Eroticism lies in sexuality, but it's through the human mind that all
the historical contexts spawn. Thus, helping us to comprehend all its concepts
throughout history.
Accounts on sexual beauty and sexual fantasies epitomize the
idea of eroticism, as the vital essence of the art of sex and sexuality.
Erotica has in its scope, aesthetic notions of the human figure so to be admired
and contemplated.
Remarks found in literature define eroticism as a state of sexual excitement,
more prone to experiment sexual excitement than average people, sex in literary guise, art or doctrine, and state of love-ridden passion.
Underlying in eroticism there's history of cultures, creeds, religions and
the physical body and mystery ridden, which engulfs and brings on certain restlessness
of the man in relation to the human nature.
The understanding of the word eroticism has been undergoing alterations all
the while, as such, stems from our own perceptions of the world. Sensations
experienced in life, dreams, desires and idealizations with the sexes.
A man's perception, a magnifique faculty that differentiates us from the other
animals is the very tonic or eroticism, as it has its peak in the use of creativity.
The emulation of art, in the beauty of bodies united the symbolic value of images,
wonderful and abound. Art never goes on short supply and eroticism is intimately
linked to it.
So far so good, as we referred only to a handful of brief comments on what
eroticism would be for the public appreciation.
Nevertheless, the word eroticism imbues more than we can imagine, and for a
better understanding, we travel back in history to the ancient Greece.
The banquet of Plato the Greek philosopher has Aristophanes as one of its guests,
who in turn tells that before the wake of Eros the humanity consisted of three
sexed beings made of male, female and androgynous.
The androgynous beings of round-like shape had four hands and four legs, two
faces and two genitals, four ears but only one head. They were powerful beings
and out of the blue decided to challenge Zeus, ended up punished as Zeus cut
them in halves.
The androgynous grew weak, but useful, becoming more numerous to serve the
gods.
With the division of their bodies, these beings began to look for their other
matching halves. When finding they would hug each other entwined in profound
will of being reunited again to be happy ever after.
Eros spawned from it, the myth that unites the universal to the singular, the
raw power that links the cosmos to each life form.
There two significant aspects in the Aristophanes' speech: - Gross reference to the power of Eros, whose power is capable of restoring the
ancient perfection and replicating androgynous.- The notion of incompleteness and frailty of split up beings that devoid of
Eros' strength would turn weak but useful to the powers that be.
These two aspects articulate the mechanisms of sexual repression, which
are sophistically manipulated by protective agents of the social order.
As to art, in all its extension of artistic expression endues a veritable impulse
to enlighten, remaining beyond swift moment and its union with the universe.The communication line established between the opera and viewer is visibly
erotic. Thus, the first contact is always sensual between emulator and the artistic
object.
Though, not a simple task to shed light on eroticism and all its manifestations,
characters and myths lingering throughout the ages.
Adriana Sommer da Costa
Psychologist and Sexologist
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