Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Erotic Citizens: Sex and the Embodied Subject in the Antebellum Novel
    Erotic Citizens: Sex and the Embodied Subject in the Antebellum Novel
    Erotic Citizens: Sex and the Embodied Subject in the Antebellum Novel
    Ebook459 pages6 hours

    Erotic Citizens: Sex and the Embodied Subject in the Antebellum Novel

    By Elizabeth Dill

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    What is the role of sex in the age of democratic beginnings? Despite the sober republican ideals of the Enlightenment, the literature of America’s early years speaks of unruly, carnal longings. Elizabeth Dill argues that the era’s proliferation of texts about extramarital erotic intimacy manifests not an anxiety about the dangers of unfettered feeling but an endorsement of it. Uncovering the more prurient aspects of nation-building, Erotic Citizens establishes the narrative of sexual ruin as a genre whose sustained rejection of marriage acted as a critique of that which traditionally defines a democracy: the social contract and the sovereign individual.

    Through an examination of philosophical tracts, political cartoons, frontispiece illustrations, portraiture, and the novel from the antebellum period, this study reconsiders how the terms of embodiment and selfhood function to define national belonging. From an enslaved woman’s story of survival in North Carolina to a philosophical treatise penned by an English earl, the readings employ the trope of sexual ruin to tell their tales. Such narratives advanced the political possibilities of the sympathetic body, looking beyond the marriage contract as the model for democratic citizenship. Against the cult of the individual that once seemed to define the era, Erotic Citizens argues that the most radical aspect of the Revolution was not the invention of a self-governing body but the recognition of a self whose body is ungovernable.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherUniversity of Virginia Press
    Release dateNov 28, 2019
    ISBN9780813943381
    Erotic Citizens: Sex and the Embodied Subject in the Antebellum Novel

    Related to Erotic Citizens

    Related ebooks

    Literary Criticism For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      The History Of queer Women

      Jan 25, 2024

      The History Of queer Women
      10 min read

    • Article

      Diving Deep

      May 8, 2017

      Serial immersionist TED CONOVER on the connections between anthropology and journalism; knowing when to resist digression; and the importance of writing “across the aisle.” TED CONOVER has spent his entire career delving into different cultural world

      18 min read

    • Article

      On Living Stories: Kristen Millares Young in Conversation with Kirsten Sundberg Lunstrum

      Jul 18, 2019

      The two authors talk about the intersections of community and the canon: “There must be space in literature for the multiplicity of human experiences.” The post On Living Stories: Kristen Millares Young in Conversation with Kirsten Sundberg Lunstrum

      12 min read

    • Article

      From the Editor

      Jul 29, 2019

      From the Editor
      5 min read

    • Article

      A Year in Reading: Ismail Muhammad

      Dec 10, 2017

      For me, 2017 was the year that journalism nearly supplanted fiction as my reading life’s dominant genre. I started the year in a state of alarm at Donald Trump’s inauguration. Shortly after he took office, I resolved to be a good, engaged citizen aft

      5 min read

    • Article

      A Year in Reading: Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore

      Dec 14, 2021

      Sometimes you just happen to be reading the right book—maybe it doesn't happen as often as you'd like, but when it happens oh my it happens. The post A Year in Reading: Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore appeared first on The Millions.

      11 min read

    • Article

      Freedom of Thought

      Mar 4, 2019

      Oxford University Press, 220 pp., $18.95 REAL PRESIDENTS READ BOOKS. When the Library of Congress was destroyed in the War of 1812, the former president Thomas Jefferson offered his collection to replace it, commenting that “I do not know that it co

      4 min read

    • Article

      Return To The MFA

      Aug 12, 2020

      I REMEMBER a story I last workshopped in my MFA program. It’s a story about Soma, a call-center agent in India who has to ignore daily encounters with American racism. In my story’s climax she has to empathize with a white woman accusing Indians of b

