Story of the Eye
by Georges Bataille
Bataille’s short, controlled escalation of erotic obsession into surreal violence and transgression.
- 1928
The story, briefly
Spoiler-freeAn unnamed narrator and Simone pursue increasingly extreme sexual games while recurring images of eyes, eggs, milk, and the sun turn desire into a disturbing surreal system.
What's inside
Two teenage lovers test every boundary they encounter, drawing other people into a sequence of sexual and violent acts that becomes stranger and more ritualized as it progresses.
Why we recommend it
Eroticism beyond respectability
Bataille pushes sexual transgression farther than Miller while maintaining a much colder, more deliberate prose style.
What this book explores
Book editions
- Paperback
- City Lights Books
- 1987
- 9780872862098
- Joachim Neugroschel
Reader reviews
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References
References
The sources below include the primary text, editions, scholarship, archival materials, and other records that informed this page. They document Story of the Eye, its publication, and its place in literary history.
1Story of the Eye — Open Library ISBN catalogue
Official recordOpen Library, Internet ArchiveUsed forOfficial record used to verify names, dates, institutional details, or other factual information on this page.
2Story of the Eye — Google Books edition record
Official recordGoogle BooksUsed forOfficial record used to verify names, dates, institutional details, or other factual information on this page.
3Story of the Eye — Internet Archive ISBN catalogue
Official recordInternet ArchiveUsed forOfficial record used to verify names, dates, institutional details, or other factual information on this page.
4Story of the Eye — Library of Congress books catalogue
Official recordLibrary of CongressUsed forOfficial record used to verify names, dates, institutional details, or other factual information on this page.
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Why these sources are here
The primary text is the baseline reference for every book page. Additional references document publication history, interpretation, and historical context where that evidence is available.
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