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Allison P. Coudert from the Clitoris to the Breast

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Allison P. Coudert from the Clitoris to the Breast AllisonȱP.ȱCoudert (TheȱUniversityȱofȱCaliforniaȱatȱDavis) FromȱtheȱClitorisȱtoȱtheȱBreast:ȱTheȱEclipseȱofȱtheȱFemaleȱLibidoȱin EarlyȱModernȱArt,ȱLiterature,ȱandȱPhilosophy AsȱanȱundergraduateȱtakingȱaȱcourseȱinȱeighteenthȬcenturyȱEnglishȱliteratureȱI rememberȱwonderingȱhowȱitȱwasȱpossibleȱtoȱgoȱfromȱtheȱterrifyingȱdescriptionȱof libidinous,ȱ castratingȱ witchesȱ inȱ sixteenthȱ andȱ seventeenthȱ centuryȱ witchcraft treatisesȱtoȱtheȱmawkishȱsentimentalityȱofȱSamuelȱRichardson’sȱPamelaȱandȱJeanȬ JacquesȱRousseau’sȱJulie?ȱWhatȱhappenedȱtoȱtheȱrakishȱheroinesȱofȱRestoration drama,ȱandȱhowȱwereȱtheȱfeistyȱheroinesȱinȱAphraȱBehn’sȱcomediesȱofȱloveȱand intrigueȱtransmogrifiedȱintoȱthoseȱbloodlessȱ“angelsȱinȱtheȱhouse”ȱsoȱcelebrated byȱCoventryȱPatmore?1ȱAndȱwhatȱkilledȱoffȱcharactersȱlikeȱMollȱFlanders,ȱwhose viewȱofȱmotherhoodȱwasȱcasualȱinȱtheȱextreme,ȱonlyȱtoȱreplaceȱherȱwithȱGreuze’s “LaȱMèreȱbienȱaimée”ȱ(TheȱBelovedȱMother),ȱoneȱofȱtheȱmostȱpopularȱpicturesȱat theȱ Salonȱ ofȱ 1765?2ȱ (Fig.ȱ 1.)ȱ Asȱ Diderotȱ commented,ȱ thisȱ pictureȱ isȱ “dramatic poetry”ȱthatȱinvitesȱ“us”—meaningȱhusbands—toȱaction,ȱtheȱactionȱofȱgivingȱone’s wifeȱ“asȱmanyȱchildrenȱasȱyouȱcan.”3ȱ Why,ȱinȱshort,ȱdidȱdiscussionsȱofȱtheȱirrepressibleȱandȱdangerousȱfemaleȱlibido soȱcommonȱinȱancient,ȱmedieval,ȱandȱearlyȱmodernȱliterature,ȱart,ȱandȱmedicalȱand scientificȱ treatisesȱ giveȱ wayȱ toȱ sentimentalȱ homiliesȱ aboutȱ theȱ marvelsȱ of motherhoodȱandȱpaeansȱtoȱtheȱfemaleȱbreast?4ȱAnd,ȱfurthermore,ȱwhatȱeffectȱdid thisȱhaveȱonȱtheȱactualȱlivesȱofȱwomen?ȱ 1 CoventryȱPatmore,ȱTheȱAngelȱinȱtheȱHouse,ȱBooksȱ1ȱ&ȱ2ȱ(London:ȱHaggerstonȱPress,ȱ1998). 2 Greuzeȱexhibitedȱaȱsketchȱofȱ“TheȱBelovedȱMother”ȱatȱtheȱSalonȱinȱ1765.ȱThisȱsketch,ȱwhichȱisȱnow lost,ȱprovidedȱtheȱbasisȱforȱGrueze’sȱsubsequentȱpaintingȱofȱtheȱscene.ȱAnȱengravingȱofȱthis paintingȱ(Fig.ȱ1)wasȱlaterȱproducedȱbyȱJeanȱMassardȱandȱpublishedȱinȱ1775. 3 DenisȱDiderot,ȱSalons,ȱed.ȱJeanȱSeznecȱandȱJ.ȱAdhémarȱ(Oxford:ȱClarendonȱPress,ȱ1975),ȱI,ȱ233,ȱII, 155.ȱCitedȱinȱCarolȱDuncan,ȱ“HappyȱMothersȱandȱOtherȱNewȱIdeasȱinȱFrenchȱArt,”ȱTheȱArt Bulletinȱ55ȱ(1973):ȱ570–83;ȱhereȱ570. 