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| Erotic literature An introduction by Evelyn Adama and Sue Mercer May 2001 |
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We are concentrating on erotic literature which we consider to be in a different category from the cruder, sexual novels, by authors such as Harold Robbins, Jilly Cooper, Martin Amis, A A Gill, and many others. We have kept away from books which detail ‘gratuitous sex’. Its an oft-used word now, so I thought I would look up the meaning. Some of the definitions are: unjustified, without reason, uncalled for, unwarranted, unprovoked, indefensible, unjustifiable; needless, unnecessary, superfluous, redundant, senseless, careless, wanton, indiscriminate, and many more. Hopefully, you will not think our literary references to love, sex and lust are in any way ‘gratuitous’. We have chosen some extracts and biographies of authors of Erotic Literature and it will be interesting to hear which you have chosen, and whether there is a difference between pornography and eroticism, or are they both the same? The definitions of the phrase ‘erotic literature’: The following are just some of the definitions of the phrase ‘erotic’ from the Oxford Dictionary. You can chose which one is the most apt description. sexually arousing, sexually exciting, sexually stimulating; titillating, salacious, prurient, lubricious, suggestive, pornographic, sexually explicit, lewd, soft-core, dirty, indecent, improper, vulgar, crude; libidinous, lustful, lascivious, lecherous, licentious; sexual, sexy, sensual, carnal, venereal, amatory; seductive, alluring, tantalizing, desirable, aphrodisiac; racy, risqué, ribald, naughty, bawdy, earthy, spicy, Rabelaisian; erogenous, adult; concupiscent; None of the extracts we have chosen use ‘four letter words’, obscene or distasteful language, but describe passion, lust and love as beautiful and precious. We found, and its probable that most of the extracts you have chosen, are written by men. It is only in this century that women have written erotic fiction, for themselves and for women readers. There is one book, marketed by Wordsworth Publications - Romance of Lust – written by an ‘unnamed’ man in the 19th century, who undoubtedly had a very inflated opinion of the size and efficacy of a certain part of his anatomy. I think nowadays the Trades Description, and Weights and Measures Acts could be called upon to refute his claims. He also makes many references to his ‘Pego’, not a mountain village near Javea, but the aforesaid, oft used, appendage! Virago Press and Black Lace Publications are two publishing houses which specifically cater for women who write erotic fiction for women. Extracts from books and other sources with reference to erotic literature, in chronological order as far as possible: Bible, Song of The Bible – Song of Solomon Of course, sex was discovered by Adam and Eve, and has been a source of literary invention since then. There are many references to sex, eroticism and ‘carnal knowledge’ in the Bible, but I think the Songs of Solomon is a wonderful example of Erotic Literature. Many of the phrases used in these verses have been copied down the centuries. Boccaccio’s Decameron – Sherehezade 1001 Nights: 1348 ish Fanny Hill - Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure, John Cleland 1750Everyone I have spoken to knows of the book Fanny Hill, but nothing, not even the name, of its author. Most thought it was written by a woman. Ashbee 1888 EROTOMANIAC – My Secret Life, Henry Ashbee Margaret R Hall 920 Lady Chatterly’s Lover D H Lawrence 1928 We talked about the writings of D H Lawrence a few meetings ago, but as one of the most famous of erotic writers, we have to mention him again, and I’m sure that someone has brought some of his works. This is perhaps the most famous of Lawrence’s novels written in 1928, distinguished for its explicit and detailed descriptions of the adulterous affair between an upper class woman and the game keeper who works for her wheelchair bound husband. Now that reading about sex and adulterous relationships is daily fare in the press, Lawrence has become well known for the right reasons, he was a masterful and lyrical author, with a wonderful ability to describe his characters and their lives and emotions. Miller and other associates 1930 Larkin 1943 It would appear that most modern writing concentrates more on pornography than on erotic literature. Any examples to the contrary will be very welcome. Ice Cream – Helen Dunmore Chaucer Patrick Susskind – Perfume Back to top Back to Articles page
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