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Sexual Personae: Art and Decadence from Nefertiti to Emily Dickinson Paperback – August 20, 1991

by Camille Paglia (Author)

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Here is the fiery, provocative, and unparalleled work of feminist art criticism that launched Camille Paglia’s exceptional career as one of our most important public intellectuals. Is Emily Dickinson “the female Sade”? Is Donatello’s David a bit of pedophile pornography? What is the secret kinship between Byron and Elvis Presley, between Medusa and Madonna? How do liberals and feminists—as well as conservatives—fatally misread human nature? This audacious and omnivorously learned work of guerrilla scholarship offers nothing less than a unified-field theory of Western culture, high and low, since Egyptians invented beauty—making a persuasive case for all art as a pagan battleground between male and female, form and chaos, civilization and daemonic nature.

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Sexual Personae: Art and Decadence from Nefertiti to Emily Dickinson

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Editorial Reviews

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"A remarkable book, at once outrageous and compelling, fanatical and brilliant. . . . One must be awed by [Paglia's] vast energy, erudition and wit." —The Washington Post

“Sexual Personae [is] an enormous sensation of a book, in all the better senses of ‘sensation.’ There is no book comparable in scope, stance, design or insight.” —Harold Bloom

“The ability to infuriate both antagonists in an ideological struggle is often a sign of a first-rate book. . . . [Paglia] is a conspicuously gifted writer . . . and an admirably close reader with a hard core of common sense.” —The New York Times Book Review

“Paglia marshals a vast array of . . . cultural materials with an authorial voice derived from sixties acid-rock lead guitar. . . . Close to poetry.” —Greil Marcus, author of Lipstick Traces

“This book is a red comet in a smog-filled sky. . . . Brilliant.” —The Nation

From the Publisher

"A remarkable book, at once outrageous and compelling, fanatical and brilliant....One must be awed by [Paglia's] vast energy, erudition and wit"--Washington Post Book World

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Product details

Paperback: 718 pages
Publisher: Vintage Books (August 20, 1991)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780679735793
ISBN-13: 978-0679735793
ASIN: 0679735798
Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 1.4 x 8 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 98 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #43,798 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #16 in Books > Literature & Fiction > History & Criticism > Genres & Styles > Gothic & Romance
- #17 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Philosophy > Aesthetics
- #76 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Social Sciences > Gender Studies > General

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Nature and Art

Bycwkon November 28, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

The title captures the essence, the different personae (persona: social role, one's appearance displayed to the outside world) and the sexual element in these. The first chapter – Sex and Violence, or Nature and Art – presents the essence of her, at times extreme, argument. She then goes through an overview of Western culture with an emphasis on the Renaissance and Romanticism (where her work ends), Rousseau being regarded as a major and unfortunate influence. There is a concentration in her discussion of the Renaissance on the visual and in Romanticism on the literary. Her written style is a somewhat slowed-down version of her verbal style, infused with much quickness and wit. Why in a 700 page volume she didn't add a concluding chapter I do not know; perhaps after a long discussion on 'Amherst's Madame de Sade' she could endure no more. Still, abruptly ending with Emily Dickenson and her psychopathologies almost gives the impression that this is a collection of essays first published elsewhere.

The various dualities Dionysian / Apollonian, pagan / Judeo-Christian, female / male, nature / nurture and within nature (of which she has a dark view) itself as malevolent / benevolent are well portrayed and give rise to thought. Her discussion of the androgynous nature of different characters in literary works (e.g. those in Goethe) as well as the 'enormous power' of the mother/woman is well carried. In her analysis of various writers her argument is often repeated; perhaps to have taken fewer examples from each would have been adequate, then again she is presenting a view of various (mainly English) writers which is perhaps quite different from the standard literary critique and therefore worthy of explication.

Her discussions of Western decadence such as seen in later Romanticism are as relevant to America in 2016 as when first written (and most probably, too, her critique of the prevailing ideological climate of 'leading' American universities).

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Continues to be relevant and thought-provoking

Byarthistorian100on September 10, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This is now a classic in feminist art studies and philosophy. Readers in this field will know that Paglia's work can be polarizing. Camille Paglia and Donna Haraway--though substantially different from each other--wrote major tomes at the same time which affected the trajectory of feminist studies for the next two decades causing a proverbial divergence in the field. Fascinating writers and speakers, they are erudite and original. Paglia's first major book pushed boundaries and fomented interdisciplinary discussions and debates. This book is not for a general audience, though I think it might be a good idea for general readers to challenge their assumptions by reading a chapter or two and then coming back to it to see if their point of view has changed. Parts of the book read as if they are slightly dated from a different time while other parts read as if they could have been written this week. It's still relevant, and either way it prompts thinking. Some paragraphs can be lengthy and dense and may require a couple reads. Recommend this book (at least several chapters of it) for graduate seminars and upper division undergraduate courses.

