The Diary · Theme
Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality
How The Diary develops Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality.
The diary explores Pepys' marriage to Elizabeth, his frequent infidelities with servants and actresses, and the double standards of gender, alongside gossip about royal and noble sexual scandals.
Where it surfaces
- July 1662
The falling out between Lord and Lady Castlemaine over the christening of their child, and her removal of household goods.
- June 1663
Domestic tensions with Elizabeth over the boy and Ashwell; Pepys's jealousy of Pembleton.
- July 1663
Observations of the Queen, Lady Castlemaine, and Mrs. Stewart at court, including the King's coldness toward Castlemaine and Pepys's own fantasies.
- August 1663
Pepys's jealousy over his wife's dancing master Pembleton and domestic conflicts with Elizabeth over Ashwell.
- September 1663
Pepys struggles with guilt over his attempted infidelity with Mrs. Lane and reflects on his wife's hard work.
- November 1663
Pepys and Elizabeth have a heated quarrel over a servant's lie, but reconcile before bed.
- March 1663–64
Pepys's conflict with Elizabeth over the laced gown and the dog-breeding incident reveal domestic tensions and gendered expectations.
- June 1664
Pepys and Elizabeth argue about her going out; she cries and later seeks reconciliation.
- November 1664
Pepys's encounter with Bagwell's wife involves attempted seduction, reflecting his marital infidelity and gender dynamics.
- January 1664–65
Pepys's encounters with women, his wife's jealousy over a letter, and domestic tensions with Jane highlight gender dynamics and marital strife.
- May 1666
Pepys's marital tensions over attention to other women; his desire for Bagwell's wife and Betty Howlett.
- July 1667
Pepys's own marital quarrels, Nell Gwyn's affair with Lord Buckhurst, Lady Castlemayne's infidelity with Jermin, and Roger Pepys's mercenary marriage proposal all underscore themes of gender, power, and sexual politics.
- August 1667
Elizabeth's jealousy over Pepys's flirtation with Mrs. Knipp and her reproaches about his physical intimacy highlight marital tensions and gender dynamics.
- June 1668
Pepys's extramarital encounters and Elizabeth's jealous outburst reveal the strains in their marriage.
- November 1668
Pepys's vow to avoid looking at other women and his strained relationship with his wife over Deb Willet reflect domestic tensions around fidelity and gender roles.
- February 1668–69
Elizabeth's jealousy over maid Jane leads to marital conflict and reconciliation.
- May 1669
Pepys's jealousy over Deb and his wife's suspicions; his amours are noted as past.
