La petite mort  

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-'''''La petite mort''''', [[French language|French]] for "the little death", is a [[metaphor]] for [[orgasm]]. The term has generally been interpreted to describe the [[postorgasmic]] [[faint]]ing spells some lovers suffer from. Also it can refer to the spiritual release that comes with orgasm, or a short period of [[transcendence]], an [[expenditure]] or spending of [[life force]].+:''[[postorgasmic illness syndrome]], [[post-coital tristesse]], [[refractory period (sex)]]''
 +'''''La petite mort''''', [[French language|French]] for "the little death", is an [[idiom]] and [[metaphor]] for [[orgasm]].
-Speculations to its origin include current connotations of the phrase, including+More widely, it can refer to the spiritual release that comes with orgasm or to a short period of melancholy or transcendence as a result of the expenditure of the "[[Energy (spirituality)|life force]]", the feeling which is caused by the release of [[oxytocin]] in the brain after the occurrence of orgasm. [[Literary critic]] [[Roland Barthes]] spoke of ''la petite mort'' as the chief objective of reading [[literature]]. He metaphorically used the concept to describe the feeling one should get when experiencing any great literature.
-to [[sleep]]+
-* [[Greco-Roman]] belief that the oversecretion of [[bodily fluids]] would "dry out" one of the believed [[four humours]], leading to [[death]]+
-* [[Islam]]'s reference to [[sleep]]+
-More widely, it can refer to the spiritual release that comes with orgasm, or a short period of melancholy or transcendence, as a result of the expenditure of the "[[Energy (spirituality)|life force]]". [[Literary critic]] [[Roland Barthes]] spoke of ''la petite mort'' as the chief objective of reading [[literature]]. He metaphorically used the concept to describe the feeling one should get when experiencing any great literature.+The term "la petite mort" or "the small death" does not always apply to sexual experiences. It can also be used when some undesired thing has happened to a person and has affected them so much that "a part of them dies inside". A literary example of this is found in [[Thomas Hardy]]'s ''[[Tess of the D'Urbervilles]]'' when he uses the phrase to describe how Tess feels after she comes across a particularly gruesome omen and meeting with her own rapist:
-A recent study of brain activation patterns using [[Positron Emission Tomography]] (PET) give some support to the experience of a small death:+<blockquote>
 +"She felt the ''petite mort'' at this unexpectedly gruesome information, and left the solitary man behind her."
 +</blockquote>
-:''"To some degree, the present results seem to be in accordance with this notion, because female orgasm is associated with decreased blood flow in the orbitofrontal cortex, a part of the brain that is crucial for behavioural control."'' (Regional cerebral blood flow changes associated with clitorally induced orgasm in healthy women) 
-The term 'la petite mort' or 'the small death' does not always apply to sexual experiences. It can also be used when some undesired thing has happened to a person and has affected them so much that 'a part of them dies inside'. A literary example of this is found in [[Thomas Hardy]]'s '[[Tess of the D'Urbervilles]]' when he uses the phrase to describe how Tess feels after she comes across a particularly gruesome omen and meeting with her own rapist.+== In art ==
 +*''[[Ecstasy of Saint Theresa]]'' (1647–1652) by [[Bernini]]
 +*''[[Beata Ludovica Albertoni|Death of the Blessed Ludovica Albertoni]]'' (1671–74) by [[Bernini]]
-'La petite mort' has been referenced in other art forms as well. In 1993 [[Jake and Dinos Chapman]] created a piece called ''[[Little Death Machine (Castrated)]]''. The sculpture is part of an installation at the [[Tate Britain]] gallery in London, which explores some of the overtly sexual views of the [[Surrealism|Surrealist]] movement. Surrealists such as [[Salvador Dali]] explored the links between sex and death through their art.+'La petite mort' has been referenced in other art forms as well. In 1993 [[Jake and Dinos Chapman]] created a piece called ''[[Little Death Machine (Castrated)]]''. The sculpture is part of an installation at the [[Tate Britain]] gallery in London, which explores some of the overtly sexual views of the [[Surrealism|Surrealist]] movement. Surrealists such as [[Salvador Dali]] explored the links between [[sex and death]] through their art.
-<blockquote> 
-"She felt the ''petite mort'' at this unexpectedly gruesome information, and left the solitary man behind her." ~ [[Tess of the D'Urbervilles]] by [[Thomas Hardy]] 
-</blockquote> 
== Popular culture == == Popular culture ==
*[[Lemony Snicket]] lists "la petite morte" as an example of a French phrase in ''[[The Carnivorous Carnival]]''. *[[Lemony Snicket]] lists "la petite morte" as an example of a French phrase in ''[[The Carnivorous Carnival]]''.
*[[Goldfrapp]] have a song called "Little Death" an unreleased song from there debut ''[[Felt Mountain]]''. *[[Goldfrapp]] have a song called "Little Death" an unreleased song from there debut ''[[Felt Mountain]]''.
- 
-== References == 
-1. The Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 21, 1952, No. 2. Int. J. Psycho-Anal., 34:353 
== Further reading == == Further reading ==
-*[[Category:Orgasm]] 
* Psychobiology of altered states of consciousness, Psychological Bulletin 2005, Vol. 131, No. 1, 98-127 * Psychobiology of altered states of consciousness, Psychological Bulletin 2005, Vol. 131, No. 1, 98-127
* Orgasmic aura originates from the right hemisphere, Neurology 2002;58:302-304 * Orgasmic aura originates from the right hemisphere, Neurology 2002;58:302-304
 +== See also ==
 +*[[Death, for the ancient Greeks, was "hollow and dark like woman".]]
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postorgasmic illness syndrome, post-coital tristesse, refractory period (sex)

La petite mort, French for "the little death", is an idiom and metaphor for orgasm.

More widely, it can refer to the spiritual release that comes with orgasm or to a short period of melancholy or transcendence as a result of the expenditure of the "life force", the feeling which is caused by the release of oxytocin in the brain after the occurrence of orgasm. Literary critic Roland Barthes spoke of la petite mort as the chief objective of reading literature. He metaphorically used the concept to describe the feeling one should get when experiencing any great literature.

The term "la petite mort" or "the small death" does not always apply to sexual experiences. It can also be used when some undesired thing has happened to a person and has affected them so much that "a part of them dies inside". A literary example of this is found in Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles when he uses the phrase to describe how Tess feels after she comes across a particularly gruesome omen and meeting with her own rapist:

"She felt the petite mort at this unexpectedly gruesome information, and left the solitary man behind her."


Contents

In art

'La petite mort' has been referenced in other art forms as well. In 1993 Jake and Dinos Chapman created a piece called Little Death Machine (Castrated). The sculpture is part of an installation at the Tate Britain gallery in London, which explores some of the overtly sexual views of the Surrealist movement. Surrealists such as Salvador Dali explored the links between sex and death through their art.

Popular culture

Further reading

  • Psychobiology of altered states of consciousness, Psychological Bulletin 2005, Vol. 131, No. 1, 98-127
  • Orgasmic aura originates from the right hemisphere, Neurology 2002;58:302-304

See also




Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "La petite mort" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.

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