The Puritan Conscience and Modern Sexuality

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Yale University Press, Jan 1, 1995 - Religion - 196 pages
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.
 

Contents

The Religious Meanings of Constancy
22
The Political Meanings of Constancy
34
Puritan Marriage and the History of Friendship
75
Passion Fidelity and the Stage
105
Pamela and the Hierarchy of the Sexes
118
Conclusion
140
Notes
163
Bibliography
183
Index
193
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