Adultery In Literature

    In the news

  • It's not Lotusland for literature
    Globe and Mail, Canada -
    ... Alice Munro's What is Remembered, a beguiling story of adultery and the uses of compartmentalized memory, is, as one would suspect, masterful. ...
  • Reading Lolita in Tehran
    Middle East Forum, PA -
    ... We read Persian classical literature, such as the tales of our own lady of ... when they decided not to teach Brontë because she appeared to condone adultery? ...
  • Gay rights group rallies at Liberty University
    WSLS.com, VA -
    ... We think adultery between heterosexuals is just as forbidden as homosexual misbehavior. ... allowed on campus, the group had to promise not to pass out literature. ...
  • Sci-Fi and Sex
    scifi.about.com -
    ... their enjoyment of sex, and thus their temptation to fornicate or commit adultery. ... of sexuality are explored in great depth in sci-fi literature, even in ...
  • Cheating is big business for Chinese private eyes
    USA Today -
    ... The name of FMS Commercial Consultation is a convoluted homage to English literature's most famous sleuth: The FMS stands ... Adultery keeps the private eyes busy. ...
The theme of adultery features in a wide range of literature through the ages. This is hardly surprising, as the fact of adultery has been a part of the human existence for as long as there has been marriage. As a theme it automatically brings its own conflict, between the people concerned and between sexual desires and a sense of loyalty; it brings intense emotions into the foreground, and has consequences for all concerned.

In the Bible, incidents of adultery are present almost from the start. The story of Abraham contains several incidents and serve as warnings or stories of sin and forgiveness. Abraham attempts to continue his blood line through his wife's maidservant, with consequences that continue through history. Jacob's family life is complicated with similar incidents.

Shakespeare wrote two plays in which the perception of adultery plays a significant part. In both Othello and The Winter's Tale it is the (false) belief by the central character that his wife is unfaithful that brings about his downfall.

In The Country Wife by William Wycherley, the morals of English Restoration society are satirised. The characters treat adultery as a game, the object being to commit as much of it as possible without losing ones reputation, and while preventing one's spouse from committing any.

The following works of literature have adultery and its consequences as one of their major themes. (M) and (F) stand for adulterer and adulteress respectively.

Table of contents

1 Drama

2 Fiction

3 See also

Drama

Fiction

See also

(There are lots of famous examples still missing here. Please add to this list.)