Why is it that a pornographic novel written primarily for middle-aged women has taken the nation by storm? What does this tell us about the condition of womanhood in modern Britain?
E.L. James’s Fifty Shades of Grey is ‘the book that everyone is talking about’ and in August it became the best-selling book ever in Britain. Yet its popularity is baffling critics: it’s universally agreed that the writing is terrible, the plot flimsy, and the subject matter heavily pornographic. It initially became popular due to the discretion afforded by the e-book format and now its scandalous descriptions of the physical relationship between the two main characters are freely discussed in the office or on the bus. It has titillated some and offended others, but no one — even those of us who have chosen not to read it — can deny that it’s a cultural phenomenon.
Despite the ‘shock factor’ that has helped propel the book to fame, Fifty Shades is, in fact, an extremely conventional story at heart: a virginal heroine (Ana) is invited to make a pact with a damaged and controlling man (Christian Grey), who is both decidedly dangerous and unavoidably alluring. She is wooed by his expensive gifts, but she must attempt to remain pure throughout the various trials that he presents so that she will succeed in being the only woman to win his heart. And, in so doing, she will transform his dark side so that they can live happily ever after. It’s another fairytale of men’s dominance over women, but here the twist is that Christian invites Ana to enter into a relationship which is purely sexual. He must have complete dominance and she must submit entirely to his wishes, however perverse, within pre-agreed boundaries.
