Book excerpt: Examining British, French, and American novels, Kaye (English, Hunter College of the City U. of New York) argues that flirtatious eros in late-18th and early-19th century texts is a largely unexplored, distinct realm of experience. Flirtation in these novels suggests that the aim of desire is not the realization of desire by rather deferral itself. Flirting represented a reckless adventurism that violates middle-class aspirations and interests. The lack of a thorough examination by critical theorists of this vital part of Victorian and Edwardian literature is blamed on a dominating methodology in the field based on the ideas of Michel Foucault. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR