The Power of Jewels

Both Montaigne's essay and sections from Diderot's novel The Indiscreet Jewels concentrate heavily on body parts, in particular genitalia, with Montaigne focusing on male genitalia and Diderot focusing on female genitalia. Montaigne's essay is underscored by the idea that imagination, through the power of suggestion, can transform thoughts, ideas, and even opinions from the imaginary to the tangible. He uses this concept to focus much of the rest of his essay on sexual dysfunction and the penis. For example, he tells of a man who man "catches" impotence from his imagination out of fear of performing poorly. I believe that Montaigne uses this idea of the power of imagination as an excuse for sexual dysfunction and the "unruly penis," especially when he says that all body parts often perform against our will and carry out actions that our imagination wills. This, in effect, means that our imagination is more than enough to quell or excite sexual vigor. Montaigne also defends the penis as if it's on trial, saying that it is not to blame for any misbehavior or lack of behavior (even transformation from man to woman or vice versa), because the real blame falls on man and nature and our inherent thoughts.

Diderot, meanwhile, uses the blatant metaphor of jewels to stand for female genitals. The fact that he even uses this metaphor is praise worthy, because the very use of the world "jewels" indicates that female sexual organs and sexuality are valuable. However, at the very start, Diderot says that these jewels are "the most honest part of them," indicating that women are not necessarily truthful when they speak with their mouths. This is also indicative of the century-old male fear of and focus on cuckoldry, since the Sultan plans on using his gifted ring only to find out his court ladies' amorous adventures, when he could use it to also find out how to better pleasure his harem. Another key element of the novel is the concept it shares with Montaigne's essay: that genitalia are capable of willed actions/thinking and that they tell the most honest truth through these actions or words because they speak to our imagination and subconscious.