Abstract
Jean Genet's eroticism has an important place in his literary works. In this paper I explore expressions of his erotic attitudes in his works: The Miracle of the Rose, The Journal of Thief, The Maids, and The Balcony.
First two auto-fictional novels are put in relation to the plays in which bodily daily (The Maids) and extra-daily (The Balcony) practices are the object of scrutiny. Fetishes displayed in the plays exist in relation to power and ownership.
Both phenomena can also be traced in auto-fictions. Genet, in his own words, decided to turn to evil.
He found beauty in outcasts often with singular bodily traits like maimed arm. Decision plays an important role at constructing his identity.
Primordial decisions are iteratively affirmed even though this might not be the necessity. Genet was acting as a thief, wanderer, writer, and political activist.
Nevertheless, he chose from provided roles. Genet was deeply touched by Satre's biographical fiction/existential analysis and remained still in writing for some time.
I argue Genet had to deal with determination Sartre had suggested. I take concepts of identity, role and acting, and interpret Genet's decisions in the structure of communication of his place and time.
Then I re-interpret concepts of role and acting in the framework of performance to show the space opening with living a new concept in a new communication structure. Still, performance is of good use in exploring Genet's eroticism.
We can do without the notion of subversion if we regard his eroticism as a total revolt or a singularity standing outside the society, something private and still shared. Reading his plays, I examine stability of fetish within the framework of performing.
In the plays, erotic partners perform roles of accomplice and conspirator. In the erotic dialog, fetish is in service of change.