Rape Fantasies
Encyclopedia
"Rape Fantasies" is a short story by the Canadian author Margaret Atwood
. The story, notable for its dark humour, was originally published in the Canadian edition of Dancing Girls
in 1977. The story gained greater attention and study when it was later published in the 1985 edition of Norton Anthology of Literature by Women
.
. She recounts a story about her lunch break with her co-workers, where they discuss their fantasies of rape over a card game. While her friends all have romanticized rape fantasies, Estelle breaks the trend by having humorous turns of events in her fantasies that help her thwart the rape attempt. In her stories she manages to escape rape in many ways, from having the rapist help her get lemon juice to squirt in his eyes, to helping the rapist get to the bottom of his emotional problems. Concerned that her rape fantasies are abnormal, she continues to share more and more stories, none involving an actual rape.
Margaret Atwood
Margaret Eleanor Atwood, is a Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, and environmental activist. She is among the most-honoured authors of fiction in recent history; she is a winner of the Arthur C...
. The story, notable for its dark humour, was originally published in the Canadian edition of Dancing Girls
Dancing Girls (book)
Dancing Girls is a collection of short stories by Canadian author Margaret Atwood, originally published in 1977 by McClelland & Stewart, Toronto. It was the winner of the St...
in 1977. The story gained greater attention and study when it was later published in the 1985 edition of Norton Anthology of Literature by Women
Norton Anthology of Literature by Women
The Norton Anthology of Literature by Women: The Traditions in English, published by W. W. Norton & Company, is one of the Norton Anthology series for use in English literary studies. It is edited by Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar...
.
Plot summary
The story centers around its narrator, a woman named Estelle, discussing her feelings and fantasies on rapeRape fantasy
A rape fantasy or a ravishment is a sexual fantasy involving imagining or pretending being coerced or coercing another into sexual activity. In sexual role-play it involves acting out roles of coercive sex...
. She recounts a story about her lunch break with her co-workers, where they discuss their fantasies of rape over a card game. While her friends all have romanticized rape fantasies, Estelle breaks the trend by having humorous turns of events in her fantasies that help her thwart the rape attempt. In her stories she manages to escape rape in many ways, from having the rapist help her get lemon juice to squirt in his eyes, to helping the rapist get to the bottom of his emotional problems. Concerned that her rape fantasies are abnormal, she continues to share more and more stories, none involving an actual rape.