Though as the writing of the libretto progressed, certain versions showed Grimes' relations with his apprentice to be paederastic, Pears persuaded Slater to cut the questionable stanzas from the final version. Many scholars, instead of viewing this as a celebration of Grimes' abuse, look at it as Britten's condemnation of the homophobia of his era, and what he understood to be the destructive sociological consequences of it.
Though as the writing of the libretto progressed, certain versions showed Grimes' relations with his apprentice to be paederastic, Pears persuaded Slater to cut the questionable stanzas from the final version.
mark
though
Though
SCONJ
IN
mark
as
as
SCONJ
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
nsubj
Number=Sing
writing
writing
NOUN
NN
case
of
of
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
nmod
Number=Sing
libretto
libretto
NOUN
NN
advcl
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
progress
progressed
VERB
VBD
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
amod
Degree=Pos
certain
certain
ADJ
JJ
nsubj
Number=Plur
version
versions
NOUN
NNS
root
Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
show
showed
VERB
VBD
nmod:poss
Number=Sing
Grime
Grimes
PROPN
NNP
case
's
'
PART
POS
obj
Number=Plur
relation
relations
NOUN
NNS
case
with
with
ADP
IN
nmod:poss
Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs
his
his
PRON
PRP$
nmod
Number=Sing
apprentice
apprentice
NOUN
NN
mark
to
to
PART
TO
cop
VerbForm=Inf
be
be
AUX
VB
xcomp
Degree=Pos
paederastic
paederastic
ADJ
JJ
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
nsubj
Number=Plur
Pears
Pears
PROPN
NNPS
parataxis
Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
persuade
persuaded
VERB
VBD
obj
Number=Sing
Slater
Slater
PROPN
NNP
mark
to
to
PART
TO
xcomp
VerbForm=Inf
cut
cut
VERB
VB
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
amod
Degree=Pos
questionable
questionable
ADJ
JJ
obj
Number=Plur
stanza
stanzas
NOUN
NNS
case
from
from
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
amod
Degree=Pos
final
final
ADJ
JJ
obl
Number=Sing
version
version
NOUN
NN
punct
.
.
PUNCT
.
Many scholars, instead of viewing this as a celebration of Grimes' abuse, look at it as Britten's condemnation of the homophobia of his era, and what he understood to be the destructive sociological consequences of it.
amod
Degree=Pos
many
Many
ADJ
JJ
nsubj
Number=Plur
scholar
scholars
NOUN
NNS
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
mark
instead
instead
ADV
RB
fixed
of
of
SCONJ
IN
advcl
VerbForm=Ger
view
viewing
VERB
VBG
obj
Number=Sing|PronType=Dem
this
this
PRON
DT
case
as
as
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Ind|PronType=Art
a
a
DET
DT
obl
Number=Sing
celebration
celebration
NOUN
NN
case
of
of
ADP
IN
nmod:poss
Number=Sing
Grime
Grimes
PROPN
NNP
case
's
'
PART
POS
nmod
Number=Sing
abuse
abuse
NOUN
NN
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
root
VerbForm=Fin
look
look
VERB
VB
case
at
at
ADP
IN
obl
Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs
it
it
PRON
PRP
case
as
as
ADP
IN
nmod:poss
Number=Sing
Britten
Britten
PROPN
NNP
case
's
's
PART
POS
obl
Number=Sing
condemnation
condemnation
NOUN
NN
case
of
of
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
nmod
Number=Sing
homophobia
homophobia
NOUN
NN
case
of
of
ADP
IN
nmod:poss
Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs
his
his
PRON
PRP$
nmod
Number=Sing
era
era
NOUN
NN
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
cc
and
and
CCONJ
CC
conj
PronType=Rel
what
what
PRON
WP
nsubj
Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs
he
he
PRON
PRP
acl:relcl
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
understand
understood
VERB
VBD
mark
to
to
PART
TO
cop
VerbForm=Inf
be
be
AUX
VB
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
amod
Degree=Pos
destructive
destructive
ADJ
JJ
amod
Degree=Pos
sociological
sociological
ADJ
JJ
xcomp
Number=Plur
consequence
consequences
NOUN
NNS
case
of
of
ADP
IN
nmod
Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs
it
it
PRON
PRP
punct
.
.
PUNCT
.