Pornography, Sex, & Writing

Pornography and Sex Writing. While the
contemporary meaning of "pornography" suggests
primarily the visual representation of sex, the
roots of the word are in language: pornography
means "the writing of harlots." This course traces
literary sex writing from the Marquis de Sade to
the contemporary avant-garde and examines the
issues of language, the body, thought, sensation
and liberation that arise in it. Among the writers
we will look at are de Sade, Georges Bataille,
Pauline Reage, Jean Genet, Kathy Acker, Dennis
Cooper, and John Rechy. Pornography, Sex, &
Writing. While the contemporary meaning of
"pornography" suggests primarily the visual
representation of sex, the roots of the word are
in language: pornography means "the writing of
harlots." This course traces literary sex writing
from the Marquis de Sade to the contemporary
avant-garde and examines the issues of language,
the body, thought, sensation and liberation that
arise in it. Among the writers we will look at are
de Sade, Georges Bataille, Pauline Reage, Jean
Genet, Kathy Acker, Dennis Cooper, and John Rechy.