Venus in Furs

[MorfeuV]

I'm sorry if this seems incoherent:

For anyone who has ever read the book, I ask you... was Severin really a masochist?

From my point of view, if Severin did things purposefully to get punished I wouldn't have a problem with his character.

Instead he was like a spoiled little brat whining for Wanda's attention towards the end of the book.

He should've liked that she was ignoring him, but instead he clinged to her even more.

I liked the character "Wanda" even though she had to bend her personality to try to make Severin/Gregor into a man (even though she failed).

Does anyone remember the "untamed" red haired greek that made Wanda all flustered & nervous towards the end of the book?


Well she tried to "tame the beast" & failed.


It kind of makes me think that Wanda was the masochist in this story (I don't know what to make of Severin).


Any thoughts?

Does anyone understand my point of view?

 

[@}-}rebecca----]

I'm sorry if this seems incoherent:

For anyone who has ever read the book, I ask you... was Severin really a masochist?

From my point of view, if Severin did things purposefully to get punished I wouldn't have a problem with his character.

Instead he was like a spoiled little brat whining for Wanda's attention towards the end of the book.

He should've liked that she was ignoring him, but instead he clinged to her even more.

I liked the character "Wanda" even though she had to bend her personality to try to make Severin/Gregor into a man (even though she failed).

Does anyone remember the "untamed" red haired greek that made Wanda all flustered & nervous towards the end of the book?


Well she tried to "tame the beast" & failed.


It kind of makes me think that Wanda was the masochist in this story (I don't know what to make of Severin).


Any thoughts?

Does anyone understand my point of view?

I am going to be honest and say I suspect my cat has read more of this book than I have ( see pic below ). I think I was fairly annoyed through the first quarter than flung it back on the coffee table / bedroom floor . Most BDSM fiction drives me to distraction and that is no secret to most whom know me. DeSade is only ever any good when he is not writing about sex or torture either for that matter annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd that tragic Beauty Series never should have made it near a print press. ( breath Rebecca.......exhale)

I am going to do what I should have in the first place and reread to the end. I will return here and give an honest comment when I have done so in the next few days.

I would like to say as a footnote there are a smattering of exceptional writers and lucky we travel with them from time to time. I profess works such as Little Birds by Anais Nin rather enchanting. Somehow she didn't lose the magic.

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m14/rebecca222_2006/kittttttttten.jpg

 

[Pure]

url for book

Venus is available free online (free download.). It's rather well written.

http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/6852

I don't know if Severin is that 'masochistic' (the word is very slippery). In our terms he's a prototypical male sub with an interest in binding his chosen domme to him, while appearing to renounce any rights at all (including to his life). Wanda is one of kind of domme who is really 'trained' by the sub, and encouraged in her cruelty. etc. I don't find her that 'sadistic', but more narcissistic and a bit volatile.

The sexual fidelity thing is dealth with nicely. And in the end Sev seems to be 'cured' and turned into a dom. Which, i gather is what Wanda wants for herself though not from him.

 

[Netzach]

Unless you take the narrator's voice at total face value, Wanda is, as the historical inspiration for the yarn must have been, masochistic to put up with the svengali-ing and unrelenting NEEEEDS of Severin/Masoch.

Still a sexy read. I find it more interesting as a work of *fetishism* - the lingering lust over objects, body parts, scent, texture.

 

[CutieMouse]

Ahem.

Don't excuse yourself. It's very unattractive.

(Couldn't resist)



As for the novel- It left me a bit cold. Severin was an annoying twit, and IMO Wanda chose to put up with waaaaay too much crap.

 

[MorfeuV]

Hmmm.

Unless you take the narrator's voice at total face value, Wanda is, as the historical inspiration for the yarn must have been, masochistic to put up with the svengali-ing and unrelenting NEEEEDS of Severin/Masoch.

Hahaha, yeah.

She reminds me of the modern independent woman of today, putting up with tons of bullshit from guys with no dicks.

But what is intriguing to me is how Severin almost had a power in his weakness.

It was almost like he was so submissive it gave her more power than she could control & in the end she created a monster.

Still a sexy read. I find it more interesting as a work of *fetishism* - the lingering lust over objects, body parts, scent, texture.

Yeah, no doubt. I still think the book is still pretty awesome.

A great way to progress is to learn from other peoples mistakes.

 

[cati]

Still a sexy read. I find it more interesting as a work of *fetishism* - the lingering lust over objects, body parts, scent, texture.

Hmm issat so.. well I will just have to pick up a copy online or somewhere else.

 

[Lilee]

Ahem.

(Couldn't resist)

Ha... I was wondering if you were going to catch that/point that out

 

[Pure]

He should've liked that she was ignoring him, but instead he clinged to her even more.

But surely this is the problem of any 'sub' who claims to 'submit' to whatever master or mistress wills (subject to some 'hard limits'). Yet this is NOT to include anything other than short term ignoring. So the sub's injunction is "do with me what you will, but don't cast me aside."