Daughters of Eve

"Famous and seductive, female stage performers haunted French public life in the century before and after the Revolution. This study delineates the distinctive place of actresses, dancers, and singers within the French erotic and political imaginations. From the moment they became an unofficial caste of mistresses to France's elite during the reign of Louis XIV, their image fluctuated wildly between dangerous women who emasculated men and enchantresses who delighted them.". "Daughters of Eve is a look at how a culture creates social perceptions and reshuffles collective identities in response to political change."--BOOK JACKET.