Читать книгу Psychopathia sexualis: With especial reference to contrary sexual instinct - R. von Krafft-Ebing - Страница 19

That in all these cases of sadistic abuse of boys there can be no thought of a combination of sadism and contrary sexual instinct, as often occurs (v. infra) in individuals of contrary sexuality, is shown—aside from the absence of all positive signs of it—by a study of the next group, where, in association with the object of injury,—animals,—the instinct for women is seen to appear repeatedly.

(g) Sadistic Acts with Animals.—In numerous cases, sadistically perverse men that are afraid of criminal acts with human beings, or that care only for the sight of the suffering of a sensitive being, make use of the sight of dying animals, or torture animals, to stimulate or excite their lust.

The case of a man in Vienna, which is reported by Hofmann in his “Text-Book of Legal Medicine,” is noteworthy in relation to this. According to the evidence of several prostitutes, before the sexual act he was accustomed to excite himself by torturing chickens and pigeons and other birds, and, therefore, was called “Hendlmann” (chicken).

For the elucidation of such cases the observation of Lombroso is of value, according to whom two men had ejaculation when they killed chickens or pigeons, or wrung their necks.

The same author, in his “Uomo delinquente,” p. 201, speaks of a poet of some reputation, who became powerfully excited sexually whenever he saw calves slaughtered, and also at the sight of bloody flesh.

According to Mantegazza (op. cit., p. 114), among degenerate Chinamen, a horrible sport consists of committing sodomy with geese, and cutting their necks off tempoire ejaculationis!

Mantegazza (“Fisiologia del piacere,” 5th ed., pp. 394, 395) mentions the case of a man who once saw chickens killed, and from that time had a desire to wallow in their warm, steaming entrails, because he experienced a feeling of lust while doing it.

Thus, in these and similar cases, the vita sexualis is so constituted ab origine that the sight of blood, death, etc., excites lustful feeling. It is so in the following case:—

Case 40. C. L., aged 42, engineer, married, father of two children; from a neuropathic family; father irascible, a drinker; mother hysterical, subject to eclamptic attacks. The patient remembers that in childhood he took particular pleasure in witnessing the slaughtering of domestic animals, especially swine. He thus experienced lustful pleasure and ejaculation. Later he visited slaughter-houses, in order to delight in the sight of flowing blood and the death throes of the animals. When he could find opportunity, he killed the animals himself, which always afforded him a vicarious feeling of sexual pleasure.

At the time of full maturity he first attained to a knowledge of his abnormality. The patient was not exactly opposed in inclination to women, but close contact with them seemed to him repugnant. On the advice of a physician, at twenty-five he married a woman who pleased him, in the hope of freeing himself of his abnormal condition. Although he was very partial to his wife, it was only seldom, and after great trouble and exertion of his imagination, that he could perform coitus with her; nevertheless, he begat two children. In 1866 he was in the war in Bohemia. His letters written at that time to his wife, were composed in an exalted, enthusiastic tone. He was killed in the battle of Königgrätz.

If, in this case, the capability of normal coitus was much impaired by the predominance of perverse ideas, in the next it seems to have been entirely repressed:—

Case 41. (Dr. Pascal, “Igiene dell’ amore.”) A gentleman visited prostitutes, had them purchase a living fowl or rabbit, and required them to torture the animal. He had in mind the head and tearing out the eyes and entrails. If he found a girl who would consent, and go about it right cruelly, he was delighted, and paid her and went his way without asking anything more or touching her.

The last two sections show that the suffering of any living being may become a source of perverse sexual enjoyment to sadistically constituted persons, and that there may be sadism with almost any [living] object. However, it would be erroneous and an exaggeration to try to explain by sadistic perversion all the remarkable and surprising acts of cruelty that occur; and, in the innumerable cruelties, as they here and there occur in history or in certain psychological manifestations among the people at the present time, it would be erroneous to assume sadism as a motive.

Cruelty arises from various sources, and is natural to primitive man. Compassion, in contrast with it, is a secondary manifestation, and acquired late. The instinct to fight and destroy, so important an endowment in prehistoric conditions, is long afterward operative; and, in the ideas engendered by civilization, like that of “the criminal,” it finds new objects, even though its original object—“the enemy”—still exists. That not simply the death, but also torture, of the conquered is demanded, is in part explained by the sense of power, which satisfies itself in this way; and in part by the insatiableness of the impulse of vengeance. Thus all cruelty and all historical enormities may be explained without recourse to sadism (which may often have been in operation, but which cannot be assumed, since it is relatively an infrequent perversion).

