Masochism
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Masochism, the sexual pleasure or gratification of having pain or suffering inflicted upon the self, often consisting of sexual fantasies or urges for being beaten, humiliated, bound, tortured, or otherwise made to suffer, either as an enhancement to or a substitute for sexual pleasure. The name is derived from the name of the 19th century author Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, known for his novel Venus in Furs that dealt with highly masochistic themes. A lot has been written on masochism, from Freud to Reik, but one of the best descriptions is by Havelock Ellis:
- "The essence of sadomasochism is not so much "pain" as the overwhelming of one's senses - emotionally more than physically. Active sexual masochism has little to do with pain and everything to do with the search for emotional pleasure. When we understand that it is pain only, and not cruelty, that is the essential in this group of manifestations, we begin to come nearer to their explanation. The masochist desires to experience pain, but he generally desires that it should be inflicted in love; the sadist desires to inflict pain, but he desires that it should be felt as love...." --Havelock Ellis
See also
- Phantom of Desire, a 2003 exhibition in Graz curated by Peter Weibel.
- Psychopathia Sexualis
- The Romantic Agony
- Sadism and masochism as medical terms
Belle de jour Theodor Reik Alfred Kinsey Comics Code Authority Arthur Adamov Je... Ils... Leopold von Sacher-Masoch Les Masochistes Masochist (redirect page) Laure: the Collected Writings Masochism: Coldness and Cruelty Masochistic (redirect page) Unrequited love The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant
Feminism and the Oedipus complex Of Human Bondage Elizabeth Báthory in popular culture Gaylyn Studlar
Tightrope (film)
