The Remote Island by Bryan Christian Today on Nerve's TV blog: We got an idea for the L Word spinoff! Plus: Who Would You Rather? The Closer or Saving Grace?
OPINIONS
Venus in Furs, the 19th century masterpiece from Leopold Von Sacher-Masoch, is a marvelous novella
in which the protagonist, Severin, convinces his lover, Wanda, to make him her absolute slave, to
command, exploit and punish. The papers are drawn up, and his life is turned over to her. Now is
when it starts to get interesting. For despite the fact that we get the word "masochism" from the
author's name, Severin comes to have pretty mixed feelings about his enslavement. These feelings
get more and more mixed as Wanda gets more and more into her role. As in the passage below, Severin
(and the reader) are never sure how much Wanda really wants to hurt her slave, how much she's
enjoying it, and just how far she'll go. Severin begins to fear that he surrendered his life to a
woman of pure evil, but he's never sure. Thus his excitement, and ours. I won't give away the end,
but here's a little tease. -JM
* * *
From Venus in Furs by Leopold Von Sacher-Masoch Von Lemberg
"Severin, do you still love me . . . can you still love me?"
She drew me close with such vehemence that the coffee-tray upset, the can
and cups fell to the floor, and the coffee ran over the carpet . . .
"It is my unhappiness that I love you more and more madly the worse you
treat me, the more frequently you betray me. Oh, I shall die of pain and love
and jealousy." . . .
"But today you shall be Severin again, the only one I love. I haven't given
away your clothes. They are here in the chest. Go and dress as you used to in
the little Carpathian health-resort when our love was so intimate. Forget
everything that has happened since; oh, you will forget it easily in my arms;
I shall kiss away your sorrows."
She began to treat me tenderly like a child, to kiss me and caress me. Finally she said with a
gracious smile, "Go now and dress, I too will dress. Shall
I put on my fur-jacket? Oh yes, I know, now run along!"
When I returned she was standing in the center of the room in her white
satin dress, and the red kazabaika edged with ermine; her hair was
white with powder and over her forehead she wore a small diamond diadem.
She drew me down on the ottoman beside her and we enjoyed two blissful
hours. She was no longer the stern capricious mistress, she was entirely a
fine lady, a tender sweetheart . . .
I was all afire with enthusiasm, she placed her small hand gently
on mine. Her expression was soft, and her eyes were filled with tender
pleasure.
"Are you happy?"
"Not yet."
She then leaned back on the cushions, and slowly opened her
kazabaika.
But I quickly covered the half-bared breast again with the ermine. "You are
driving me mad," I stammered.
"Come!"
I was already lying in her arms, and like a serpent she was kissing me with
her tongue, when she whispered, "Are you happy?"
"Infinitely!" I exclaimed.
She laughed aloud. It was an evil, shrill laugh which made cold shivers run
down my back.
"You used to dream of being the slave, the plaything of a beautiful woman,
and now you imagine you are a free human being, a man, my lover -- you fool! A
sign from me, and you are a slave again. Down on your knees!"
I sank down from the ottoman to her feet, but my eye still clung doubtingly
on hers.
"You can't believe it," she said, looking at me with her arms folded across
her breast. "I am bored, and you will just do to while away a couple of hours
of time. Don't look at me that way--"
She kicked me with her foot.
"You are just what I want, a human being, a thing, an animal--"
She rang. The three negresses entered.
"Tie his hands behind his back."
I remained kneeling and unresistingly let them do this. They led me into the
garden, down to the little vineyard, which forms the southern boundary. Corn
had been planted between the espaliers, and here and there a few dead stalks
still stood. To one side was a plow.
The negresses tied me to a post, and amused themselves sticking me with
their golden hair-needles. But this did not last long, before Wanda appeared
with her ermine cap on her head, and with her hands in the pockets of her
jacket. She had me untied, and then my hands were fastened together on my
back. She finally had a yoke put around my neck, and harnessed me to the
plow.
Then her black demons drove me into the field. One of them held the plow,
the other one led me by a line, the third applied the whip, and Venus in Furs
stood to one side and looked on.