      12 min read

    • Article

      A Year in Reading: Destiny O. Birdsong

      Dec 11, 2020

      In a year when I too am coming to terms with my body’s history and limits, its future and fearless strengths, each of these pieces gave me space to mourn and laugh, to honor and to plan. The post A Year in Reading: Destiny O. Birdsong appeared first

      4 min read

    • Article

      Writing Is Thinking: Martha Anne Toll in Conversation with Ed Simon

      Jul 28, 2021

      Writers write, that's what we do—that's what we need to do. Writing is how I organize my experience and make sense of the world; in some ways writing is itself synonymous with thinking for me. The post Writing Is Thinking: Martha Anne Toll in Convers

      9 min read

    • Article

      The Enemies of Writing

      Jan 23, 2020

      The Enemies of Writing
      10 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Erotic Citizens

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Erotic Citizens - Elizabeth Dill

      1ebook_preview_excerpt.html}ْF`aL2 FQ4IJLEqT<(2~P}C'ڟ/{@D{Ƭ.瞻QЍuY\coC#0]}vk?guЯw>l3µU1||WɗcQ'׾i}˻h[?z<ݦc=lv;748pK/p/>e>򓽡k:Ow\Mj1ty?[!E?:'磏=eGtk:^{K7+!֪*4{[X}m siZް<OXnûdūrQcqՖTPkzn;~GN+7~mI?㭯*ߎ?,^^^}/>~Cu맯/x|'|iAv߿|@u:xu}FU~ h qS~p4x>XNa'{?ZŦ.ʿ.pT%mwq.H/Tϋg}&9[/:#r={vY<࣋?~@}KڮݺqkX#vbWЍn,BW'NީJצ!=\Q<`跍th~"^ߑCvma qa35QXU֞.UJIбld<&b%钭&[" [un|ߏGƀ7m'ث+]4l~B]2ҙׅ.Xf}E V#vGٻ;{,У:;xŎa|U6۹?2QdYaAf #1:®pκA |7>eK'3NPԾ>8V.5VZqEOBZ}$`2zfQ5f;REGHֳsА^vW?i%Rl>Ů;`GٸrGc(.@ ;ɇ(wۭs;v6tSS;GGQ+,/^O~u+ ,ТSkAgNߜ,Ԧ!҂%Co|j:[؂ʪeیfN|nabo`!hb=p,RhׄŋivCR m%I6ut5f eGOLn5g/_T5~Ҏ )S'~LRԀLjݚY-HKM bLh6Xҳt,] AbTߟpNYHHMfEfz_7,d)`,zHpXޑY\V[5z؊A)`~w{-P֮ek_ B1hkn4@5ٟDyʁBtUK$mJJgfJg;qq" ae$+[Mg8! FO7!heG;6kWʘW?I\v/uX?