sociologist, author, and faculty member at The Evergreen State College. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... Basic Books is a book publisher founded in 1952. ... Location in Massachusetts Coordinates: , Country United States State Massachusetts County Middlesex County Settled 1630 Incorporated 1636 Government - Type Mayor-council city - Mayor Kenneth Reeves (D) Area - City 7. ... The Harvard University Press is a publishing house, a division of Harvard University, that is highly respected in academic publishing. ... Upper: Steel-plate engraving of Ruskin as a young man, made circa 1845, scanned from print made circa 1895. ...

Contents

Examples of historical romantic friendship

Shakespeare and Fair Lord

Montaigne and Estienne de La Boétie

Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Speed

Emily Dickinson and Sue Gilbert

Biblical and religious evidence for romantic friendship

Same-gender friendships with romantic overtones in pop culture

J.D and Turk

Xena and Gabrielle

Joey Tribbiani and Chandler Bing

Carl Carlson and Lenny Leonard

Batman and Robin

Cory and Shawn

Frodo and Sam

Shore and Crane

House and Wilson

Sora and Riku

Fitz and the Fool

Notable opposite gender friendships with romantic overtones

The Doctor and his companion

Will Truman and Grace Adler

Karen Walker and Jack McFarland

Hedda Gabler and Eilert Lovborg

Notes

See also

Contents

Examples of historical romantic friendship GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Shakespeare and Fair Lord

Montaigne and Estienne de La Boétie

Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Speed

Emily Dickinson and Sue Gilbert

Biblical and religious evidence for romantic friendship

Same-gender friendships with romantic overtones in pop culture

J.D and Turk

Xena and Gabrielle

Joey Tribbiani and Chandler Bing

Carl Carlson and Lenny Leonard

Batman and Robin

Cory and Shawn

Frodo and Sam

Shore and Crane

House and Wilson

Sora and Riku

Fitz and the Fool

Notable opposite gender friendships with romantic overtones

The Doctor and his companion

Will Truman and Grace Adler

Karen Walker and Jack McFarland

Hedda Gabler and Eilert Lovborg

Notes

See also

Examples of historical romantic friendship