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For a better appreciation of Camelia Paglia

ByBenon June 12, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

A bit drawn out. For a better appreciation of Camelia Paglia, read instead her Sex, Art, and American Culture.

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Dr. Paglia's A brilliant survey of Western cultural icons

ByC. M MillsTOP 1000 REVIEWERon February 16, 2004

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Camille Paglia is a brilliant professor of culture who is this groundbreaking work looks with original insight into cultural
art and literary works from the dawn of civilization to the
poetry of Emily Dickinson who she labels the "Sade of America>
Paglia sets us a paradigm of conflict between the sexes throughout history in realms as diverse as politics, art and
literature. Paglia sees the conflict as based on the Apollo instinct in male artists to overcome the dark, watery, earth-
centered female.
Through a detailed look at such literary giants as Shakespeare, the Romantic poets, Emily Bronte, Whitman, Poe,
Hawthorne, Melville and the late nineteenth century decadents such as Oscar Wilde, Bauldelaire, Gautier, Huysmans and others
she makes original and until now unnoticed observations on the work of each master artist.
The book should be read through to understand her point but students could also use the book to examine the chapters dealing with the particular author or literary/artistic movement they are studying.
Paglia's work is so important it is absud to expect a short review such as this one to do justice to Dr. Paglia's groundbreaking work which will wake up the academy and complacent feminists!
As a disciple of Dr. Harold Bloom this bisexual Italian-American academic is someone the student of the arts should read and savor.
Paglia is controversial but essential reading. I recommend her work and have enjoyed the week I spent with this book!
Highly recommended!

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Street-wise Scholarship

ByTwo Skieson August 29, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Paglia is one of our most important thinkers, a cultural critic who writes with insight, clarity, control and the occasional Molotov cocktail. Brilliant.

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Five Stars

ByJamie M. Blackon February 6, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

The most interesting book I've ever read. Thank you, Camille.

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Intellectual cocaine. Gets your wheels turning.

ByR. Elkindon August 14, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

The first part of the book is interesting and stimulating. Kind of a Cliff Notes for Nietzsche and Freud.

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Great source

ByRoberto Campaneruti Jr.on May 20, 2012

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Fot those who are searching a good resource to write about feminism and femal art it's a great book. Paglia provides you her point of view about women and her position in the western society, comparing to primarly and eastern ones.

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Most recent customer reviews

As everyone knows this is a great book. Paglia is a strange bird

As everyone knows this is a great book. Paglia is a strange bird. She is politically correct on the one hand while being Apollonian on the other which is a contradiction.Read more

Published 1 month ago by Smith

Like reading Nietschze

Like reading Nietschze, bold insights, fresh ideas about some of the deep enduring images in our civilization. I like the way Paglia is fearless in venturing her viewpoints.

Published 5 months ago by W. Jackson

good for focusing on a chapter that discusses a story ...

worthwhile, good for focusing on a chapter that discusses a story or book and film, you find interesting.

Published 6 months ago by brady stallings

One Terrific Romp

This is a classic of integration and integrity from 1990. It is among the really exciting reads, along with FEARFUL SYMMETRY and LOVE'S BODY.Read more

Published 6 months ago by Hu(man)

An Important Text and Voice for Today's Feminism

Far-reaching and enlightening. Think about what feminism (especially on college campuses) has today become----in my English class, literally when analyzing Yeats' 'Leda and Swan'...Read more

Published 7 months ago by Kevin

great packaging & rocket fast shipping

Outstanding product, great packaging & rocket fast shipping!! Would buy again. A+

Published 9 months ago by Amazon Customer

Sexual persona

Very detail analysis of a vast and diverse art forms. Excellent reading. Different perspective. Amazing the way the Camille see all forms of art and the connection to sexual...Read more

Published 11 months ago by Orlando

Five Stars

A masterpiece that showed up in great shape!

Published 1 year ago by Brad R.

Five Stars

Wonderful.

Published 1 year ago by Pen Name

A “CELEBRATION” OF “WOMAN’S ANCIENT MYSTERY AND GLAMOUR”

Camille Anna Paglia is a professor at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia; she has written other books such as Sex, Art, and American Culture: Essays,Vamps & Tramps: New...,Read more

Published 1 year ago by Steven H Propp

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