At the same time, there is still another powerful psychical element to take into consideration, which explains the attraction that is still exerted by executions, etc.; and that is, the pleasure there is in intense and unusual impressions and rare sights, in contrast with which, in coarse and blunted beings, pity is silent.

But undoubtedly there are individuals for whom, in spite of, or even by reason of, their lively compassion, all that is connected with death and suffering has a mysterious attraction; who, with inward opposition, and yet following a dark impulse, occupy themselves with such things, or at least with pictures and notices of them. Still, this is not sadism, as long as no sexual element enters into consciousness; and yet it is possible that, in unconscious life, slender threads connect such manifestations with the hidden depths of sadism.

(h) Sadism in Woman.—That sadism—a perversion, as we have seen, frequent in men—is much less frequent in women, is easily explained. In the first place, sadism, in which the need of subjugation of the opposite sex forms a constituent element, in accordance with its nature, represents a pathological intensification of the masculine sexual character; in the second place, the obstacles which oppose the expression of this monstrous impulse are, of course, much greater for a woman than for a man. Yet sadism occurs in women; and it can only be explained by the primary constituent element,—the general hyper-excitation of the motor sphere. Only two cases have thus far been scientifically studied.

Case 42. A married man presented himself with numerous scars of cuts on his arms. He told their origin as follows: When he wished to approach his wife, who was young and somewhat “nervous,” he first had to make a cut in his arm. Then she would suck the wound, and during the act become violently excited sexually.

This case recalls the wide-spread legend of the vampires, the origin of which may perhaps be referred to such sadistic facts.^[58]

In a second case of feminine sadism, for which I am indebted to Dr. Moll, of Berlin, by the side of the perverse impulse, as so frequently occurs, there is anæsthesia for the normal activities of the sexual life; and here there are also traces of masochism (v. infra).

Case 43. Mrs. H., of H., aged 26, comes of a nervous family, in which nervous or mental diseases are said not to have occurred; but the patient herself presents signs of hysteria and neurasthenia. Although eight years married, and the mother of a child, Mrs. H. never had desire to perform coitus. Very strictly educated as a young girl, until her marriage she remained almost innocent of any knowledge of sexual matters. She has menstruated regularly since her fifteenth year. There does not seem to be any essential abnormality of the genitals. To the patient coitus is not only not a pleasure, but even an unpleasant act; and repugnance to it has constantly increased. The patient cannot understand how any one can call such an act the greatest delight of love, which, to her, is something far higher and unconnected with such a sensual impulse. At the same time, it should be mentioned that the patient really loves her husband. In kissing him, too, she experiences a decided pleasure, which she cannot exactly describe. But she cannot conceive how the genitals can have anything to do with love. In other respects Mrs. H. is a decidedly intelligent woman, of feminine character.

Si oscula dat conjugi, magnum voluptatem percipit in mordendo eum. Gratissimum ei esset conjugem mordere eo modo ut sanguis fluat. Contenta esset, si loco coitus morderetur a conjuge ipsæque eum mordere liceret. Tamen eam pœniteret, si morsu magnum dolorem faceret. (Dr. Moll.)

In other cases of sadism which history and literature afford, we are compelled to think of a reversal of the feminine sexual character,—a partial viraginity,—in order to explain the sadistic acts.

In history there are examples of famous women who, to some extent, had sadistic instincts. These Messalinas are particularly characterized by their thirst for power, lust, and cruelty. Among them are Valeria Messalina herself, and Catherine de Medici, the instigator of the Massacre of St. Bartholomew, whose greatest pleasure was found in having the ladies of her court whipped before her eyes, etc.

The gifted Henry von Kleist, who was undoubtedly mentally abnormal, gives a masterly portrayal of complete feminine sadism in his “Penthesilea.” In scene xxii, Kleist describes his heroine with Achilles, whom she had been pursuing in the fire of love, betrayed into her hands, as, overcome with lustful, murderous fury, she tears him in pieces and sets her dogs on him: “She strikes, tearing the armor from his body; they set their teeth in his white breast,—she and her dogs, the rivals, Oxus and Sphynx,—they on the right side, she on the left; and as I approached blood dripped from her hands and mouth.” And later, when Penthesilea becomes satiated: “Did I kiss him to death? No. Did I not kiss him? Torn in pieces? Then it was a mistake; kissing rhymes with biting, and one who loves with the whole heart might easily mistake the one for the other.”^[59]

2. The Association of Passively Endured Cruelty and Violence, with Lust—Masochism.^[60]—Masochism is the opposite of sadism. While the latter is the desire to cause pain and use force, the former is the wish to suffer pain and be subjected to force.

