Group work for week 3: Venus im Pelz
Please make sure you have read the novel in its entirety. For this week, key background
reading consists of the short excerpts on passive flagellation and masochism (pp. 9395), and also foot fetishism as a form of latent masochism (p. 114-117) in Richard von
Krafft-Ebing’s Pyschopathia Sexualis. Please also consult the excerpt entitled ‘The
Fetich is some special material’, pp. 176-181.
Group 2: (Ciera, Gina, Maria, Nikita, Stephanie)
Please provide a short oral summary of the following article. Where possible, try to
relate Rudinow’s main points about the voyeur to the figure of the masochist we find in
Severin:
Rudinow, Joel, “Representation, Voyeurism, and the Vacant Point of View,” Philosophy
and Literature 3.2 (Fall 1979): 173-186
The other groups should analyse the following scenes of masochism, paying attention
to:
a) details of the theatricality / artificiality of each scene
b) references to power play, both interpersonal and imperial
c) pleasure / pain, especially the pleasure of viewing
Group 1: (Mitch, Meg, Sophie, Rachel)
pp. 85-91: the first scene involving whipping and binding, and also the three negresses
Group 3: (Ellie, Jane, Nadia, Jess)
95-99: the second scene involving binding, whipping and yoking
Group 4: (Adam, Bill, Alex, Niall)
109-110: the third scene of voyeurism and the whipping of the German artist (see also
116-117)
Group 5: (Lucy, Bronwen, Lauren, Hannah)
133-136: the fourth scene, which “cures” Severin (see also Wanda’s letter for the theme
of cure, 137-138)
Beyond the central masochistic scenes, the following excerpt is also important:
125-132: this is the scene of a bitter dispute between Wanda and Severin; they then
make up only for the tables to turn once again. Please trace the rhythm of their
interaction.