Food in Literature

[Dark Muse]

I am going to be writing an essay on the role of food within literature, with a focus upon the way in which food is used to represent sexuality and serves as a symbol for physical desire. Something along the lines of Christina Rossetti's the Goblin Market. And Eve eating of the forbidden fruit in Milton's Paradise Lost.

I would be interesting in any suggestions of any works you may know of that might use food as a metaphor of lust, or as a way to convey sexuality. I am open to anything, novels, poems, short stories, perhaps even plays or works of mythologies.

But I would prefer classical works over contemporary.

[dfloyd]

but try the Satyricon of Petronius Arbiter. The description given of the feast of Trimalchio may have what you are looking for. Anyway, there is some pretty erotic stuff in The Satyricon.

[Dark Muse]

Thanks for the recomendation I will look into it.

[Jozanny]

I know this isn't what you requested Dark, but you might consider renting Tampopo (http://www.amazon.com/Tampopo-Ken-Watanabe/dp/6305154880), at least for points of comparison. It is one of my favorite modern Japanese films, and while it may be outside of the western tradition, it has a modern fairytale quality within its narrative, and very erotic to boot.

[Dark Muse]

I do enjoy modern fairy tale themes and I usually enjoy Japanese film

[lupe]

There is a book that you should have as THE reference for this kind of research, thought it's from the contemporary literature. It's called "Immoral Recipes" ("Los recettas immorales"), and it's written by the famous Spanish writer - and gastronome!- Manuel Vásquez Montalbán. It explores precisely the connexion between food and sexuality in literature and life.

[wessexgirl]

Try Tom Jones by Henry Fielding. I remember the part in the film with Albert Finney where the ravishing of food was the precursor to sex, but I can't remember if it was in the book or not. See if you can see that clip, it's bound to be on Youtube.

[Lulim]

I'd recommend "The Flounder" by Günter Grass; food is not the major theme there, but there are frequent references to food, the novel is quite voluminous, though.

[Scheherazade]

How about A Confederacy of Dunces even though it is not a "classical" work.

[The Comedian]

How about A Confederacy of Dunces even though it is not a "classical" work.

This is a good choice and a favorite novel of mine as well. The food in this book is not so much high-quality as it is long. . . a foot-long, if I remember correctly.

Another book of fiction that features food, rather prominently, is The Sun Also Rises -- here food and drink are often used to forward themes of detached self-interest.

And a contemporary author, Jim Harrison, whose novels I find beautiful and compelling, uses food and all the social nuance of dining with others a a variety of fun and thought-provoking ways.

[wessexgirl]

Try Tom Jones by Henry Fielding. I remember the part in the film with Albert Finney where the ravishing of food was the precursor to sex, but I can't remember if it was in the book or not. See if you can see that clip, it's bound to be on Youtube.

Edited to say it is, here it is:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1zHzbgZ3ys

[Dark Muse]

How about A Confederacy of Dunces even though it is not a "classical" work.

Haha even though it is not classical since I just read that book the thought of it here did cross my mind.


Edited to say it is, here it is:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1zHzbgZ3ys

That scene would be pefect if it was in the book itself.

[sixsmith]

I've not read it but i'm led to believe Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's The Leopard is what you are after.

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/firsttuesday/video/default.htm?program=firsttuesday&pres=20090901&story=2&tab=2009%A0

[Dark Muse]

That does sound interesting.

[Jozanny]

I've not read it but i'm led to believe Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's The Leopard is what you are after.

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/firsttuesday/video/default.htm?program=firsttuesday&pres=20090901&story=2&tab=2009%A0

I have, and I am working on an essay myself about Lampedusa and Italian modernism. I cannot recall off hand where food is used in the novel for frustrated desire explicitly, though there is a gathering with cakes, where the eldest daughter, who is most of her father's nature, has a love at first sight instance which never actualizes. Given what Dark is searching, not sure this would be the book, though it is anti-clerical.