The Interpretation of the Flesh

Places Freud's theory of women's sexuality - `the dark continent' - in the context of Freud's work overall. This first comprehensive study enables an understanding of why femininity was such a riddle to Freud.

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The `riddle of femininity', like Freud's reference to women's sexuality as a `dark continent', has been treated as a romantic aside or a sexist evasion, rather than a problem to be solved. In this first comprehensive study, Teresa Brennan suggests that by placing these theories in the context of Freud's work overall, we will begin to understand why femininity was such a riddle for Freud.