Changes in Western views on sexuality

Author: Yu Fenggao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: The original title of this book is "The Origin and Development of Western Sexual Liberation," an academic monograph by Yu Fenggao, a renowned writer and researcher at the Zhejiang Academy of Social Sciences. The book begins with the marriage and sexual lives of humans in ancient Rome and Greece, then explores the "Dark Ages" of the Middle Ages and Christian asceticism, the influence of Judaism and Greek philosophy on human sexual concepts, and the backlash against asceticism and the emergence of "sexual liberation" during the Renaissance. It also covers the evolution of women's liberation movements, human marital freedom, sex education, and "sexual liberation" theories. The book is easy to understand, with concise and clear language, detailed historical records, and a well-structured narrative, making it highly beneficial for understanding the changes in Western sexual concepts.
Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: An Era of Sacred Sex and Sexual Freedom
- The Population of Greed
- Sexual Indulgence and Taboos
- The Passion of the Greeks for Sex
- Greek Homosexuality
- Courtesans and Temple Slaves
- Roman Restraint in Sex
- Roman Marriage
- License and Prostitution
Chapter 2: An Era of Sexual Evil and Suppression
- The "Dark Ages" and Christian Asceticism
- The Ascetic Views of Several Christian Masters
- The Influence of Judaism on Ascetic Thought
- The Penetration of Greek Philosophy and Religious Thought
- The Need for Self-Torture Among Christians
- The Practice and Deepening of Asceticism
- From Ascetic Ideology to Ascetic Laws
- The Harm and Essence of Christian Asceticism
Chapter 3: A Backlash Against Asceticism
- Life in the Middle Ages
- Christian Literature
- The Improvement of Women's Status
- Romantic Personal Love
- Courtly Love
- Knightly Love
- The Commoner's Love in Walter's Poetry
- Two Unrealistic Loves
Chapter 4: The Emergence of the "Sexual Liberation" Movement
- The Background of the Renaissance
- The Principles of Humanism
- Changes in Moral Concepts
- Depictions of Sexuality in Literature
- The Expression of Sexuality in Art
- Sexual Indulgence and Sexual Degradation
Chapter 5: Striving for Women's Status
- The Seneca Falls Declaration
- Factors Affecting Women's Status
- The French Revolution and Human Freedom and Equality
- The Views on Gender Equality in the Enlightenment
- Mary Wollstonecraft's Declaration
- The Changes in Women's Status Due to the Industrial Revolution in Britain
- The Women's Movement in Britain
- The Women's Movement in the United States
- Women's Movements Since the 20th Century
Chapter 6: Demanding Freedom in Marriage and Love
- The Unfreedom of Women in Traditional Marriage
- The Views on Marriage and Love of British Godwin
- Shelley's Views on Marriage and Love
- German Goethe and His Views on Marriage and Love in Affinity
- Friedrich Schlegel and His Views on Marriage and Love in Lucinde
- The Views on Marriage and Love of French George Sand and Others
- The Views on Marriage and Love of Swedish Almquist
Chapter 7: Aiming to Promote Sex Education
- The Case of Mrs. Arthur Holley
- The Importance of Sex Education
- Victorian Views on Sexuality
- Early Content of Sex Education
- Systematic Sex Education in Its Early Stage
- Malthus's Views on Birth Control
- The Pioneering Work of Margaret Sanger
- The Work of Marie Stopes
- The Realization of Sanger's Ideals
Chapter 8: The Forms of "Sexual Liberation" Theory
- Background
- Krafft-Ebing
- Ivan Bloch
- Havelock Ellis
- Sigmund Freud
- A. A. Lindsay
- Bertrand Russell
- Ellen Key
- Edward Carpenter
Chapter 9: The Development of the "Sexual Liberation" Movement
- Systematic Research on Sexuality by Kinsey and Others
- The Rise of Hedonism
- The So-Called "Unlimited Sex"
- Legislation Against Obscenity and Pornography
- The Bitter Fruit for Homosexuals
- AIDS and the Suppression of "Sexual Liberation"