The Beast in the Boudoir : Petkeeping in Nineteenth-century Paris

Kathleen Kete's wise and witty examination of petkeeping in nineteenth-century Paris provides a unique window through which to view the lives of ordinary French people. She demonstrates how that cliché of modern life, the family dog, reveals the tensions that modernity created for the Parisian bourgeoisie. Kete's study draws on a range of literary and archival sources, from dog-care books to veterinarians's records to Dumas's musings on his cat. The fad for aquariums, attitudes toward vivisection, the dread of rabies, the development of dog breeding—all are shown to reflect the ways middle-class people thought about their lives. Petkeeping, says Kete, was a way to imagine a better, more manageable version of the world—it relieved the pressures of contemporary life and improvised solutions to the intractable mesh that was post-Enlightenment France. The faithful, affectionate family dog became a counterpoint to the isolation of individualism and lack of community in urban life. By century's end, however, animals no longer represented the human condition with such potency, and even the irascible, autonomous cat had been rehabilitated into a creature of fidelity and affection. Full of fascinating details, this innovative book will contribute to the way we understand culture and the creation of class. Kathleen Kete's Wise And Witty Examination Of Petkeeping In Nineteenth-century Paris Provides A Unique View Into The Lives Of Ordinary French People. She Demonstrates How That Cliche Of Modern Life, The Family Dog, Reveals The Tensions That Modernity Created For The Parisian Bourgeoisie. Kete's Study Draws On A Range Of Literary And Archival Sources, From Dog-care Books To Veterinarian's Records To Dumas's Musings On His Cat. The Fad For Aquariums, Attitudes Toward Vivisection, The Dread Of Rabies, The Development Of Dog Breeding - All Are Shown To Reflect The Ways Middle-class People Thought About Their Lives. Petkeeping, Says Kete, Helped People Imagine A Better, More Manageable Version Of The World. It Relieved The Pressures Of Contemporary Life And Improvised Solutions To The Intractable Mesh That Was Post-enlightenment France. The Faithful, Affectionate Family Dog Became A Counterpoint To People's Experience Of Isolation And Lack Of Community In Urban Life, While The Autonomous Cat Incarnated The Feeling Of Anomie. By Century's End, However, Animals No Longer Represented The Human Condition With Such Potency, And The Cat Had Been Rehabilitated Into A Creature Of Fidelity And Warmth. Full Of Fascinating Details, This Innovative Book Will Contribute To The Way We Understand Culture And The Creation Of Class. 1. Animal Protection In Nineteenth-century Paris: The Case Of Pets -- 2. The Notion Of Fidelity In A Bourgeois World -- 3. The Embourgeoisement Of The Beast -- 4. Dreamworlds Of The Bourgeois Interior (1): Pets And Private Life -- 5. Dreamworlds Of The Bourgeois Interior (2): Domesticity And The Dog-care Book -- 6. La Rage And The Bourgeoisie -- 7. Cats And Categorization. Kathleen Kete. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 169-188) And Index. Frontmatter List of Illustrations (page vii) Acknowledgments (page ix) Introduction (page 1) I. Animal Protection in Nineteenth-Century Paris: The Case of Pets (page 5) 2. The Notion of Fidelity in a Bourgeois World (page 22) 3. The Embourgeoisement of the Beast (page 39) 4. Dreamworlds of the Bourgeois Interior (I): Pets and Private Life (page 56) 5. Dreamworlds of the Bourgeois Interior (2): Domesticity and the Dog-Care Book (page 76) 6. La Rage and the Bourgeoisie (page 97) 7. Cats and Categorization (page 115) Epilogue (page 137) Notes (page 139) Bibliography (page 169) Index (page 189)