4 Onȱtheȱdangersȱofȱfemaleȱlibido,ȱseeȱLyndalȱRoper,ȱOedipusȱ&ȱtheȱDevil:ȱWitchcraft,ȱSexuality,ȱand ReligionȱinȱEarlyȱModernȱEuropeȱ(NewȱYork:ȱRoutledge,ȱ1994);ȱeadem,ȱWitchȱCraze:ȱTerrorȱand FantasyȱinȱBaroqueȱGermanyȱ(NewȱHavenȱandȱLondon:ȱYaleȱUniversityȱPress,ȱ2004). Copyright © 2008. De Gruyter. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except fair uses permitted under U.S. or applicable copyright law. EBSCO Publishing : eBook Collection (EBSCOhost) - printed on 1/12/2017 1:37 PM via UNIV OF GEORGIA AN: 259667 ; Classen, Albrecht.; Sexuality in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Times : New Approaches to a Fundamental Cultural-Historical and Literary-Anthropological Theme Account: uga1 838 AllisonȱP.ȱCoudert Itȱisȱtheȱpurposeȱofȱthisȱpaperȱtoȱshowȱhowȱattitudesȱtowardȱmaleȱandȱfemale sexualityȱchangedȱduringȱtheȱsoȬcalledȱ“longȱeighteenthȱcentury”ȱ(1660–1800)ȱas aȱnewȱformȱofȱessentialismȱcameȱtoȱdefineȱtheȱsexes,ȱrestrictingȱwomenȱtoȱthe domesticȱrealmȱmoreȱcloselyȱthanȱeverȱbefore.ȱAsȱmanyȱscholarsȱhaveȱpointedȱout, theȱdefinitionȱofȱwomenȱinȱtermsȱofȱmarriageȱandȱmotherhoodȱwasȱmoreȱthanȱa domesticȱmatter,ȱforȱitȱreflectedȱsocial,ȱpolitical,ȱandȱeconomicȱdevelopmentsȱinȱthe worldȱatȱlarge.ȱCapitalism,ȱnationalism,ȱandȱcolonialismȱallȱcontributedȱtoȱeclipse theȱfemaleȱlibidoȱasȱtheȱbreastȱtookȱprecedenceȱoverȱtheȱclitorisȱandȱnursingȱover orgasms.5ȱ Duringȱtheȱeighteenthȱcenturyȱtheȱideaȱfirstȱaroseȱthatȱtheȱtrueȱwealthȱofȱnations layȱinȱitsȱpopulation.6ȱConsequently,ȱtheȱfemaleȱreproductiveȱbodyȱwasȱinȱeffect colonizedȱforȱtheȱgoodȱofȱtheȱMotherȱCountry.ȱJustȱlikeȱagriculturalȱland,ȱmothers wereȱ enclosed,ȱ andȱ motherhoodȱ wasȱ conceptualizedȱ inȱ termsȱ ofȱ increased productionȱ andȱ equatedȱ withȱ theȱ capitalizationȱ ofȱ agricultureȱ andȱ the industrializationȱofȱmanufactures.7ȱJohnȱWesleyȱaptlyȱcommentedȱthatȱdescribing childbirthȱ inȱ termsȱ ofȱ “reproduction”ȱ ratherȱ thanȱ “generation,”ȱ asȱ itȱ had traditionallyȱbeenȱcalled,ȱturnedȱwomenȱintoȱproductiveȱunitsȱmuchȱlikeȱ“beasts” asȱwellȱasȱ“nettlesȱorȱonions.”8ȱInȱsoȱfarȱasȱscientistsȱandȱmedicalȱpractitioners collaboratedȱinȱthisȱtransformationȱofȱwomenȱfromȱsexualȱbeingsȱtoȱmothersȱwrit large,ȱthisȱessayȱprovidesȱoneȱmoreȱexampleȱofȱhowȱtheȱscientificȱideasȱofȱeveryȱera inevitablyȱreflectȱlargerȱsocialȱrealities.9ȱ Twoȱ lastȱ pointsȱ needȱ toȱ beȱ made.ȱ First,ȱ theȱ ideologyȱ ofȱ motherhoodȱ that developedȱfromȱtheȱlateȱseventeenthȱtoȱtheȱnineteenthȱcenturiesȱwasȱclassȱspecific, applyingȱsolelyȱtoȱtheȱminorityȱofȱwomenȱinȱtheȱmiddleȱandȱupperȱclassesȱwho hadȱtheȱincomeȱandȱleisureȱnotȱtoȱwork.