By masochism I understand a peculiar perversion of the psychical vita sexualis, in which the individual affected, in sexual feeling and thought, is controlled by the idea of being completely and unconditionally subject to the will of a person of the opposite sex; of being treated by this person as by a master,—humiliated and abused. This idea is colored by lustful feeling; the individual affected lives in fancies, in which he creates situations of this kind, and often attempts to realize them. By this perversion his sexual instinct is not infrequently made more or less insensible to the normal stimulus of the opposite sex,—incapable of a normal vita sexualis,—psychically impotent. But this psychical impotence does not in any way depend upon a horror sexus alterius, but upon the fact that this perverse instinct finds an adequate satisfaction differing from the normal,—in woman, to be sure, but not in coitus.

But cases also occur, in which, with the perverse impulse, there is also sensibility, in a measure, to normal stimuli, and intercourse under normal conditions takes place. In other cases the impotence is not purely psychical, but physical, i.e., spinal; for this perversion, like almost all other perversions of the sexual instinct, is developed only on the basis of a psychopathic and, for the most part, hereditarily predisposed individuality; and, as a rule, such individuals give themselves up to excesses, particularly masturbation, to which the difficulty of attaining what their fancy creates, drives them again and again.

The number of cases of undoubted masochism thus far observed is very large. Whether masochism occurs associated with normal sexual instincts, or exclusively controls the individual; whether, and to what extent, the individual subject to this perversion strives to realize his peculiar fancies or not; whether he has thus more or less diminished his virility or not,—depends upon the degree of intensity of the perversion in the single case, and upon the strength of the opposing ethical and æsthetic motives, as well as the relative power of the physical and mental organization, of the affected individual. The essential thing, from the psychopathic point of view, and the common element in all these cases, is the fact that the sexual instinct is directed to ideas of subjugation and abuse by the opposite sex.

What has been said with reference to the impulsive character (indistinctness of motive) of the resulting acts, and with reference to the original (congenital) nature of the perversion in sadism, is also true in masochism.

In masochism there is also a gradation of the acts from the most repulsive and monstrous to the silliest, in accordance with the degree of intensity of the perverse instinct, and the power of the remnants of moral and æsthetic motives that oppose it. The ultimate consequences of masochism, however, are opposed by the instinct of self-preservation, and, therefore, murder and serious injury, which may be committed in sadistic excitement, have here, as far as known, no passive equivalent in reality; but the perverse desires of masochistic individuals may, in imagination, attain these extreme consequences (v. infra, Case 54).

Moreover, the acts to which masochists give themselves up, are performed in some cases in connection with coitus, i.e., as preparatory measures; in others, as substitutes for coitus when that is impossible. Here, too, this depends only upon the condition of sexual power, which has been diminished for the most part physically and mentally by the activity of the sexual ideas in the perverse direction, and not upon the nature of the act itself.

(a) The Desire for Abuse and Humiliation as a Means of Sexual Satisfaction.—The following detailed autobiography of a masochist, gives an exhaustive description of a typical case of this remarkable perversion:—

Case 44. I come of a neuropathic family, in which, with all kinds of peculiarities of character and manner of life, there are several abnormalities of a sexual nature. My imagination has always been very lively, and was very early directed to sexual matters. As far as I can remember, I was much given to onanism long before puberty. Even at that time my thoughts were, for hours at a time, directed to intercourse with females. But the relations in which I placed myself with the opposite sex were entirely peculiar. I fancied that I was a prisoner and absolutely in a woman’s power, and that this woman used her power to hurt and abuse me in every way possible. In this, whipping and blows played an important part in my fancy, and there were many other acts and situations which all expressed the condition of vassalage and subjection. I saw myself constantly kneeling before my ideal, trod upon, loaded with chains, and imprisoned. Severe punishments of all kinds were inflicted on me, to test my obedience and please my mistress. The more severely I was humiliated and abused, the more I indulged in these thoughts. (At the same time I developed a great preference for velvet and fur, which I liked to touch and smooth, and which likewise excited me sexually.)

