Eroticism and the Body Politic

Book Overview

By the end of the nineteenth century, women had become an undeniable force both in the public discussion of social life and in politics itself. Yet in art and literature women's bodies continued to be represented-- and domesticated-- by men. They were still more often the object of the artist's or writer's gaze than they were the subject of their own representing processes. The erotic potential of women's bodies, however, was far from a marginal concern...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0801840279
• ISBN13: 9780801840272
• Release Date: October 1990
• Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Review of Eroticism and the Body Politic

This is a scholarly work that brings together various essays on the influence of eroticism and pornography in the context of the political discourse. I concentrated on the articles pertinent to the French Revolution, particularly "The Diamond Necklace Affair: The Case of the Missing Queen," in which Sara Maza explored the disintegration of Marie Antoinette's reputation with the French public. Maza argued that the legal briefs written, published, and widely distributed by the lawyers involved in the prosecution and defense of the Cardinal de Rohan, con artist Jeanne de Valois, and prostitute Nicole Le Guay subtly and in some cases deliberately linked the Queen with the Jeanne and Nicole by way of merging their identities. This is a well-researched book, and easily understood and enjoyed by the casual reader as well as students.