अदब और जिन्सियात

By Devendra Issar

According to Greek mythology, in ancient times, the world was inhabited by beings who were half-man and half-woman. They were immensely proud of their capabilities, and this arrogance led them to rebel against the gods. It is said that Zeus, the king of the gods, was so angered by their hubris and rebellion that he split them in two and cast them down to earth. From that time until today, these divided halves of man and woman have been striving to merge back together to achieve wholeness. This very yearning and mutual attraction is love, and their union is the ultimate fulfillment of love.

Now, consider a poem by the renowned English poet Swinburne:

Ah that my lips were tuneless lips, but pressed

To the bruised blossom of thy scourged white breast!

Ah that my mouth for Muses' milk were fed

On the sweet blood thy sweet small wounds had bled!

That with my tongue I felt them, and could taste

The faint flakes from thy bosom to the waist!

That I could drink thy veins as wine, and eat

Thy breasts like honey! that from face to feet

Thy body were abolished and consumed,

And in my flesh thy very flesh entombed!

For the crime of expressing this desire—of bodies merging into one another to form a perfectly beautiful entity—Swinburne had to endure endless vitriol:

An unclean fiery imp from the pit... the libidinous laureate of a pack of satyrs... with a mind aflame with the feverish carnality of a schoolboy over the dirtiest passages in Lemprière.

(Saturday Review, 4 August, 1866)

The English magazine Punch even went so far as to dub him Swine Born.

Why is there such advocacy for celibacy in opposition to the mutual sexual attraction and desire for union between men and women—a desire that Greek mythology portrayed imaginatively and Swinburne depicted artistically? There is no need to explain to the proponents of celibacy that the sexual instinct and the desire for union are entirely natural; they too must have experienced the pangs of sexual frustration. However, they must be made to realize that the sexual drive is not merely meant for human reproduction and survival; it is also the very inspiration behind literature and art. Sexuality is the central theme of the vast majority of the world's greatest literature and art. Yet, whenever this life force is depicted in literature and art, the state, society, religion, morality, tradition, and public opinion all mobilize against it. They brand such literature as morally corrupting, obscene, and contrary to civilization, raising cries for its censorship. What kind of civilization is this, founded on self-mortification and culminating in death? Our society has not only failed to understand the natural instinct of sexual attraction from a normal, healthy perspective, but driven by vague fears and false morality, it has also fallen prey to escapism and perversion—and remains so today. This is despite the fact that civilization's most crucial and creative duty is to assign this instinct its rightful place and elevate it to the pinnacle of self-actualization.

It is, however, the misfortune of our society that whenever sexuality is mentioned in literature, traditional and conservative individuals either adopt an aggressive stance or, at best, maintain a criminal silence. Asceticism is preached under the guise of traditional moral values. Puritanical critics forget that the unconscious expression of the sexual drive plays a vital role in the development of the human personality. Therefore, once we acknowledge the undeniable reality of sexuality, it becomes imperative for literature to explore the subject seriously, thereby enriching both beauty and life. Whether one believes in art for art's sake or art for life's sake, literature will, in all circumstances, continue to nurture this life force.

At this point, the Progressives will immediately interject, arguing that satisfying hunger is more critical to human survival than satisfying sexual desire, and therefore, hunger should be the primary subject of literature. It is a futile debate to argue whether hunger or sexuality is more important for survival. The satiation of hunger is a manifestation of the instinct for self-preservation, while the satiation of sexual desire is a manifestation of the instinct for the preservation of the species; hence, it is equally vital for the continuation of human life. However, its significance in literature is elevated because human spiritual and emotional life—which is directly related to literature—is deeply intertwined with this instinct. For this reason, the central theme of literature has always been sexuality rather than hunger, and it will remain so in the future. D.H. Lawrence stated his belief that human consciousness must now encompass sexual feelings and emotions, as well as the profound impacts of human physical intimacy. As Henry Maudsley noted, if human sexual desire and everything mentally associated with or born from it were eradicated, poetry and perhaps every trace of moral sentiment would be wiped from existence. Everyone derives pleasure from sexual impulses in one form or another, and why shouldn't they, when it is the sexual instinct that infuses our lives with beauty and warmth? To deny this reality is self-deception. It is precisely the absence of respect for sexuality that gives rise to obscene literature. No shame, no pretense, no deception, no moralizing, and no fear should inhibit us from embracing our sexual existence.

