The Sadeian Woman: An Exercise in Cultural History [Paperback]

Angela Carter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2006

"Sexuality is power," wrote the Marquis de Sade. His virtuous Justine kept to the rules laid down by men, her reward rape and humiliation; his Juliette, Justine's triumphantly monstrous antithesis, viciously exploited her sexuality. This is a world where all tenderness is false, and all beds are minefields. But now Sade has met his match. With invention and genius, celebrated novelist Angela Carter takes on these figments of his extreme imagination and transforms them into symbols of our time—the Hollywood sex goddesses, mothers and daughters, pornography, even the sacred shrines of sex and marriage lie devastatingly exposed before our eyes. Carter delves into the viscera of our distorted sexuality and reveals a stunning vision of love that admits neither the conqueror nor the conquered. It is a dazzling meditation on women's sexual freedom.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Few women would feel inclined to treat the Marquis de Sade with affectionate familiarity. But Angela Carter is neither ordinary nor timid. The tone is one of intellectual relish ... rational ... refined ... witty' NEW STATESMAN 'The boldest of English women writers' LORNA SAGE

From the Publisher

"Sexuality is power," wrote the Marquis de Sade. His virtuous Justine kept to the rules laid down by men, her reward rape and humiliation; his Juliette, Justine's triumphantly monstrous antithesis, viciously exploited her sexuality. This is a world where all tenderness is false, and all beds are minefields. But now Sade has met his match. With invention and genius, celebrated novelist Angela Carter takes on these figments of his extreme imagination and transforms them into symbols of our time: the Hollywood sex goddesses, mothers and daughters, pornography, even the sacred shrines of sex and marriage lie devastatingly exposed before our eyes. Carter delves into the viscera of our distorted sexuality and reveals a stunning vision of love that admits neither the conqueror nor the conquered. A dazzling meditation on women's sexual freedom. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 181 pages
• Publisher: Virago UK (October 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1844083772
• ISBN-13: 978-1844083770
• Product Dimensions: 0.2 x 5.2 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #966,190 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Angela Carter (1940-1992) was the author of many novels, collections of short stories, plays, and books for children.