"The Book of the Courtesans"

Paper Summary:

This essay discusses Susan Griffin's book "The Book of the Courtesans: A Catalogue of Their Virtues" as a deep and penetrating look into the history of the courtesan profession. The author asserts that Griffin's primary contention in this book is that courtesans have a special place in history; they were neither prostitutes nor part of the immoral underground of European society, but rather a prominent display of femininity during many different eras of Western history. The author also gives a positive personal opinion towards the book.

From the Paper:

"Griffin's book focuses on many different stylistic and literary techniques that help to make this both an entertaining and fluid narrative. Her organization of the book is very succinct; she offers the purpose of her book in the introduction by stating clearly that she intends to explain the artistic and aesthetic nature of the courtesan. She continues to advance this position through each following chapter and makes her organizational scheme very understandable. Each chapter works to enhance her position and defend her thesis. Although it may appear through this review that her work is academic in nature, the opposite is true. She carefully hides her thesis and the progression of her 'evidence' through the narrative biographies of famous courtesans throughout the ages. She tells the stories of Veronica Franco of 16th century Venice, Madame de Pompadour of Versailles and many other such courtesans who were able to entrench themselves into the heart of Western society. Through their stories she shows how they practiced their craft and were able to gain 'liberation' from society as a result of their prowess. Her story telling technique makes this narrative extremely digestible and makes her arguments very subtly throughout her work."

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• Analytical Essay # 26875 : "The Name of the Rose"

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