Sex Sells

Chapter 2

Sex sells, not just in the modern age of glossy advertisements and blockbuster movies, but also in the pages of history. The idea that sexual themes captivate audiences isn’t new; it’s as old as storytelling itself. One of the most striking examples of this can be found in the Restoration Comedy of Manners, where sexual innuendo, witty banter, and unabashed vulgarity dominated the stage. These plays not only entertained but also laid bare society’s fascination with lust, power, and scandal.

The Restoration period, spanning from 1660 to 1710, was a time of cultural rebirth in England. After years of Puritan rule that suppressed theaters and artistic expression, the monarchy was restored, and so was the appetite for entertainment. And what better way to captivate an audience than with risqué humor and audacious portrayals of human folly? Playwrights like William Congreve (The Way of the World) and George Etherege (The Man of Mode) mastered the art of using sex to sell their stories, weaving tales of adulterous affairs, cunning seductions, and the complexities of courtship. These plays were unapologetically vulgar at times, but they weren’t just about titillation they held a mirror up to society, reflecting its hypocrisies and desires.

In the world of Restoration comedy, sex wasn’t just about romance or passion. It was a tool a means to climb the social ladder, manipulate others, or simply defy societal norms. Women in these plays were often portrayed as clever and sexually liberated, using their wit and charm to outsmart the men around them. Men, on the other hand, were frequently depicted as libertines, chasing pleasure and scandal at every turn. Audiences loved these characters because they embodied the very tensions of their era: the struggle between morality and indulgence, restraint and freedom.

The vulgarity of these comedies wasn’t accidental. It was designed to provoke, to shock, and to entertain. The upper classes, who filled the theaters, reveled in the satire and scandal because it reflected their own lives albeit in a more exaggerated form. For them, the theater was a playground where societal rules could be bent and broken. And for playwrights, sex sold tickets, cementing the success of their productions.

Fast forward to the Neoclassical Age, which followed in the 18th century, and we see a shift in tone but not in fascination. The Neoclassical period was marked by an emphasis on reason, order, and decorum, heavily influenced by the ideals of ancient Greece and Rome. While overt vulgarity was toned down, sexual themes remained prevalent, albeit wrapped in layers of wit and subtlety. Writers like Alexander Pope and Jonathan Swift incorporated sexual innuendo into their satirical works, using it as a way to critique societal norms and human folly.

Take Pope’s The Rape of the Lock, for example. On the surface, it’s a playful poem about a trivial incident a young woman’s lock of hair being stolen. But beneath its ornate language lies a commentary on vanity, desire, and the absurdity of social customs. Sexual undertones are present throughout, though they’re veiled in elegance and irony. This was sex selling itself in a new form refined and intellectual, yet no less engaging.

The Neoclassical age also saw the rise of the novel, where sexual themes continued to thrive. Authors like Daniel Defoe and Samuel Richardson explored the dynamics of virtue, desire, and power in their stories, creating characters and conflicts that still resonate today. The period’s fascination with sex wasn’t just about entertainment it was a way to examine human nature, relationships, and the societal structures that governed them.

What ties the Restoration Comedy of Manners and the Neoclassical Age to our modern understanding of “sex sells” is their shared recognition of one simple truth: sex is universal. Whether presented as bawdy humor or subtle wit, it taps into something primal, something deeply human. It grabs our attention, provokes our thoughts, and keeps us coming back for more.