Pornography gets people bothered as dependably as it gets them hot. There’s something philosophically itchy about text that is so intimately linked to action…” ( Weatherfield,M.1998 ). Pornography inspires many diverse and strong debates even today in the 21st century despite this topic’s notorious history throughout the ages. Aside of the social and political arguments on pornography, the history of this particular subject- its beginnings and the societies from which it came- is of great worth and interest. The literature coming out of France in the 18th century, the prohibited literature that was censored and burnt by those in authority as well as the writers of pornography themselves, were catalysts in revolutionising societies definitions of sexual practise and social custom. Thus the historical and social repercussions of this literary movement, its establishment of a rich genre of sexual representations and the subsequent views on sexuality within society, are seen to be heavily indebted to 18th century France.

Pornography’s definition is as troubling as its political debates. “The written or visual presentation in a realistic form of any genital o

To understand the full role of pornography in terms of societal change one must first look closer at 18th century society in France. On the eve of a revolution at the end of the 18th century, France’s autocratic ruler Louis XV stood minutes before the loss of his throne. A highly stratified class structure in place ensured that the distribution of wealth within the State only reached a small percentage of the population. With the aid of a strong religious framework promoting the dominant ideologies within the State- that also included patriarchy- guaranteed their continued control over all.

The elitist class of nobles were the main instigators in terms of literary pursuits. Apart from being very prestigious and knowledgeable, books were ways of communicating ideas among the powerful members of France. The element of power and the communication of it has great significance when considering literature, pornography and thus sexuality. Foucault proposes an interesting observation between history, culture and sexuality. The “episteme” which means “knowledge” in Greek of a culture is its “single and self-enclosed totality that includes its language, attitudes, ideas and science: it is all paradigms of that society” ( McElroy,W. 2001 ). The way in which that society approaches the world, how they think, and what they will do. The literature written at that time defining the way that culture sees themselves in a culturally constituted world. “The society reflects the texts…” ( McElroy,W. 2001 ) However it is important to note that the definitive role literature plays does not influence society. It is the “episteme” of that society, which creates the society itself ( McElroy,W. 2001). This is communicated to us centuries later via the same literature. Therefore the Marquis de Sade’s books for example, filled with sexual exploits and violent acts tell us more about French society than the length a man’s mind can go to whilst in prison! The French Revolution is believed to be the most accurate display of human nature aside of organised Christian ethic indoctrination. The murder and mayhem characterising that time is it not communicated to us through the nature of Sade’s writing ? The pirating of illegal books, the State’s clamp down on books relating to sexual practise in a culture that embodied the very essence of decadence and despotism. The single most important definitive factor in society of society is the texts which it produces. The violent and sexual nature of the 18th century is translated to us through its literature.

With the arrival of the printed

Some topics in this essay:
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