Sex and beauty are one thing, like flame and fire. If you hate sex, you hate beauty. If you love living beauty, you have a reverence for sex. Of course, you can love old, dead beauty and hate sex, but to love living beauty, a reverence for sex is essential. Sex and beauty are inseparable, like life and consciousness. The intelligence that is associated with sex and beauty, and which arises from them, is intuition. The great ruin of our magnificent civilization is its morbid hatred of sex. If our civilization had taught us how to express sexual attraction properly and elegantly, how to keep the sexual instinct pure and alive, and how to keep it radiant and enduring through diverse facets of expression and energy, we would all be living a life of love. This means we would possess the warmth of life, and we would be captivated by a passionate intensity in every way and for every endeavor. But as it stands, life is as extinguished as a cold night.

I am not ashamed of my sexual thoughts; they are my very being, they are a part of my life. I accept myself sexually, just as I know myself mentally and spiritually. My sexuality is mine, just as my mind is mine, and no one can make me feel ashamed of it. Overcome the fear of sex and restore its natural expression—restore even the obscene words, which are a part of its natural expression. If we do not incorporate the warmth of sexuality into our lives, we will face a savage destruction.

In our magnificent civilization, the sexual instinct is driven toward autoeroticism, and the majority of our beloved literature and popular entertainment caters to this very impulse. Perhaps one day, the general public will desire to confront this reality. They will see for themselves the difference between the obscenity of secret autoeroticism, the sensationalist press, and contemporary popular literature, as opposed to the expression of the sexual instinct found in Greek vase paintings and Pompeian art—an expression that is essential for our consciousness and fulfillment.

— D. H. Lawrence

There are people in our society who honestly despise the simple and natural impulse of sex, but such individuals possess sick minds and, in reality, harbor a hatred for life itself. Such frustrated and deprived people always remain unfulfilled, yet they secretly derive pleasure from the unnatural gratification of sex. Those who view every manifestation of sex with contempt and refuse to acknowledge its existence are living an unnatural lifestyle. A civilization based on the values of self-repression and self-mortification is bound to perish. Self-repression is a mental illness, and self-mortification is a death wish. The sexual instinct will inevitably express itself in one form or another; if the avenues for its natural expression are blocked, it will manifest in an unnatural and pathological manner.

Despite the fact that thinkers, psychologists, and sociologists have expanded our understanding of the immense power of the sexual instinct and its sublimation, we still treat the subject of sex as forbidden fruit. Even though there is a deep-seated conspiracy in our society preventing us from discussing sex with frankness, boldness, and honesty, it has always remained a favorite topic for everyone. Secretly, thousands of tales have become associated with it, which, in the form of whispered obscene jokes and stories, continue to provide gratification to people. This demonstrates that obscenity also plays a necessary role in human life. However, if unnatural restrictions are imposed on the healthy expression of the sexual instinct, this very heat will take a pathological form and inject poison into life.

The New Literature, which was also termed Progressive Literature, was a protest against the traditional moral restrictions imposed on the subject of sex. But when the Progressives launched their purification campaign, they also lashed out at those writers whose creations focused on sexuality. They forgot that when the fundamental instinct of life is sex, how can literature possibly avoid it? Their puritanism handed the subject of sex over to pornographers who are entirely ignorant of good morals, literature, and the values of life. When pathological sex-worship dominates literature, both types of literature—sexual and non-sexual—become unnatural and artificial. Literature remains neither for life's sake nor for beauty's sake; it ceases to exist as literature altogether.

Whenever sex is mentioned in literature, the guardians of morality will cry out on behalf of young readers, whose morals are supposedly at risk of being corrupted by such writing. Obviously, not every book is meant for people of every age and taste; literature is written to be read by mature adults.

This reality is viewed as a restriction by a French fiction writer, and society would refuse to seriously consider writings produced under such artificial conditions. For young unmarried girls, half of life is a closed book, and what is the value of a novel that presents only half of life?

— Henry James

It is true that in our country, people reach physical maturity by age, but mentally they remain between twelve and sixteen years old. Therefore, the question of sexual literature becomes even more complicated. However, it must be acknowledged that the creation of separate literature for children and immature youth is necessary and requires attention. It is this younger demographic (along with immature adults) who consume cheap, obscene literature. Therefore, instead of imposing a ban on the subject of sex, literature should be created for these individuals that actually aids in their healthy development.

