Maureen Quilligan explores the remarkable presence in the Renaissance of what she calls "incest schemes" in the books of a small number of influential women who claimed an active female authority by writing in high canonical genres and who, even more transgressively for the time, sought publication in print.
Incest and Agency in Elizabeth's England makes a signal contribution to the conversation about female agency in the early modern period. While contemporary anthropological theory deeply informs her understanding of why some Renaissance women writers wrote as they did, Quilligan offers an important corrective to modern theorizing that is grounded in the historical texts themselves.

The Butterfly

Cain, author of the film noir masterpieces, Double Indemnity and Postman Rings Twice, has in Butterfly composed his sexiest novel, a tale of incest and intrigue which starred Pia Zadora in the fine feature film.