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Literary notes about Negligee (AI summary)

The word "negligee" in literature often signals a blend of allure and vulnerability, serving as a marker of intimate exposure or unconventional femininity. In J. M. Barrie's work [1], it is used to heighten a sense of urgency and potential scandal, as a character is threatened with public embarrassment if not properly dressed, thus imbuing the garment with a kind of forbidden appeal. Temple Bailey, on the other hand, employs the negligee in two distinctive instances to underscore different aspects of feminine allure: in one passage [2], a delicate pink silk negligee peeks suggestively from beneath a tan motor coat, hinting at a secret softness beneath a more pragmatic exterior, while in another [3], a sheer, pale blue negligee worn amidst masculine surroundings accentuates the striking incongruity between traditional gender roles and personal identity. Together, these examples illustrate the negligee as a multifaceted symbol in literature, representing both the softness of intimacy and the disruptive nature of revealing one's hidden self.
  1. ,” he rapped out, “if you don't get up and dress at once I will open the curtains, and then we shall all see you in your negligee
    — from Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie
  2. She wore a motor coat of tan cloth which covered her up, but I had a glimpse of a pink silk negligee underneath.
    — from The Gay Cockade by Temple Bailey
  3. She opened at the right page, and stood reading—an incongruous figure amid Ridgeley's masculine belongings in her sheer negligee of faint blue.
    — from The Gay Cockade by Temple Bailey

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