The union of art and young maidens is not possible; therefore, attempts to bring them together are futile. No artist can deny that the youth should be provided with proper literature according to their age and taste. I only wish to say that a way should be found that gives the novelist the freedom to express the religious and moral sentiments of his time exactly as he feels them, and he should not be forced to write merely to help parents and guardians raise their children according to traditional beliefs.

It would be wrong to conclude from this entire discussion that literature has no connection with morality. Literature does have a moral aspect, which is why it carries values. However, in literature, we are not bound by any religious or traditional morality; rather, we present a higher morality. By higher morality, we mean an ethic that fulfills an entity or proves helpful in realizing the purpose for which that entity was born or created. This morality reflects the inner essence of everything. Any obstacles that hinder the realization of this inner core—whether they stem from religion or traditional morality—are bearers of false moral values. This is why when great artists rebel against tradition, they become targets of mockery and abuse, simply because they dare to present true morality. A work of art can only be authentic and convincing—and an artist truly and genuinely moral—when they present this fundamental morality, even if these values contradict religion, traditional morality, public opinion, or the very existence of the state. In literature, morality is nurtured by psychology, not by tradition. Therefore, the conflict between artistic morality and traditional morality is inevitable. Modern psychology has opened new avenues in our consciousness of values, and now we can accurately determine the true place and role of sexual psychology.

There is yet another aspect to the subject of sex in literature. Literature does not present the biological act of sex; that is the task of scientific books written on sexology. But as far as the psychological and emotional aspects of sex are concerned, literature is deeply invested in them. Freud has described literature and art as transformation and sublimation. Literature is, in its essence, a manifestation of the sexual instinct.

In Historians of Civilization, Freud explained the idea that channeling human natural instincts into constructive, cultural, and socially useful avenues is the very essence of sublimation. Human civilization owes its existence to this sublimation—to the extent that we can elevate our natural instincts. Literature and art are the products of this sublimation. There is no doubt that the sexual drive plays an important and valuable role in the creation of art. Obviously, the creative process is set into motion when we focus our attention on the entire human body rather than just the genitals. Nevertheless, the profound influence of sexual stimulation remains, and this process presents the sexual drive in a socially useful and refined manner.

Following the creative process, there is a sexual and physical reaction similar to that which occurs after intercourse, or vice versa. This is perhaps manifested through the sexual drive, the gratification of which is necessary. Both reactions demonstrate that sex is an integral part of the artist's creative process... — Lundivardam

Herbert Read also drew a parallel with the completion of the creative process, stating that just as ejaculation occurs spontaneously at the climax of sexual arousal, so too does the spontaneous arrival of artistic creation.

Literature classified as obscene lacks the sublimation of the sexual drive; instead, it treats literature as a direct medium for sexual gratification. The writer does not present the sexual drive through a constructive, beautiful, and purposeful elevation, but rather attempts to sexually gratify the reader through detailed descriptions of sexual acts. However, this pleasure, rather than being a source of true joy, leans toward sexual incitement. It not only remains unfulfilled, as before, but also generates greater arousal. Thus, this artificial cycle continues, and when all avenues for expressing the sexual drive are blocked, it assumes a pathological form. Deriving aesthetic pleasure from the nude requires a trained mind. An image can be obscene when it evokes a sense of nakedness rather than a sense of beauty. For this reason, even some images featuring clothed figures can be obscene, as they attempt to infuse that same sense of nakedness. The viewers' own mental conditioning also plays a role in how this feeling is received. Genuine sexual literature curbs this perversion of the sexual drive, pulling it out of a pathological environment and guiding it toward a healthy destination. In truth, literature performs the vital duty of restoring and preserving the integrity of the personality. To escape the mental perversions fostered by the traditional values of modern society, sexual literature is necessary. In fact, such literature acts as a safety valve; without it, society would descend into chaos. However, this issue is not resolved merely by the creation of sexual literature; it also requires the reconstruction of our culture and aesthetic sensibilities. The mental maturity of the readers is a prerequisite, as otherwise, people can derive sexual pleasure even from scientific books on sex.

