Obsession in literature

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Hey - I'm doing research on the treatment of obsession in various cultural forms - film, art, etc., but literature is probably my weak spot. One book I've read that comes to mind is Death in Venice, but maybe some of you can help me out here? Non-fiction (apart from pop psychology) would be good as well. I would especially appreciate mention of older (pre-1960s) or non-American works.

Thanks!

― Land Ho (dymaxia), Saturday, 30 July 2005 01:31 (twenty years ago)

For example, this was a good entry point for me:

http://www.arthistoryclub.com/art_history/Erotomania

― Land Ho (dymaxia), Saturday, 30 July 2005 01:36 (twenty years ago)

Sounds like a pretty broad topic. Is this for a paper of some sort?

― Hurting (Hurting), Saturday, 30 July 2005 01:54 (twenty years ago)

Moby Dick is sort of an essential, I guess.

― Hurting (Hurting), Saturday, 30 July 2005 01:55 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, broader obsession is relevant, but I'm mainly trying to narrow it down to "erotomania"-type obsession. Certainly Lolita is another famous one, but I've read that a jillion times, so I'm looking to dig a little deeper - basically looking for anything : poetry, plays, novels, non-fiction (psychoanalysis, even biography).

― Land Ho (dymaxia), Saturday, 30 July 2005 03:14 (twenty years ago)

Ian McEwan, Enduring Love, is a fairly obvious novel to read about erotomania.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Saturday, 30 July 2005 10:08 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, I came across that in my travels - that looks like an interesting read. I'll definitely put that on my list. I guess I'm less interested in contemporary treatments of it and more interested in a historical grounding of the subject, since my background is in art history and social history. Most of my forays into academia have revolved around modernity, urbanism and industrialism, 1860s through 1920s, basically. I don't know if I'm going to write a book (I'm always telling myself I'll write a book) or just think about going to school again so I can devote more time to researching my subject area.

― Land Ho (dymaxia), Saturday, 30 July 2005 12:43 (twenty years ago)

If I find any interesting literature, I'll be sure to post it here! I love reading Freud and any literature on deviant psychology.

― Land Ho (dymaxia), Saturday, 30 July 2005 12:45 (twenty years ago)

Wittold Gombrowicz "Pornografia"

― jed_ (jed), Sunday, 31 July 2005 00:39 (twenty years ago)

That looks good - I'll put it on my list. Thanksk!

― Land Ho (dymaxia), Sunday, 31 July 2005 15:39 (twenty years ago)

Have you thought about De Sade's Philosophy of the Budoir?

― jacques, Sunday, 31 July 2005 16:38 (twenty years ago)

er...Philosophy in the Boudoir

― oopsie, Sunday, 31 July 2005 16:40 (twenty years ago)

here's something on the Gombrowicz

― jed_ (jed), Sunday, 31 July 2005 18:21 (twenty years ago)

Oh yes...a lonnng time ago, I picked up de Sade, but of course I never got around to finishing it. At least I have that stuff in my library, but thanks for the tip - that sounds very appropriate.

― Land Ho (dymaxia), Sunday, 7 August 2005 22:33 (twenty years ago)

two weeks pass...

Hi ... I'm researching sexual obsession in contemporary fiction for my PhD. 'The Collector' by John Fowles is a good one.

Sandra

― sandra cain, Monday, 22 August 2005 07:41 (twenty years ago)

Wow! No-one's mentioned Proust.

― the bellefox, Monday, 22 August 2005 08:22 (twenty years ago)

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