ȱAndȱsecond,ȱitȱwasȱaȱprescriptiveȱideology thatȱmaskedȱtheȱveryȱrealȱfearȱofȱfemaleȱsexualityȱandȱtheȱcontemptȱforȱwomen andȱmotherhoodȱthatȱappearsȱinȱmuchȱofȱtheȱfiction,ȱart,ȱmedical,ȱscientific,ȱand philosophicalȱwritingȱofȱtheȱperiod.10ȱForȱallȱtheȱrhetoricȱglorifyingȱmotherhood 5 Forȱanȱinsightfulȱstudyȱofȱfemaleȱlibido,ȱorȱdesire,ȱinȱtheȱtwelfthȱcentury,ȱseeȱtheȱcontributionȱto thisȱvolumeȱbyȱJuanitaȱRuys. 6 LisaȱFormanȱCody,ȱBirthingȱtheȱNation:ȱSex,ȱScience,ȱandȱtheȱConceptionȱofȱEighteenthȬCenturyȱBritons (OxfordȱandȱNewȱYork:ȱOxfordȱUniversityȱPress,ȱ2005),ȱ20–21. 7 RuthȱPerry,ȱȈColonizingȱtheȱBreast:ȱSexualityȱandȱMaternityȱinȱEighteenthȬCenturyȱEngland,Ȉ JournalȱofȱtheȱHistoryȱofȱSexualityȱ2ȱ(Februaryȱ1992):ȱ204–35;ȱrpt.ȱinȱEighteenthȬCenturyȱLifeȱ16ȱ(1992): 185–213. 8 CitedȱinȱCody,ȱBirthingȱtheȱNation,ȱ20–21. 9 HelenȱE.ȱLongino,ȱScienceȱasȱSocialȱKnowledge:ȱValuesȱandȱObjectivityȱinȱScientificȱInquiryȱ(Princeton: PrincetonȱUniversityȱPress,ȱ1990). 10 AsȱweȱhaveȱlearnedȱfromȱPeterȱGayȱamongȱothers,ȱforȱallȱtheȱtalkȱaboutȱtheȱsexlessȱangelsȱin nineteenthȱcenturyȱhouseholds,ȱpassionate,ȱorgasmicȱsexȱforȱbothȱmalesȱandȱfemalesȱdidȱnot vanish.ȱPeterȱGay,ȱTheȱBourgeoisȱExperience:ȱVictoriaȱtoȱFreudȱ(NewȱYork:ȱOxfordȱUniversityȱPress, 1984). Copyright © 2008. De Gruyter. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except fair uses permitted under U.S. or applicable copyright law. EBSCO Publishing : eBook Collection (EBSCOhost) - printed on 1/12/2017 1:37 PM via UNIV OF GEORGIA AN: 259667 ; Classen, Albrecht.; Sexuality in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Times : New Approaches to a Fundamental Cultural-Historical and Literary-Anthropological Theme Account: uga1 FromȱtheȱClitorisȱtoȱtheȱBreast 839 andȱpraisingȱ“angelic”ȱwives,ȱtheȱoldȱimageȱofȱtheȱlibidinous,ȱcastratingȱwitch lingeredȱonȱlikeȱaȱdarkȱshadowȱdoggingȱtheȱnewȱ“CultȱofȱWomanhood.”ȱAsȱtoȱthe questionȱ ofȱ whetherȱ orȱ notȱ theȱ ideologyȱ ofȱ motherhoodȱ wasȱ goodȱ orȱ badȱ for women,ȱscholarsȱprofoundlyȱdisagree,ȱasȱweȱshallȱsee.ȱ Inȱ viewȱ ofȱ ourȱ society’sȱ penchantȱ forȱ demonizingȱ certainȱ womenȱ asȱ “bad mothers,”ȱitȱmayȱbeȱhardȱtoȱbelieveȱthatȱjudgingȱwomenȱinȱtermsȱofȱtheirȱmaternal andȱnurturingȱqualitiesȱisȱaȱrelativelyȱmodernȱphenomenon.11ȱAȱwomen’sȱstatus didȱnotȱdependȱonȱherȱreputationȱasȱaȱgoodȱorȱbadȱmother.