If the nude is presented in a way that arouses physical thoughts or desires in the viewers, it is false art and bad morality. (Alexander)

No matter how abstract the nude may be, it inevitably arouses some erotic feeling in the viewers, however faint it might be. If it fails to do so, it is bad art and false morality. (Kenneth Clark)

The highest manifestation of the sexual drive is love. Love has always been a central theme in literature. In every era, analyzing the psychology and philosophy of love has been a favorite subject among thinkers. The secret to the eternal beauty and sublimity of both literature and life lies in love. If this emotion assumes a pathological form, falls prey to perversion, or dies altogether, it gives rise to the great tragedies of human civilization. However, in the works of certain writers, the nature of love is asexual, and they take pride in the belief that they are upholding the sanctity of love. To elevate human life, they have worshipped the emotion of love in an abstract, sentimental, and romantic manner. Such individuals present sex purely on a mental level, which is not only psychologically flawed but also destructive. Highlighting and acknowledging the sexual aspect of love will not diminish its greatness; rather, it will enhance its sublimity and intensity. George Eliot and George Sand were even accused of depicting love as a strange, overpowering force that captures our souls through our senses. Love is not merely an abstract concept; it holds physical significance. In Indian cinema, the disgraced rival is depicted as a man consumed by lust, seeking to establish a sexual and physical relationship with the heroine. In contrast, the hero is portrayed as a pious figure entirely devoid of sexual desire—implying that his love is true and free from bodily yearning. Such characters lead unnatural lives and are, in fact, less honest than the rival.

Films in which the hero believes in a sexless love are inherently obscene. While they artificially incite sexual desire, they simultaneously present an unnatural standard of purity that opposes its natural expression.

The culmination of love is the emotional, spiritual, and physical union of a man and a woman. The purpose of this mutual union is not merely procreation, nor is it simply the fulfillment of a social ideal; rather, it is the completion of the personality. This union is a struggle to achieve the wholeness and perfection of life. The fulfillment of human life lies in reuniting those severed halves of man and woman—which Zeus had split apart and scattered across the world—to nurture a beautiful, vigorous, and healthy personality, thereby bestowing beauty upon human life and eternity upon that beauty. Can literature and art have any purpose other than this?

By Devendra Issar

According to Greek mythology, in ancient times, the world was inhabited by beings who were half-man and half-woman. They were immensely proud of their capabilities, and this arrogance led them to rebel against the gods. It is said that Zeus, the king of the gods, was so angered by their hubris and rebellion that he split them in two and cast them down to earth. From that time until today, these divided halves of man and woman have been striving to merge back together to achieve wholeness. This very yearning and mutual attraction is love, and their union is the ultimate fulfillment of love.

Now, consider a poem by the renowned English poet Swinburne:

Ah that my lips were tuneless lips, but pressed

To the bruised blossom of thy scourged white breast!

Ah that my mouth for Muses' milk were fed

On the sweet blood thy sweet small wounds had bled!

That with my tongue I felt them, and could taste

The faint flakes from thy bosom to the waist!

That I could drink thy veins as wine, and eat

Thy breasts like honey! that from face to feet

Thy body were abolished and consumed,

And in my flesh thy very flesh entombed!

For the crime of expressing this desire—of bodies merging into one another to form a perfectly beautiful entity—Swinburne had to endure endless vitriol:

An unclean fiery imp from the pit... the libidinous laureate of a pack of satyrs... with a mind aflame with the feverish carnality of a schoolboy over the dirtiest passages in Lemprière.

(Saturday Review, 4 August, 1866)

The English magazine Punch even went so far as to dub him Swine Born.

Why is there such advocacy for celibacy in opposition to the mutual sexual attraction and desire for union between men and women—a desire that Greek mythology portrayed imaginatively and Swinburne depicted artistically? There is no need to explain to the proponents of celibacy that the sexual instinct and the desire for union are entirely natural; they too must have experienced the pangs of sexual frustration. However, they must be made to realize that the sexual drive is not merely meant for human reproduction and survival; it is also the very inspiration behind literature and art. Sexuality is the central theme of the vast majority of the world's greatest literature and art. Yet, whenever this life force is depicted in literature and art, the state, society, religion, morality, tradition, and public opinion all mobilize against it. They brand such literature as morally corrupting, obscene, and contrary to civilization, raising cries for its censorship. What kind of civilization is this, founded on self-mortification and culminating in death? Our society has not only failed to understand the natural instinct of sexual attraction from a normal, healthy perspective, but driven by vague fears and false morality, it has also fallen prey to escapism and perversion—and remains so today. This is despite the fact that civilization's most crucial and creative duty is to assign this instinct its rightful place and elevate it to the pinnacle of self-actualization.