#c20߶'nf^'/w6o;0@ED2ya3f )6p^SQd4=5'(^bam,wfԩf < +@DJn$Y˚=[@qX1C%։)Ta Ysus'8Šˡ~][ 9$0Z@w?YuMyĖeu+4M!Z+!ȼsz.(ݍo<[d/<|q=S,Il;󼾾,=$MPW )Ⱦ| ̣:јXBg}#W_#4מ ]-{~ `X̀H<3 vSmzٚbap~9 gS%0@$R\h#2>P$]O?̙QZ)WO}/QU|>іvC9 qwRXq6ߘMƨ)tzH 8U$)Iɧ"wƎc@2)eǩ]ZO?BР*I$ Cgq{q䬏yt44C<'! S3::;CD⾨Cpŋ5ő+r >A^P +YA;בaW{adž_ٳCx$)5[Ξް&STc,dYtxP2?z'V -$>=-9 q!Y 5Y,C=UƎ6R0l4/ n;z$*rO+ֈD\ݫvoFW%+t2M;E8b{2#Kgn=4/Ȕd ip(\#|JS<4JML./FQ H6qLoZZ!S`HH|jc ytyzf05A[A dv! ǰŇ@"%ѫҖ#$K80'L>_[{ߺ\2'yAzzԅ&Aؓ0U!3|?un # Q}W'Si HlM@rJ;d  )u$ڒx^(60fϞ@tRtDyUm6_vE05{rWf %4$!úvNjp[Lz`O9L2.cD5 O*ŗ@Z<ۃ㾱+>?VNchމ`-=ƅjayK |nvt1(~  #ۄJ|?F$t':NFuW1?d*6a#mT955Ujԍ"&Kl3+DG{8W ͺ[U&+ɸs&55%h[81^Dh]-`n{Gq W犴i |HRgbAU #Q|pZU_%b%{H1! ʋJaEPf#m{-fS/+zJ۳%}>\Ettpou _:U%pV#(lA? /E?H 7nj˝ͩ-!v_yMÛ"F8(I}:U'o &f3^YK2 P*=)b .E{Kv홲POFK$}"{mLh* .\<!E;LڠJw׭Z_\c/q_ܦFg#v]~OۋN-L_FXS**>Z?)pR916A^|[1Z{̵b{ ~Wxf>l03|KD 0@d:]纲2(z+yfB KdHnWZdXb{,ݮ`GԶ`Nc:fF|IF&NbX pPo9>W'ȎILVIAH[Rr G:֓hBX9 %xdV ]t $6VER' f@ hذ0`د4=%!|Q8#O_IX{ȏE{W1Q-5ҸL!f);y36eiHhd*DIwgNî 8PyȂe,1J RahfqXv%֙qbHg.I'HcE wy XqbԵ- HHc8dhY3* y9.&"%|B3;Sb<*@9\K K 6 FU|ZoHh}%Zr Ι/e<D!.-=v WK3z⅀q_ҵTtG=UE+ &a]Hq03/vje`KBY{ Su0}"g)NVU\O<)$Nl[y9nbѫIjbǥWiYԘJVe6;:4xbVgca*`rK 4jxOR.e}-;pnGNe YH8~@T\hwGu3a'}OQA2Zoۤ個a۹VJo$g]- +>¥)rKbm3*j6ȥ2 hK`V3 }S ׫}x֚R6 Øi@vz:1u/ކN4j8| IJJ4Z58`$r]Un-xfR{N(s:ay/ Po@K}\? !tv=t*_?3E GdBT ϕː V\9/H!le1%Uu 3NsP5YH%*]DZa:%0+D&/waq1Mk$α2]lKrp %։=Iɓ+Ĕ_CbMTl6a- i.*O-ϖƖkÍC꺑F 4wL{AT2бռ-oiV1ev3~t-yL'e R>KG.:NVhj諥DgraWs? 8—VbA@/W◟&B5ńP$C{M~L¤RLYfk5,5C(G/!FZ![N3}&]p@ D(Ljmݴn^21Ba伐XoKoJ&\D(6[;aRS4; 'Ќs"Yqt jQFDU3y5U^Q, ovKҁ޿EgC1w ?P,nOhREkeT #Z1΋cR7}:$Tlq`lٹ ̴T 'fX KXi.zeILi)>fH>1Ī&0iT$a{+Eɺ!HUYB/ x%#ޭe`N`teT!ffNӽ>˄[[o@2Gn(I8t ԇwqb!