And the sky, the light, the trees, the whole of Nature would be, as always, in league with them: Daniel was a man of evil will. (136) This curious line describes Daniel, the only homosexual character in The Age of Reason , and his perception of himself. It is an unflattering image imbued with self-loathing, indicative of a mind that views its perceiver as a social outcast and a victim of universal oppression. It is interesting to note that Daniel’s homosexuality is hidden from the public, and that there is no indication that he has been openly discriminated against – and yet, what we have here is a young man in his prime, possessor of a “dark, handsome, blue-jowled visage,” whom Marcelle ironically calls “her dear archangel” (82), grappling with a self-hatred so powerful that every thought crossing his mind is associated with destruction and death. Our first proper introduction to him takes place in Chapter 7, and it is here that we find Daniel shaving “naked to the...