It is, however, the misfortune of our society that whenever sexuality is mentioned in literature, traditional and conservative individuals either adopt an aggressive stance or, at best, maintain a criminal silence. Asceticism is preached under the guise of traditional moral values. Puritanical critics forget that the unconscious expression of the sexual drive plays a vital role in the development of the human personality. Therefore, once we acknowledge the undeniable reality of sexuality, it becomes imperative for literature to explore the subject seriously, thereby enriching both beauty and life. Whether one believes in art for art's sake or art for life's sake, literature will, in all circumstances, continue to nurture this life force.

At this point, the Progressives will immediately interject, arguing that satisfying hunger is more critical to human survival than satisfying sexual desire, and therefore, hunger should be the primary subject of literature. It is a futile debate to argue whether hunger or sexuality is more important for survival. The satiation of hunger is a manifestation of the instinct for self-preservation, while the satiation of sexual desire is a manifestation of the instinct for the preservation of the species; hence, it is equally vital for the continuation of human life. However, its significance in literature is elevated because human spiritual and emotional life—which is directly related to literature—is deeply intertwined with this instinct. For this reason, the central theme of literature has always been sexuality rather than hunger, and it will remain so in the future. D.H. Lawrence stated his belief that human consciousness must now encompass sexual feelings and emotions, as well as the profound impacts of human physical intimacy. As Henry Maudsley noted, if human sexual desire and everything mentally associated with or born from it were eradicated, poetry and perhaps every trace of moral sentiment would be wiped from existence. Everyone derives pleasure from sexual impulses in one form or another, and why shouldn't they, when it is the sexual instinct that infuses our lives with beauty and warmth? To deny this reality is self-deception. It is precisely the absence of respect for sexuality that gives rise to obscene literature. No shame, no pretense, no deception, no moralizing, and no fear should inhibit us from embracing our sexual existence.

Sex and beauty are one thing, like flame and fire. If you hate sex, you hate beauty. If you love living beauty, you have a reverence for sex. Of course, you can love old, dead beauty and hate sex, but to love living beauty, a reverence for sex is essential. Sex and beauty are inseparable, like life and consciousness. The intelligence that is associated with sex and beauty, and which arises from them, is intuition. The great ruin of our magnificent civilization is its morbid hatred of sex. If our civilization had taught us how to express sexual attraction properly and elegantly, how to keep the sexual instinct pure and alive, and how to keep it radiant and enduring through diverse facets of expression and energy, we would all be living a life of love. This means we would possess the warmth of life, and we would be captivated by a passionate intensity in every way and for every endeavor. But as it stands, life is as extinguished as a cold night.

I am not ashamed of my sexual thoughts; they are my very being, they are a part of my life. I accept myself sexually, just as I know myself mentally and spiritually. My sexuality is mine, just as my mind is mine, and no one can make me feel ashamed of it. Overcome the fear of sex and restore its natural expression—restore even the obscene words, which are a part of its natural expression. If we do not incorporate the warmth of sexuality into our lives, we will face a savage destruction.

In our magnificent civilization, the sexual instinct is driven toward autoeroticism, and the majority of our beloved literature and popular entertainment caters to this very impulse. Perhaps one day, the general public will desire to confront this reality. They will see for themselves the difference between the obscenity of secret autoeroticism, the sensationalist press, and contemporary popular literature, as opposed to the expression of the sexual instinct found in Greek vase paintings and Pompeian art—an expression that is essential for our consciousness and fulfillment.

— D. H. Lawrence

There are people in our society who honestly despise the simple and natural impulse of sex, but such individuals possess sick minds and, in reality, harbor a hatred for life itself. Such frustrated and deprived people always remain unfulfilled, yet they secretly derive pleasure from the unnatural gratification of sex. Those who view every manifestation of sex with contempt and refuse to acknowledge its existence are living an unnatural lifestyle. A civilization based on the values of self-repression and self-mortification is bound to perish. Self-repression is a mental illness, and self-mortification is a death wish. The sexual instinct will inevitably express itself in one form or another; if the avenues for its natural expression are blocked, it will manifest in an unnatural and pathological manner.