ȱInȱfact,ȱbeforeȱthe eighteenthȱcenturyȱmothersȱwereȱprettyȱmuchȱleftȱoutȱofȱliteraryȱworksȱandȱeven autobiographies.12ȱ Louisȱ Montroseȱ commentsȱ onȱ theȱ absenceȱ ofȱ mothersȱ in Shakespeare,ȱandȱoneȱwouldȱhardlyȱknowȱfromȱreadingȱtheȱautobiographiesȱof Richardȱ Baxterȱ andȱ Johnȱ Lockeȱ thatȱ theyȱ wereȱ “ofȱ womanȱ born.”13ȱ Jonathan GoldbergȱnotesȱtheirȱabsenceȱfromȱStuartȱfamilyȱportraitsȱasȱwell.14ȱTheȱexistence ofȱsuchȱaȱthingȱasȱaȱ“maternalȱinstinct”ȱwasȱflatlyȱdeniedȱbyȱLockeȱonȱtheȱsame groundsȱthatȱheȱrejectedȱtheȱnotionȱofȱinnateȱmoralȱlawsȱofȱanyȱkind.ȱAsȱheȱsays inȱhisȱEssayȱonȱHumanȱUnderstanding:ȱ Ifȱanyȱ[rule]ȱcanȱbeȱthoughtȱtoȱbeȱnaturallyȱimprinted,ȱnone,ȱIȱthink,ȱcanȱhaveȱaȱfairer Pretenceȱ toȱ beȱ innate,ȱ thanȱ this;ȱ Parentsȱ preserveȱ andȱ cherishȱ yourȱ children.ȱ When thereforeȱyouȱsay,ȱThatȱthisȱisȱanȱinnateȱRule,ȱWhatȱdoȱyouȱmean?ȱ.ȱ.ȱ.ȱ.ȱ[Forȱweȱdoȱnot needȱto]ȱseekȱsoȱfarȱasȱMingreliaȱorȱPeru,ȱtoȱfindȱinstancesȱofȱsuchȱasȱneglect,ȱabuse,ȱnay andȱdestroyȱtheirȱchildren;ȱorȱlookȱonȱitȱonlyȱasȱtheȱmoreȱthanȱBrutalityȱofȱsomeȱsavage andȱbarbarousȱNations,ȱwhenȱweȱremember,ȱthatȱitȱwasȱaȱfamiliar,ȱandȱuncondemned PracticeȱamongstȱtheȱGreeksȱandȱRomans,ȱtoȱexpose,ȱwithoutȱpityȱorȱremorse,ȱtheir innocentȱInfants.15ȱ 11 Ruthȱ H.ȱ Bloch,ȱ “Americanȱ Feminineȱ Idealsȱ inȱ Transition:ȱ Theȱ Riseȱ ofȱ theȱ Moralȱ Mother, 1785–1815,”ȱFeministȱStudiesȱ4,ȱno.ȱ2ȱ(June,ȱ1978):ȱ100–26:ȱ“.ȱ.ȱ.ȱinȱseventeenthȱandȱearlyȱeighteenthȬ centuryȱliteratureȱwrittenȱandȱreadȱinȱAmerica,ȱmotherhoodȱwasȱsingularlyȱunidealized,ȱusually disregardedȱasȱaȱsubject,ȱandȱevenȱatȱtimesȱactuallyȱdenigrated”ȱ(100).ȱTheȱsameȱheldȱtrueȱfor England.ȱInȱtheȱDunciadȱ(1728),ȱforȱexample,ȱAlexanderȱPopeȱdescribedȱtheȱmotherȱandȱnovelist Elizaȱ Haywoodȱ (ca.ȱ 1693–1756):ȱ asȱ beingȱ “Withȱ cowȬlikeȱ udders,ȱ andȱ withȱ oxȬlikeȱ eyes.” AlexanderȱPope,ȱTheȱDunciad,ȱed.ȱValerieȱRumboldȱ(NewȱYork:ȱPearsonȱEducationȱLimited,ȱ1999), Bk.ȱ2,ȱii,ȱl.ȱ164. 12 Forȱ remarkableȱ exceptionsȱ inȱ theȱ caseȱ ofȱ Marieȱ deȱ France’sȱ twelfthȬcenturyȱ lais,ȱ seeȱ the contributionȱtoȱthisȱvolumeȱbyȱMollyȱRobinsonȱKelly. 13 Louisȱ Montrose,ȱ “Aȱ Midsummer’sȱ Night’sȱ Dreamȱ andȱ theȱ Shapingȱ ofȱ Elizabethanȱ Culture: Gender,ȱPower,ȱForm,”ȱRewritingȱtheȱRenaissance;ȱTheȱDiscourseȱofȱSexualȱDifferenceȱinȱEarlyȱModern Europe,ȱed.ȱMargaretȱW.ȱFerguson,ȱMaureenȱQuilliganȱ&ȱNancyȱJ.ȱVickersȱ(Chicago:ȱChicago UniversityȱPress,ȱ1986);ȱLevinȱL.ȱSchücking,ȱTheȱPuritanȱFamily:ȱAȱSocialȱStudyȱfromȱtheȱLiterary
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