Erotica and Sexuality in Fanny Hill: Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure and Belle de Jour: The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl

• Main Authors: Chia-Chi Cheng, 鄭嘉琪
• Other Authors: Kai Chong Cheung
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/63096325078976120483

碩士 === 世新大學 === 英語學研究所(含碩專班) === 99 === Erotic literature has existed for centuries, and is now in the trend of being rampant through publications and the Internet in the past decades. But how does it come to exist? What significance it has to be written and produced for centuries? This thesis illustrates the significance and effect of erotic literature by using Fanny Hill: Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure and Belle de Jour: The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl to figure out what erotic literature is, the meaning of its existence and language, and what kinds of interaction happen between the context and the reader whilst reading. Since literature is not asexual, especially in the field of erotic literature, this thesis discusses what roles the protagonists play and what influences the authors try to make. Chuen-Juei Ho’s notions of sexual liberation are used to demonstrate the possibility of sexual liberation upon female heroines such as Fanny and Belle. Based on the range of this thesis, heterosexual relationship is assumed and a feminine perspective is occurred. The introduction includes the history of western erotic literature, the background of Fanny Hill and Belle de Jour, and the structure of this thesis. Chapter One illustrates the signification of erotic literature by dividing the context into two parts: instruction manual of sexual oppression and structural sex scene. Chuen-Juei Ho’s concept of “Gain and Lose” is brought to support the standpoints in this chapter. Chapter Two deals with sexual liberation. It first examines female’s situation of sexual repression and then develop the possibility of sexual liberation. The context is divided into two parts: myth of phallus and women’s claim to sexual liberation, and Chuen-Juei Ho’s notions of sexual liberation are also used to support the viewpoints in this chapter. Chapter Three indicates the major similarities and differences between Fanny Hill and Belle de Jour. The publication date of the two erotic novels has the distinction for 257 years; they share the same genre, and hold major similarities and differences. The last part is conclusion. It discusses whether or not erotic literature is “the enemy of women” and the possibility for future women to sexually liberated themselves.