Despite the fact that thinkers, psychologists, and sociologists have expanded our understanding of the immense power of the sexual instinct and its sublimation, we still treat the subject of sex as forbidden fruit. Even though there is a deep-seated conspiracy in our society preventing us from discussing sex with frankness, boldness, and honesty, it has always remained a favorite topic for everyone. Secretly, thousands of tales have become associated with it, which, in the form of whispered obscene jokes and stories, continue to provide gratification to people. This demonstrates that obscenity also plays a necessary role in human life. However, if unnatural restrictions are imposed on the healthy expression of the sexual instinct, this very heat will take a pathological form and inject poison into life.

The New Literature, which was also termed Progressive Literature, was a protest against the traditional moral restrictions imposed on the subject of sex. But when the Progressives launched their purification campaign, they also lashed out at those writers whose creations focused on sexuality. They forgot that when the fundamental instinct of life is sex, how can literature possibly avoid it? Their puritanism handed the subject of sex over to pornographers who are entirely ignorant of good morals, literature, and the values of life. When pathological sex-worship dominates literature, both types of literature—sexual and non-sexual—become unnatural and artificial. Literature remains neither for life's sake nor for beauty's sake; it ceases to exist as literature altogether.

Whenever sex is mentioned in literature, the guardians of morality will cry out on behalf of young readers, whose morals are supposedly at risk of being corrupted by such writing. Obviously, not every book is meant for people of every age and taste; literature is written to be read by mature adults.

This reality is viewed as a restriction by a French fiction writer, and society would refuse to seriously consider writings produced under such artificial conditions. For young unmarried girls, half of life is a closed book, and what is the value of a novel that presents only half of life?

— Henry James

It is true that in our country, people reach physical maturity by age, but mentally they remain between twelve and sixteen years old. Therefore, the question of sexual literature becomes even more complicated. However, it must be acknowledged that the creation of separate literature for children and immature youth is necessary and requires attention. It is this younger demographic (along with immature adults) who consume cheap, obscene literature. Therefore, instead of imposing a ban on the subject of sex, literature should be created for these individuals that actually aids in their healthy development.

The union of art and young maidens is not possible; therefore, attempts to bring them together are futile. No artist can deny that the youth should be provided with proper literature according to their age and taste. I only wish to say that a way should be found that gives the novelist the freedom to express the religious and moral sentiments of his time exactly as he feels them, and he should not be forced to write merely to help parents and guardians raise their children according to traditional beliefs.

It would be wrong to conclude from this entire discussion that literature has no connection with morality. Literature does have a moral aspect, which is why it carries values. However, in literature, we are not bound by any religious or traditional morality; rather, we present a higher morality. By higher morality, we mean an ethic that fulfills an entity or proves helpful in realizing the purpose for which that entity was born or created. This morality reflects the inner essence of everything. Any obstacles that hinder the realization of this inner core—whether they stem from religion or traditional morality—are bearers of false moral values. This is why when great artists rebel against tradition, they become targets of mockery and abuse, simply because they dare to present true morality. A work of art can only be authentic and convincing—and an artist truly and genuinely moral—when they present this fundamental morality, even if these values contradict religion, traditional morality, public opinion, or the very existence of the state. In literature, morality is nurtured by psychology, not by tradition. Therefore, the conflict between artistic morality and traditional morality is inevitable. Modern psychology has opened new avenues in our consciousness of values, and now we can accurately determine the true place and role of sexual psychology.

There is yet another aspect to the subject of sex in literature. Literature does not present the biological act of sex; that is the task of scientific books written on sexology. But as far as the psychological and emotional aspects of sex are concerned, literature is deeply invested in them. Freud has described literature and art as transformation and sublimation. Literature is, in its essence, a manifestation of the sexual instinct.

In Historians of Civilization, Freud explained the idea that channeling human natural instincts into constructive, cultural, and socially useful avenues is the very essence of sublimation. Human civilization owes its existence to this sublimation—to the extent that we can elevate our natural instincts. Literature and art are the products of this sublimation. There is no doubt that the sexual drive plays an important and valuable role in the creation of art. Obviously, the creative process is set into motion when we focus our attention on the entire human body rather than just the genitals. Nevertheless, the profound influence of sexual stimulation remains, and this process presents the sexual drive in a socially useful and refined manner.

