Eros and Thanatos  

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-[[Image:The Nightmare by Fuseli.JPG|thumb|right|200px|+[[Image:El amor y la muerte(English Love and Death) is a plate 10 from Los Caprichos by Francisco Goya..jpg|thumb|200px|right|''[[El amor y la muerte]]'' (English: Love and Death) is plate 10 from the ''[[Caprichos]]'' by [[Francisco Goya]].
-''[[The Nightmare]]'' ([[1781]]) by [[Fuseli|Henry Fuseli]]]]+]]
-[[Image:Saint Agnes by Francesco del Cairo.jpg|thumb|right|200px|+{| class="toccolours" style="float: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:30em; max-width: 40%;" cellspacing="5"
-[[Saint Agnes]] [[stab]]bed ([[1637]]) by [[Francesco Cairo]]]]+| style="text-align: left;" |
- +"[[Human sexuality]] is, quite apart from [[Christianity and sexual morality |Christian repression]]s, a highly [[questionable]] phenomenon, and belongs, at least potentially, among the [[extreme]] rather than the ordinary experiences of [[humanity]]. Tamed as it may be, sexuality remains one of the [[demon]]ic forces in human [[consciousness]] - pushing us at intervals close to [[taboo]] and [[dangerous]] [[sexual desire|desire]]s, which range from the [[impulse]] to commit sudden arbitrary [[violence]] upon another person to the voluptuous yearning for the [[extinction]] of one's consciousness, for [[death]] itself." --[[Susan Sontag]] in the "[[The Pornographic Imagination]]"
 +|}
{{Template}} {{Template}}
-:"[[Human sexuality]] is, quite apart from [[Christian repression]]s, a highly [[questionable]] phenomenon, and belongs, at least potentially, among the [[extreme]] rather than the ordinary experiences of [[humanity]]. Tamed as it may be, sexuality remains one of the [[demon]]ic forces in human [[consciousness]] - pushing us at intervals close to [[taboo]] and [[dangerous]] [[desire]]s, which range from the [[impulse]] to commit sudden arbitrary [[violence]] upon another person to the voluptuous yearning for the [[extinction]] of one's consciousness, for [[death]] itself." --[[Susan Sontag]] in the ''[[Pornographic Imagination|The Pornographic Imagination]]'' 
-[[Sex]] and [[death]] have gone hand in hand since the earliest times. Philosophically, the theme has been explored by [[Georges Bataille]] in ''[[L'Érotisme]]''.+[[Sex]] and [[death]] have gone hand in hand since the earliest times, but were first explicitly linked as two complementary and contradictory [[drive]]s or [[instinct]]s in [[Freudian psychology]]. For Sigmund Freud [[Eros (concept)|Eros]] also called ''[[libido]]'', ''libidinal energy'' or ''love'', is the life instinct [[innate]] in all humans. It is the desire to create life and favours productivity and construction. But starting with Freud's essay ''[[Beyond the Pleasure Principle]]'' (1920), Eros is opposed by the destructive death instinct of [[Thanatos (Freud)|Thanatos]] (death instinct or death drive). In going "beyond" the simple [[pleasure principle (psychology)|pleasure principle]], Freud developed his [[theory of drive]]s, by adding the [[death instinct]], often referred to as "[[Thanatos]]," although Freud himself never used this term.
-="Erotic horror" in art, literature and cinema=+ 
 +Philosophically, the theme has been explored by in the oeuvre of French philosopher [[Georges Bataille]], most notably in ''[[Erotism: Death and Sensuality]]'' and ''[[The Tears of Eros]]''.
 +=In the arts=
-== In art ==+== Visual art ==
 +===Death and the maiden===
 +:''[[Death and the maiden]]''
 +'''Death and the Maiden''' was a common [[theme]] in [[Renaissance art]], especially in [[painting]]. It was developed from the [[danse macabre|Dance of Death]] theme and the myth of [[Persephone and Hades]]. The theme consists of a [[personified death]] figure and a "[[maiden]]". The new element was an [[erotic subtext]]. A prominent representative is [[Hans Baldung Grien]].
-*[[Death and the maiden]] 
==In cinema== ==In cinema==
-The erotic horror genre can best be approached through the work of Alfred Hitchcock and Jess Franco. The most relevant movie in the genre is ''[[Peeping Tom (film)|Peeping Tom]]''.+Eros and Thanatos in cinema -- or as it is also called -- the erotic horror genre, can best be approached through the work of [[Alfred Hitchcock]] in films such as ''[[Psycho (1960 film)|Psycho]]'' and ''[[Frenzy]]'', as well as the oeuvre of [[Jess Franco]]. The most relevant movie in the genre is ''[[Peeping Tom (film)|Peeping Tom]]'' by (1960) Michael Powell .
-===Further reading===+
-*[[Lesbian vampire]]s+
-*[[Snuff film]]s legend+
-*[[Peeping Tom (film)|Peeping Tom]] (1960) - Michael Powell +
-*[[Scream queen]]+
-=== Alfred Hitchcock ===+
-*''[[Psycho]]''+
-*''[[Frenzy]]''+
-=== Cinematic bibliography ===+Various [[exploitation film]]s have explored related themes such as [[lesbian vampire]]s, [[snuff film]]s and [[scream queen]]s and [[final girl]]s.
 + 
 +=== Bibliography ===
*[[Immoral Tales: European Sex and Horror Movies 1956-1984]] (1994) *[[Immoral Tales: European Sex and Horror Movies 1956-1984]] (1994)
-*[[Eros in Hell]] (1998) - Jack Hunter 
-*[[Necronomicon]] series (1996 - ) 
==See also== ==See also==
 +*[[Damsel in distress]]
 +*[[Dark Romanticism]]
 +*[[Drive theory]]
*[[Death drive]] *[[Death drive]]
*[[Eros (concept) ]] *[[Eros (concept) ]]
*[[Thanatos]] *[[Thanatos]]
-*[[Botan Doro]] 
-*[[Sexual aggression]] 
*[[Bodice ripper]] *[[Bodice ripper]]
*[[Erotic asphyxiation]] *[[Erotic asphyxiation]]
*[[Liebestod]] *[[Liebestod]]
*[[Little death]] *[[Little death]]
-*[[Love and death]]+*[[Love and hate]]
*[[Necrophilia]] *[[Necrophilia]]
-*[[Sex and death]]+*[[Pain and pleasure]]
-*[[Sex and violence]]+*[[Sexual aggression]]
*[[Beyond the Pleasure Principle]] *[[Beyond the Pleasure Principle]]
-*[[Death and eroticism in Norse paganism]]''  
-*[[Erotic horror]] 
*''[[The Tears of Eros]]'' *''[[The Tears of Eros]]''
-*[[De l’érotisme, il est possible de dire qu’il est l’approbation de la vie jusque dans la mort]]+*''[[Erotism: Death and Sensuality]]'', see [[De l’érotisme, il est possible de dire qu’il est l’approbation de la vie jusque dans la mort]]
-*[[Erotism: Death and Sensuality]]+
{{GFDL}} {{GFDL}}

