The Line of Beauty - Explanation of The Novel's Title

Explanation of The Novel's Title

The title of the book refers to the double ‘S' of the ogee shape, a shape which 'swings both ways', described by William Hogarth in his The Analysis of Beauty as the model of beauty, which protagonist Nick Guest uses to describe his lover’s body. For some characters, lines of cocaine are 'beautiful'. Another underlying theme is the difference between spiritual and material beauty.

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