(Neo-) Victorian Corporeality: Female Bodies, Trauma, and Agency in Michel Faber’s The Crimson Petal and the White

The present article examines the depiction of female corporeality in Michel Faber’s neo-Victorian novel The Crimson Petal and the White (2002), focusing on the construction and perception of female bodies, trauma, and agency. Through an analysis of two female characters, Sugar and Agnes, the article explores how each woman contends with her own corporeality within an oppressive environment that perpetuates the commodification and objectification of female bodies. The analysis reveals that the trauma of both women is intrinsically linked to their gendered body and reflects the prevalent societal notions regarding femininity and womanhood. The article further demonstrates that Sugar strategically uses her body as a means of reclaiming control, while Agnes reflects the tragic consequences of women’s confinement within oppressive structures.