Revision as of 17:37, 26 January 2014

El amor y la muerte (English: Love and Death) is plate 10 from the Caprichos by Francisco Goya.
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El amor y la muerte (English: Love and Death) is plate 10 from the Caprichos by Francisco Goya.

"Human sexuality is, quite apart from Christian repressions, a highly questionable phenomenon, and belongs, at least potentially, among the extreme rather than the ordinary experiences of humanity. Tamed as it may be, sexuality remains one of the demonic forces in human consciousness - pushing us at intervals close to taboo and dangerous desires, which range from the impulse to commit sudden arbitrary violence upon another person to the voluptuous yearning for the extinction of one's consciousness, for death itself." --Susan Sontag in the "The Pornographic Imagination"

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Sex and death have gone hand in hand since the earliest times, but were first explicitly linked as two complementary and contradictory drives or instincts in Freudian psychology. For Sigmund Freud Eros also called libido, libidinal energy or love, is the life instinct innate in all humans. It is the desire to create life and favours productivity and construction. But starting with Freud's essay Beyond the Pleasure Principle (1920), Eros is opposed by the destructive death instinct of Thanatos (death instinct or death drive). In going "beyond" the simple pleasure principle, Freud developed his theory of drives, by adding the death instinct, often referred to as "Thanatos," although Freud himself never used this term.

Philosophically, the theme has been explored by in the oeuvre of French philosopher Georges Bataille, most notably in Erotism: Death and Sensuality and The Tears of Eros.

Contents

In the arts

Visual art

Death and the maiden

Death and the maiden

Death and the Maiden was a common theme in Renaissance art, especially in painting. It was developed from the Dance of Death theme and the myth of Persephone and Hades. The theme consists of a personified death figure and a "maiden". The new element was an erotic subtext. A prominent representative is Hans Baldung Grien.

In cinema

Eros and Thanatos in cinema -- or as it is also called -- the erotic horror genre, can best be approached through the work of Alfred Hitchcock in films such as Psycho and Frenzy, as well as the oeuvre of Jess Franco. The most relevant movie in the genre is Peeping Tom by (1960) Michael Powell .

Various exploitation films have explored related themes such as lesbian vampires, snuff films and scream queens and final girls.

Bibliography

See also





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