When Brokeback Mountain Was Written, No One Saw This Coming
When Brokeback Mountain Was Written
The short answer: Annie Proulx wrote the original short story "Brokeback Mountain" in 1997, with its first publication in The New Yorker on October 13, 1997. This initial publication placed the story into the literary spotlight, and it would later appear in a slightly expanded form in Proulx's 1999 collection Close Range: Wyoming Stories.
The 1997 publication date is supported by contemporaneous records and later biographical summaries. For instance, reporting on Proulx's story notes that it appeared in The New Yorker in October 1997 and subsequently gained awards and recognitions in the years that followed. These dates are widely cited in reference works and literary histories.
Beyond the publication, the story's creation spanned a defined period: Proulx has described writing the piece over roughly six months and revising it through more than sixty drafts, illustrating a meticulous, iterative process typical of her approach to craft. This development timeline situates the writing phase in the mid-to-late 1990s, preceding the 1997 publication.
Historical Context
The late 1990s marked a period of heightened visibility for LGBTQ+ themes in American literature and cinema, with Brokeback Mountain playing a pivotal role in broader cultural conversations about love, masculinity, and rural American life. Proulx's decision to publish the story in The New Yorker helped reach a wide, literate audience, and the immediate critical reception underscored the piece's literary significance.
Key Figures and Dates
Key dates and milestones surrounding the story include the following:
- October 13, 1997 - The New Yorker publishes the original Brokeback Mountain short story.
- 1998 - The story wins the National Magazine Award for Fiction, a prestigious recognition within periodical publishing.
- 1999 - An expanded version appears in Close Range: Wyoming Stories.
- 2000 - Close Range is a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, highlighting the story's broader literary impact.
These dates anchor the story's life arc from its private drafting to its public reception and later inclusion in a major short-story collection.
Industrial and Literary Impact
The publication of Brokeback Mountain in 1997 helped catalyze conversations about queer desire within conventional rural settings, a theme that resonated across literary and film circles. The narrative's compact form-lean, precise, and emotionally potent-demonstrated how a brief fictional piece could influence cultural discourse and inspire subsequent adaptations in other media.
Film Adaptation: A Related Timeline
While not part of the original writing timeline, the adaptation of Brokeback Mountain into a feature film began shortly after the story's publication. Screenwriter Diana Ossana and co-writer Larry McMurtry pursued permission from Proulx to adapt the story, a step that reflected the narrative's strong cinematic potential. The film, released in 2005, is often discussed in film scholarship alongside the 1997 story as part of a broader Messina-like evolution from short fiction to feature film.
Table of Milestones
| Milestone | Date | |
|---|---|---|
| First draft completed | Mid-1990s (approx. six months of writing) | Foundation of the story's final form |
| Publication in The New Yorker | October 13, 1997 | Public debut and critical reception launch |
| National Magazine Award for Fiction | 1998 | Recognition for excellence in magazine fiction |
| Expanded collection appearance | 1999 | Inclusion in Close Range: Wyoming Stories |
| Pulitzer Prize finalist | 2000 | Broader literary visibility and prestige |
FAQ
Conclusion
The central answer to the user query is clear: Annie Proulx wrote the short story Brokeback Mountain over a six-month period in the mid-1990s, and it was first published in The New Yorker on October 13, 1997. The story's later expansions and accolades-alongside the 2005 film adaptation-underscore its enduring impact on literature and cinema.
Helpful tips and tricks for When Was Brokeback Mountain Written
[Question]?
The core question "When was Brokeback Mountain written?" has a straightforward answer: the drafting occurred during the mid-1990s, with publication in 1997.
[What is the publication date of the story?]
The publication date of the story in The New Yorker is October 13, 1997. This date is consistently cited across reputable sources and bibliographies of Annie Proulx's work, establishing the public debut of the story.
[How long did Proulx work on the story?]
Proulx wrote the story over approximately six months and went through more than sixty drafts before its publication, reflecting a rigorous revision process that is characteristic of her method.
[Where was the story later published in expanded form?]
An expanded version appeared in Proulx's 1999 collection Close Range: Wyoming Stories, which collected several of her shorter pieces and helped bring Brokeback Mountain to a broader readership.
[When was Brokeback Mountain written?]
The story was written over roughly six months in the mid-1990s and published in The New Yorker on October 13, 1997.
[What is the connection to the film release date?]
The film adaptation began development after publication and was released in 2005, more than a decade after the story's initial appearance.
[Was there an expanded edition of the story?]
Yes. An expanded version appeared in Close Range: Wyoming Stories in 1999, broadening the narrative's reach within Proulx's Wyoming-set fiction.