}Zh0w;vϽbyc㹆5(O8qaK1En&kK6Qzs7fL*wMdFSuF2Y_ q ZߤyR*}tEDV&fF+3RmD) ]8hIq٧vN9=lll~#~j{W(IdUcI9-ZlsjA&cd6LLI]PƭCTT)=oLPb轻l' q1Ntν)v*qA%oaKH4vjȡ9R UxmpawD018s<f"Cqf^aFlP/?OI=f 6"QBR?چgHOۼ.SlK֪TIN/Րx1+xЕڛլWb 1Oݽ;*<皁I .l ØhA8Ӛҳc$v [~Q.Tdy}%p!a %pY\ 2]HʸsGޘ~ղ[5d!$ xN5A;Uh;Kv^p`>>fgS`8IQ.2@peigvw G&bィefdV.ѲDCE7C{UXq2DvF:ro`NyYD:tAbRJh:k{$i0hBbEx8&wFe6oXgb.31Leb)-MjvyZf;C9ww8qVjoyёSl. c8~w,T?gYaL {hLd9(TU }yK֖s0CW&`m[6yI zaUk=4!*]9K|.Xb^٘my#xʥ9C*@:/h<{ Hф e>aG.8Q,n3W k%gi=*(3eZj`g%uo[Gجg!JIBǬNm lvR$VQ$ǯ"4M]TAqqHbt?.P)խHJbiC<P ͹AP2Q1Œ3Ov1g븪yT""Agz+G% O ]kLgr:hTFݠ^e3G)-))XR ]ZLHk/Eż4#+giDd6: SŽCLQ3;1{]^q^/e1M:Ϊ#Lfxl)IBÑ16D v+/4L3uEWev)ݧ^cULHtlcQ*9 3'CV;,8U uJaXo7Wx|(_̉ E)$'rMt,#wٕ7?hx##r&a[ٌp˜;36 7)AV|ۣ1S!MUc{chtćFuǩDcNI21#D |釃ŵj Mo&=̀[HXs2$iiC qTH?F0 Y,;V- -t |gfE c)Ý͗B3 XP g|'/_ƔYYo ==JO?)Ɓtf3mLrdZtFs"%:FZ#@_mf޻sC6iO{*/e= zm◽Q/@.A# HIe5AQTa 7c7aOWtic%>S6}r*w`YXlڑF-_>+%YA `WʠeԒ[F[nvM#ĦyV-UINTyw-o[ 8Zh을DwPs ܘ2AQ͙P𥡘x==ZS+ Zf/A}[ncެbUldfsYeEq-Ma$ q5U8']~W $ Bv"ip1 u`\O6UB"nȲrHOm@|.k"FyG%*Zj=<Ho H2wPgceFTs_fg<ꆐj5u0G y)y¼1O_(=T;˰.-g yMUשEQ̡9)'Ur{"~M+iz1rFk!NFhFx&"Y5yOnOWK2{N ރ0qzܔ ߾HEs1R=۞ZqVS  3]7]4Vbs}B"Vc Wϫ Hw( v.kJ'o,揽@ؕh PoOg& jnɩSbCz%JsEW\\?Ty5f8 -!tX3IxB. eY1[!39Es'%(I/tL&|5nr$|d6KԊ]Sܥs[j݄ nRzLo~|Db|@|k6Ƥ> Km, A%08X3)4~,+q8)x́Jbp|;_-.yT{C<rZWyÐcJ sO"h, ](~eNmˠ,dgg6B/S t]~8u@JUƪ}M1u5JÙ qtl]b/L^?`'ǥ,]e6Hhs9Fk/RcDsNr%5Y +( k@p1:!#\!u!hs<xʤ7HB^Ӱ;кoo}poZ̬*(hg5y٧4B(>1g,Ÿ7eIdwi`z9/U4N`dsFSw%D %Jo1W_EO(,( k9_)y]~Ŗ?LqV3GOLYWY0Xs2ҍ-Ӕ>`\W@*US;O=8 MvBRl3&cAĢhcEi?l4*(+odZOKRkpD&aiݰ֜[GbZ ŲF2 .VAy#_Rm ]K#m4V^&=&g ~LWz(OKhIIw45fH[J,m",! 86'ŃB>T~@[&ZII$uZ}$#TImQR\+=*oI0df[OAjWv6d{y&VgZKx%O q|W2KYg^8Ϧ 0Ȝ5^nNdayҖA[~]blviy+zN'<~ cC^jENK"cMcsqp>UX0vbE1M]eI2:[ٓ<
      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1