Thérèse Philosophe
Encyclopedia
Thérèse Philosophe is a 1748 French novel ascribed to Jean-Baptiste de Boyer, Marquis d'Argens
. It has been chiefly regarded as a pornographic
novel, which accounts for its massive sales in 18th-century France (as pornographic works were the most popular bestsellers of the time). Aside from that however, this novel represents a public conveyance (and arguably perversion) for some ideas of the Philosophes.
s of Catherine Cadière
and Jean-Baptiste Girard, who were involved in a highly-publicized trial for the illicit relationship between priest and student in 1730.
Therese is placed in a convent, where she becomes sick because her pleasure principle is not allowed to express itself, putting her body into disorder. She is rescued by Mme. C and Abbe T. and she spies on them discussed libertine political and religious philosophy in between sexual encounters.
Therese's sexual education continues with her relationship with Mme. Bois-Laurier, an experienced prostitute. This is a variation on the whore dialogues common in early pornographic novels.
Finally, Therese meets the unnamed Count who wants her for his mistress. She refuses him intercourse, out of her fear of death in childbirth (not unreasonable at the time.) He makes a bet with her. If she can last two weeks in a room full of erotic books and paintings without masturbating, he will not demand intercourse with her. Therese loses and becomes the Count's permanent mistress.
, hedonism
and atheism
. All phenomena are matter in motion, and religion is a fraud, though useful for keeping the working classes in line.
The book not only draws attention to the sexual repression of women at the time of the enlightenment, but also to the exploitation of religious authority through salacious acts.
Jean-Baptiste de Boyer, Marquis d'Argens
Jean-Baptiste de Boyer, Marquis d'Argens was a French philosopher and writer.An arch-opponent of the Catholic Church, intolerance and religious oppression, he had to flee his native France and his books were frequently denounced by the Inquisition...
. It has been chiefly regarded as a pornographic
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
novel, which accounts for its massive sales in 18th-century France (as pornographic works were the most popular bestsellers of the time). Aside from that however, this novel represents a public conveyance (and arguably perversion) for some ideas of the Philosophes.
Summary
The narrative starts with Therese, from solid bourgeois stock, becoming a student of Father Dirrag, a Jesuit who secretly teaches materialism. Therese spies on Dirrag counseling her fellow student, Mlle. Eradice, and preying on her spiritual ambition to seduce her. Through flagellation and penetration, he gives her what she thinks is spiritual ecstasy but is actually sexual. "Father Dirrag" and "Mlle. Eradice" are named after anagramAnagram
An anagram is a type of word play, the result of rearranging the letters of a word or phrase to produce a new word or phrase, using all the original letters exactly once; e.g., orchestra = carthorse, A decimal point = I'm a dot in place, Tom Marvolo Riddle = I am Lord Voldemort. Someone who...
s of Catherine Cadière
Catherine Cadière
Catherine Cadière, or Marie-Catherine Cadière, , was an alleged French witch. The trial of Catherine Cadiére in 1731 is one of the most famous of its kind in French history, and have been referred to many times in literature, notably in the pornographic novel Thérèse Philosophe.- Background...
and Jean-Baptiste Girard, who were involved in a highly-publicized trial for the illicit relationship between priest and student in 1730.
Therese is placed in a convent, where she becomes sick because her pleasure principle is not allowed to express itself, putting her body into disorder. She is rescued by Mme. C and Abbe T. and she spies on them discussed libertine political and religious philosophy in between sexual encounters.
Therese's sexual education continues with her relationship with Mme. Bois-Laurier, an experienced prostitute. This is a variation on the whore dialogues common in early pornographic novels.
Finally, Therese meets the unnamed Count who wants her for his mistress. She refuses him intercourse, out of her fear of death in childbirth (not unreasonable at the time.) He makes a bet with her. If she can last two weeks in a room full of erotic books and paintings without masturbating, he will not demand intercourse with her. Therese loses and becomes the Count's permanent mistress.
Philosophical and social concepts
For all of its printed debauchery, the work has some philosophical merit in its underlying concepts. Between the more graphically adult sections of the novel, philosophical issues would be discussed amongst the characters, including materialismMaterialism
In philosophy, the theory of materialism holds that the only thing that exists is matter; that all things are composed of material and all phenomena are the result of material interactions. In other words, matter is the only substance...
, hedonism
Hedonism
Hedonism is a school of thought which argues that pleasure is the only intrinsic good. In very simple terms, a hedonist strives to maximize net pleasure .-Etymology:The name derives from the Greek word for "delight" ....
and atheism
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
. All phenomena are matter in motion, and religion is a fraud, though useful for keeping the working classes in line.
The book not only draws attention to the sexual repression of women at the time of the enlightenment, but also to the exploitation of religious authority through salacious acts.
Further reading
- William C. Brumfield, « Thérèse philosophe and Dostoevsky's Great Sinner », Comparative Literature, Summer 1980, n° 32 (3), p. 238-52
- Jacqueline Chammas, « Le Clergé et l’inceste spirituel dans trois romans du XVIIIe siècle : |Le Portier des Chartreux, Thérèse philosophe et Margot la ravaudeuse », Eighteenth-Century Fiction, Apr-July 2003, n° 15 (3-4), p. 687-704
- Catherine Cusset, « 'L’Exemple et le raisonnement': Désir et raison dans Thérèse philosophe (1748) », Nottingham French Studies, Spring 1998, n° 37 (1), p. 1-15
- Gudrun Gersmann, « Das Geschäft mit der Lust des Lesers: Thérèse philosophe-zur Druckgeschichte eines erotischen Bestsellers im 18. Jahrhundert », Das Achtzehnte Jahrhundert, 1994, n° 18 (1), p. 72-84
- Jean Mainil, « Jamais fille chaste n’a lu de romans : lecture en cachette, lecture en abyme dans Thérèse philosophe », Éd. Jan Herman, Paul Pelckmans, L’Épreuve du lecteur : Livres et lectures dans le roman d’Ancien Régime, Paris, Peeters; 1995, p. 308-16
- Natania Meeker, « 'I Resist no Longer': Enlightened Philosophy and Feminine Compulsion in Thérèse philosophe », Eighteenth-Century Studies, Spring 2006, n° 39 (3), p. 363-76
- Nicolas Miteran, « La Fureur poétique des abbés ou les illusions dangereuses : les Discours édifiants dans Thérèse philosophe (1748) », Éd. Et intro. Jacques Wagner, Roman et Religion en France (1713-1866), Paris, Champion, 2002, p. 83-97
- Anne Richardot, « Thérèse philosophe : Les Charmes de l'impénétrable », Eighteenth-Century Life, May 1997, n° 21 (2), p. 89-99
- Jeanne-Hélène Roy, « S(t)imulating Pleasure: The Female Body in Sade's Les Infortunes de la Vertu and Thérèse philosophe », Cincinnati Romance Review, 1999, n° 18, p. 122-31
- Hans-Ulrich Seifert, «Der Heilige Strick [Postface]», Thérèse philosophe, ed. Michael Farin et Hans-Ulrich Seifert, Munich 1990, p. 423-446