Bellies, Bowels and Entrails in the Eighteenth Century

This collection of essays challenges the notion of the brain's supremacy during the Enlightenment by exploring the workings of the bowels and viscera, highlighting their role in eighteenth-century emotions and perceptions of the self. It offers an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural perspective on entrails and digestion, addressing urban history, visual studies, literature, medical history, religious history, and material culture in England, France, and Germany.

Format: Hardback
Length: 368 pages
Publication date: 08 August 2018
Publisher: Manchester University Press

This collection of essays aims to challenge the notion of the brain's supremacy as the key organ of the Enlightenment by delving into the workings of the bowels and viscera, which captivated writers and thinkers during the long eighteenth century. These inner organs and the digestive process served as counterpoints to politeness and other modes of refined sociability, drawing attention to the deeper aspects of the self. Moving beyond recent studies that portray dysfunctional bowels as a symptom of excess, this book seeks to explore other manifestations of the visceral and understand how the bowels played a crucial role in eighteenth-century emotions and perceptions of the self. The collection offers an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural perspective on entrails and digestion by addressing urban history, visual studies, literature, medical history, religious history, and material culture in England, France, and Germany.

The Enlightenment, a period of profound intellectual and cultural transformation, saw a shift in focus from the brain to the body. Writers and thinkers of the time were captivated by the workings of the bowels and viscera, which they believed held the key to understanding the human condition. This fascination with the inner organs and the digestive process was not limited to the realm of science but permeated various aspects of eighteenth-century life, including literature, art, medicine, and religion.

In this collection of essays, scholars from different fields come together to explore the multifaceted role of the bowels and viscera in the Enlightenment. They examine how these organs were depicted in art, literature, and medical literature, and how they were used to express and explore emotions and perceptions of the self. The essays also explore the cultural and social significance of entrails and digestion, examining how they were perceived and manipulated in different contexts and how they contributed to the development of modern medicine and scientific understanding.

One of the key themes of the collection is the relationship between the body and the mind. Scholars argue that the bowels and viscera were not just physical organs but also symbolic representations of the self and the mind. They explore how the digestive process, with its intricate rhythms and processes, was used to metaphorically represent the workings of the mind and how the bowels were seen as the seat of emotions and desires.

Another theme of the collection is the role of the body in shaping society and culture. Scholars examine how the obsession with the bowels and viscera influenced the development of urbanism, hygiene, and medical practices. They explore how the fear of contagion and the belief in the power of the body to heal and cure shaped social and cultural norms and practices.

The collection also offers an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural perspective on entrails and digestion. Scholars from different fields bring their expertise to bear on the topic, examining how entrails and digestion were perceived and interpreted in different cultures and societies. They explore how the Enlightenment's fascination with the body influenced the development of modern medicine and scientific understanding, and how it continues to shape our understanding of the human condition today.

In conclusion, this collection of essays offers a fresh and innovative perspective on the Enlightenment by delving into the workings of the bowels and viscera. It challenges the notion of the brain's supremacy and highlights the importance of the body in shaping our understanding of the human condition. The essays offer a wealth of insights and perspectives on the role of the bowels and viscera in eighteenth-century culture, and they provide a valuable contribution to our understanding of the Enlightenment and its legacy.

Weight: 590g
Dimension: 175 x 173 x 32 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781526127051