Following the creative process, there is a sexual and physical reaction similar to that which occurs after intercourse, or vice versa. This is perhaps manifested through the sexual drive, the gratification of which is necessary. Both reactions demonstrate that sex is an integral part of the artist's creative process... — Lundivardam

Herbert Read also drew a parallel with the completion of the creative process, stating that just as ejaculation occurs spontaneously at the climax of sexual arousal, so too does the spontaneous arrival of artistic creation.

Literature classified as obscene lacks the sublimation of the sexual drive; instead, it treats literature as a direct medium for sexual gratification. The writer does not present the sexual drive through a constructive, beautiful, and purposeful elevation, but rather attempts to sexually gratify the reader through detailed descriptions of sexual acts. However, this pleasure, rather than being a source of true joy, leans toward sexual incitement. It not only remains unfulfilled, as before, but also generates greater arousal. Thus, this artificial cycle continues, and when all avenues for expressing the sexual drive are blocked, it assumes a pathological form. Deriving aesthetic pleasure from the nude requires a trained mind. An image can be obscene when it evokes a sense of nakedness rather than a sense of beauty. For this reason, even some images featuring clothed figures can be obscene, as they attempt to infuse that same sense of nakedness. The viewers' own mental conditioning also plays a role in how this feeling is received. Genuine sexual literature curbs this perversion of the sexual drive, pulling it out of a pathological environment and guiding it toward a healthy destination. In truth, literature performs the vital duty of restoring and preserving the integrity of the personality. To escape the mental perversions fostered by the traditional values of modern society, sexual literature is necessary. In fact, such literature acts as a safety valve; without it, society would descend into chaos. However, this issue is not resolved merely by the creation of sexual literature; it also requires the reconstruction of our culture and aesthetic sensibilities. The mental maturity of the readers is a prerequisite, as otherwise, people can derive sexual pleasure even from scientific books on sex.

If the nude is presented in a way that arouses physical thoughts or desires in the viewers, it is false art and bad morality. (Alexander)

No matter how abstract the nude may be, it inevitably arouses some erotic feeling in the viewers, however faint it might be. If it fails to do so, it is bad art and false morality. (Kenneth Clark)

The highest manifestation of the sexual drive is love. Love has always been a central theme in literature. In every era, analyzing the psychology and philosophy of love has been a favorite subject among thinkers. The secret to the eternal beauty and sublimity of both literature and life lies in love. If this emotion assumes a pathological form, falls prey to perversion, or dies altogether, it gives rise to the great tragedies of human civilization. However, in the works of certain writers, the nature of love is asexual, and they take pride in the belief that they are upholding the sanctity of love. To elevate human life, they have worshipped the emotion of love in an abstract, sentimental, and romantic manner. Such individuals present sex purely on a mental level, which is not only psychologically flawed but also destructive. Highlighting and acknowledging the sexual aspect of love will not diminish its greatness; rather, it will enhance its sublimity and intensity. George Eliot and George Sand were even accused of depicting love as a strange, overpowering force that captures our souls through our senses. Love is not merely an abstract concept; it holds physical significance. In Indian cinema, the disgraced rival is depicted as a man consumed by lust, seeking to establish a sexual and physical relationship with the heroine. In contrast, the hero is portrayed as a pious figure entirely devoid of sexual desire—implying that his love is true and free from bodily yearning. Such characters lead unnatural lives and are, in fact, less honest than the rival.

Films in which the hero believes in a sexless love are inherently obscene. While they artificially incite sexual desire, they simultaneously present an unnatural standard of purity that opposes its natural expression.

The culmination of love is the emotional, spiritual, and physical union of a man and a woman. The purpose of this mutual union is not merely procreation, nor is it simply the fulfillment of a social ideal; rather, it is the completion of the personality. This union is a struggle to achieve the wholeness and perfection of life. The fulfillment of human life lies in reuniting those severed halves of man and woman—which Zeus had split apart and scattered across the world—to nurture a beautiful, vigorous, and healthy personality, thereby bestowing beauty upon human life and eternity upon that beauty. Can literature and art have any purpose other than this?