Fanny Hill

Though the text does not use explicit terms for genitals, sex acts, or sexuality, the poetic license taken by Cleland in his erotic writing is a motif of the text, revealing elements of sexual interactions that have broader narrative significance. Terms frequently used in the text are “machine,” “weapon,” or “instrument” for penises, and “mouth,” “lips,” or “cleft” for vaginas. In part, such euphemisms were a way to avoid censorship, as explicit sexual discussion was considered indecent or offensive following the lewd comedies of the Restoration period, and censorship would continue in English literature until the Modernist period. However, the euphemisms of Fanny Hill serve also as symbols for Cleland to add characterization to individuals and their position in the text. The use of “machine” or “weapon” for men in general emphasizes the fact that men have more power in society, as well as alluding to the sexual violence often perpetrated on women by men. More specifically, Charles’s penis is described as “that enormous machine” and “unmerciful” (18, 20), which highlights his superiority among men, marking him as a “good” man in the context of the text. Similarly, Mr.