What does 'sexuality' mean in terms of literature?

Question:

What does 'sexuality' mean in terms of literature?

When talking about a woman's sexuality and man's sexuality does it mean their character qualities?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

I think this really depends on the context of the question. What piece of literature, specifically, and what man or woman? I would say that on a general level the "sexuality" of male and female characters in a piece of literature could refer to their sexual preferences/orientation, or the level of sexuality expressed by each character (just as you might consider someone a "sexual" person). In both cases this would be considered part of a character's "characterization"--their qualities or personality traits. Sexuality in terms of character interactions would also feature in the discussion of the setting (views on sexuality have obviously changed throughout time), as the time period in which the story takes place can influence the "sexuality" of the characters as well.

There are many different ways to approach this topic.