Nancy Mitford's Human Dragon-Fly: Love in a Cold Climate and the Creation of a Queer Figure

Abstract This paper analyzes the methods Nancy Mitford's employs in her novel, Love in a Cold Climate to normalize the queer character, Cedric Hampton, and gain the audience's acceptance. Through Mitford's inclusive language and affection for the character, she positions Cedric as a likable character in the text, and his detractors as the unrealistic, unreasonable, or unlikable figures. Cedric is a successful character in the text, not only because of his author's obvious affection for him, but also because of his outcome in the novel. He gets a happy ending, one of the happiest of the novel. Unlike other queer figures of the period, Cedric Hampton enjoys acceptance and success.