Enemas in literature

After all, Histoire d'O is erotica for intellectuals, not for the weirdly sexually depraved.

I beg to differ. Histoire d'O was written for Jean-Jacques Pauvert, who I guess could be classified as an intellectual if publishing the work if Marquis de Sade makes you an intellectual. However, in all fairness to Pauvert, he did publish Henry David Thoreau's Civil Disobedience, which is certainly is one of America's great literary works.

Anne Cécile Desclos, penned a series of love letters to her married lover Jean-Jacques Pauvert, which later became Histoire d'O and was published by Jean-Jacques Pauvert using the pen name of Pauline Reage. Desclos' usual pen name was Dominique Aury.

The Histoire d'O was first published in 1954 but it wasn't until 40 years later that Desclos revealed herself as the author. She stated she wrote the novel as a series of love letters to her lover Jean Paulhan, who had admired the work of the Marquis de Sade. The novel shares with the latter themes such as love, dominance, and submission.

As far as leaving out douching and enemas. I feel that it wasn't a matter of poor taste as much as Desclos didn't feel anything sensual or sexual regarding either procedure.

Riding Rockets by Mike Mulane, autobiography of an astronaut. I remember standing (sitting) a security watch at my boat's squadron building and reading it. The very beginning is literally him giving himself a Fleet enema which he ends up giving himself two more while holding them longer than recommended.

Re: Annie2

Your reference to George Carlin's first enema routine here it is. and it is Hilarious

https://youtu.be/7Q-a27m1xzc

LostInThe50s

In "Malone Dies" by Samuel Beckett, the narrator gives his son an enema.

Writing from memory here: in the opera, "Gianni Schicchi" by Puccini, a doctor enters the house to see his patient and asks, "Was the enema successful?" That's the only opera I know of that mentions an enema so I don't think we'll see "Enemas in opera" as a discussion category. That opera is known for the beautiful aria, "O mio babbino carro."

There's also a reference to Enema in the Barber of Seville,I happened to watch it this evening.

Very thought-provoking, @hoseman, this little poem by Muttoe, which relies entirely on hints and circumlocutions. For it is these hints and metaphors that give it its delicacy.