Sexual humor is a common theme in many forms of literature that explores discomfort with eroticism and gender norms. Through literary devices such as metaphor, irony, and symbolism, authors can explore the complex relationship between sex and societal expectations, highlighting both the pleasures and challenges of human desire. In this article, we will examine how three different works of literature - _Fifty Shades Freed_, _The Scarlet Letter_, and _A Streetcar Named Desire_ - utilize sexual humor to interrogate these themes.
Let's consider the 2018 novel _Fifty Shades Freed_. This work follows the story of Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey, a couple who embark on an intense and often humorous sexual journey together. One example of sexual humor in the novel occurs when Grey tries to give Steele a "lesson" on how to pleasure herself using various objects from his collection. The scene is playful and comical, but it also reveals how their relationship challenges traditional ideas about female sexuality and power dynamics. By portraying Steele as a strong and independent woman who takes control of her own pleasure, the novel subverts patriarchal notions of male dominance and female submission.
_The Scarlet Letter_, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850, uses more subtle forms of sexual humor. In this classic tale of adultery, the protagonist Hester Prynne must wear a scarlet 'A' on her chest to publicly mark her shame.
She is also the victim of unwanted advances from men who see her as a sex object rather than a human being. Throughout the novel, Hawthorne uses irony to satirize these attitudes, showing how society's obsession with purity and morality leads to hypocrisy and judgment.
When Reverend Dimmesdale proposes marriage to Hester, he claims that she would be able to find happiness if only she were pure - despite the fact that he himself is secretly having an affair with another woman. This highlights the double standard between men and women in regards to sexual behavior and moral codes.
We have Tennessee Williams's _A Streetcar Named Desire_. This play explores the intense and tumultuous relationship between Blanche DuBois and Stanley Kowalski, two characters whose physical and emotional desires collide. One memorable scene occurs when Stanley forces himself onto Blanche after finding out about her past. The moment is shocking but also comical, as Blanche tries to fend off his advances while insisting that she is "not like that". Once again, the play challenges traditional notions of female sexuality and power dynamics by presenting Blanche as both victim and perpetrator. By subverting expectations, it allows readers to question their own beliefs about gender roles and social norms.
All three works of literature use sexual humor to explore complex themes around eroticism and gender norms. While some forms of humor are more obvious than others, each work offers unique insights into the difficulties of navigating desire and intimacy in a world that often denies or stigmatizes these experiences. Throughout our lives, we encounter societal pressures to conform to certain ideals of sex and relationships, and these texts offer us tools for questioning and resisting those pressures.
How does literature use sexual humor to interrogate discomfort with eroticism and gender norms?
Literature uses sexual humor to interrogate discomfort with eroticism and gender norms by providing a space for readers to reflect on their perceptions of sex and gender roles in society. Through the use of jokes, puns, and satire, authors can explore and challenge traditional gender stereotypes while also providing commentary on the social and cultural context surrounding sexuality.