I am thoroughly convinced that Richard was in love with Charles. His "love" for Camilla is based on idealised convictions, comparisons to her brother, and masculine features. Due to him being the (very unreliable) narrator, her character is completely butchered and we only get traces of it (when he compares her and Henry as cold and ruthless). Honestly, I won't forgive Tartt for the overwhelming lack of good female characters (Judy Poovey as the "shallow, party girl" etc.)
part 2. Also. Richard is obsessed with Henry. He loves him in some way (not like he loves Charles), even after he realises that Henry logically played him. The fascination is oh god not straight at all. And Bunny's homophobia troubles him as well (although it is the class questions that bother him the most personally). The awkward conversation with Francis in the car is also the most obvious "bro, I'm not, y'know gay" moment ever. He is so far into the closet. Sorry?? I just have a lot of thoughts
omg love!!! do not apologise for this, i love talking about the secret history and having people agree with me about how obvious it is that richard papen is a closeted gay man who has so much internalised homophobia that he projects his attraction to men onto a woman. Tartt’s female representation is so bad, both in tsh and the goldfinch. (haven’t read the little friend yet!) which is why I feel like you can’t say a lot about Camilla or Judy in the canon story for example, except Richard see them as annoying. My big wish in this life is to read The Secret History from Camilla’s point of view.
Richard definitely is obsessed with Henry and as I see it, attracted to him in some way which is why he doesn’t think of it as completely fucked up that they murder one of their friends. As Richard tells us the story, I’d say Tartt builds up the time before Bunny’s murder so we are going to think that what the group did is the right thing. He even confesses in the end that he loves Henry. I suppose you are supposed to read that as non-romantic but his obsession with Henry Winter implies something else according to me.
The attraction he feels towards Charles and Henry (I dare to say Francis too) is the reason why he, during the whole time he tells us the story, doesn’t realise how fucked up what they have done is. Richard is so far into the closet which is why he is never the one to even dare to think about taking a step and do something with a person of the same gender as himself, but when Francis leans in and kisses him, starts to undress him, he does not protest. He continues because “Francis is there”. I believe that if they hadn’t been interrupted, he and Francis, if Francis would’ve taken it that far, would’ve slept with each other. Before he gets to know the group, Francis’ looks are the ones he describes the most and when he gets a chance to be intimate with him, he takes it. Not to be like that but Richard Papen is a gay man who was attracted to three of his male friends.
