American website Flavorwire has compiled a jolly list for a Wednesday afternoon: the top ten dirtiest male writers. It’s not for the faint-hearted, not least because the Marquis de Sade and John Wilmot, earl of Rochester, have not made the cut. Here is the list, with my thoughts on the selection and links to relevant reviews and articles.
10). Philip Roth. I’m too delicate to contemplate Portnoy’s Complaint and The Humbling at once.
9). William Shakespeare. I recall this line in Brett Easton Ellis’ Rules of Attraction: ‘You’d be on your back if you knew’. If so it’s pinched from Shakespeare: ‘Thou wilt fall backwards when thou hast more wit.’ Shakespeare’s famous idealisation of love is often tempered by a lascivious tone elsewhere, usually displayed by one of his characters. For instance, Iago’s disgust that Desdemona and ‘the moor’ have been ‘making the beast with two backs’ resonates throughout Othello.
8).
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in