Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
In a fascinating essay in philosophical history, Edmund Leites examines the sexual attitudes of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century England and discusses how they have affected beliefs on a variety of issues. Drawing upon the insights of psychoanalysis and a wide array of historical and literary sources, Leites shows that the Puritans called for a lifelong integration of sensuality, purity, and constancy within marriage.
Synopsis
Drawing upon the insights of psychoanalysis and a wide array of sources-from lyrical Puritan marriage sermons to the works of Dryden, Congreve, and Richardson-Edmund Leites overturns the stereotype of Puritans as cold-blooded ascetics as he examines the sexual attitudes of seventeenth- and eighteenth- century England and demonstrates the impact they have had on modern beliefs.