Sexual Personae : Art And Decadence From Nefert... May 2026

: This Manhattan Institute article analyzes her central theory that males lead the rebellion against nature while female desire is the instrument through which nature attempts to "smother humanity in formlessness".

: A critical look available via the American Psychological Association (APA), examining how her "personae" serve as vehicles for art's assault against nature.

: An original 1990 review from The New York Times that discusses Paglia's "scorched-earth attack" on liberalism and feminism. Sexual personae : art and decadence from Nefert...

Camille Paglia’s seminal 1990 work, Sexual Personae: Art and Decadence from Nefertiti to Emily Dickinson , argues that Western culture is defined by a persistent struggle between two opposing forces: the (male, rational, orderly) and the Dionysian (female, chaotic, chthonic nature) . Paglia posits that civilization is an artificial "swerve" away from the overwhelming power of nature, which she describes as indifferent and "red in tooth and claw".

: This academic article specifically uses Paglia's theories to analyze the famous bust of Nefertiti. It explores how the sculpture’s "sensuous androgyny" and "sexual ambivalence" contribute to its enduring celebrity. : This Manhattan Institute article analyzes her central

Below are interesting articles and reviews that explore the book's themes and its enduring, controversial impact: Comprehensive Overviews and Retrospectives

: Published in the Claremont Review of Books , this detailed retrospective examines Paglia’s "anti-feminist" turn and her career-long battle against academic trends like post-structuralism. Camille Paglia’s seminal 1990 work, Sexual Personae: Art

Camille Paglia's Ambiguous Critical Legacy - Manhattan Institute