I remember well that when a child I received many actual whippings at the hands of females. They never caused me any other feeling than pain and shame; never have I thought to connect such realities with my fancies. A threat to punish me severely and correct me agitated me painfully; but in my fancy I assumed a desire on the part of my “mistress” to enjoy my suffering and humiliation, which entranced me. Too, I have never brought into relation with my fancies the acts and orders of the females that have taken care of me. I was early able to discover the truth about the relation of the sexes; but this knowledge made no impression on me. The idea of sensual pleasure remained connected with the fancies with which it was originally associated. I also had the desire to touch females, to embrace and kiss them, but I looked for the greatest delight only in their maltreatment, and in situations in which they would cause me to feel their power. I soon came to realize that I differed from other men, and preferred to be alone and absorbed in my dreams. In my boyhood, real girls and women had but little interest for me; for I saw no possibility of having them act in the way I desired. On lonely paths in the forest I whipped myself with branches that had fallen from the trees, and allowed my imagination to play in the habitual way. I reveled in the sight of pictures of commanding women, particularly if, like queens, they wore furs. I read everything related to my cherished ideas. “Rousseau’s Confessions,” which then fell into my hands, was a great discovery. I found a condition described that resembled mine in essentials. I was still more astonished at the similarity of my ideas to those I read of in the writings of Sacher-Masoch. I devoured them all with avidity, though the blood-curdling scenes often far outdid my imagination, and then excited my aversion. Later, in order to supply new food for my fancy, I began to write descriptions of erotic scenes to my taste, and to make drawings of situations which, up to this time, I had painted only in imagination. In this, reality was entirely an indifferent matter to me. In the presence of a woman I was devoid of every sensual feeling; at most, at the sight of a feminine foot, there would come a fleeting wish to be trod upon by it.

This indifference, however, was only in relation to pure sensuality. In late boyhood and early youth I was subject to an enthusiastic partiality for young girls of my acquaintance, with all the extravagances common to this youthful enthusiasm. But it never occurred to me to connect the world of my sensual thoughts with these pure ideals. I never had to overcome such a thought; one never came to me. This is the more remarkable, since to me my lustful fancies seemed very strange and unattainable in reality, but in no wise vile or obnoxious. This, too, was a kind of poetry with me; but it was divided into two worlds,—on the one hand was my heart, or, rather, my æsthetically excited fancy; on the other, my sensually inflamed imagination. While my “elevated” feeling always had a certain young girl for its object, at other times I saw myself at the feet of a mature woman, who treated me as previously described. I never placed any lady of my acquaintance in this rôle. In dreams the two spheres of my erotic ideas occurred alternately, but never combined. Only the images of the sensual sphere induced pollutions.

In my nineteenth year I allowed myself, with outward reluctance, but with inward desire, to be taken by friends to visit prostitutes. But there I experienced nothing but repugnance and aversion, and left as soon as possible, without having felt the faintest trace of sensual excitement. Later, on my own initiative, I repeated the attempt, in order to convince myself as to whether I was impotent or not; for I was much troubled by my unexpected failure in the first instance. The result was always the same,—I felt no excitement at all, and had not the slightest erection. In the first place, it was not possible for me to regard a real woman as an object of sensual gratification; and, furthermore, I could not renounce the conditions and situations which were the principal things in sexualibus for me, and about which nothing could induce me to speak a word. Imissio penis—the act to be undertaken by me—seemed to me absolutely senseless and unclean. Again, in the second place, there was also my repugnance for common women, and fear of infection.

In the meantime, in secret, my sexual life went on in the old fashion. Whenever my old fancies came to mind, violent erection occurred, and I provoked ejaculations almost daily. I began to suffer with all kinds of nervous troubles, and now regarded myself as impotent, in spite of powerful erections and intense desire when I was alone. Nevertheless, from time to time I continued my experiments with prostitutes. In time I overcame my timidity, and in part my aversion to contact with common women; but I remained absolutely cold.

After I had, with advancing years, overcome to some extent my shyness and my inclination to indulge in dreams, in my sexual thought there was an approach to the normal, as I began to direct my interest to real persons. I was even successful in directing sensual thoughts to women of my acquaintance, without carrying over any of my peculiar ideas from the other sphere. Thus I had some affairs with respectable girls. Embracing and kissing occurred; desire was excited, but not the power,—at least, it was too weak to allow me to think that under normal circumstances I should be virile. Of course, the attention I gave to the excitation of my sexual power was not calculated to favor this. Thus, always greatly ashamed, I broke off the relations.

With this, my old habit continued. I was still a great onanist, even though with lessened power. But my fancy no longer satisfied me entirely. I now began to follow both respectable women and others on the street; in winter, particularly those wearing velvet and furs. I often followed prostitutes to their homes, and had them perform manustupration. I always thought I should find more real pleasure in that than in my fancies; but it was always less. When the woman took off her garments, my interest followed them. The empty clothing has never attracted me very strongly, but more than the nude female. The real object of my interest was the attired woman. In this, velvet and furs play the most important part; but also all other articles of attire attracted me, and particularly the form as brought out by lacing and padding. I had scarcely any other interest in the nude female form than an æsthetic one. I have always had a very great interest in the shoes of women, particularly in slippers with high heels, which is always connected with the thought of being trod upon, or of submissively kissing the foot.

At last I overcame the last vestige of my shyness, and one day, to realize my dreams, had myself whipped, trod upon, etc., by a prostitute. The result was a great disappointment. What was done to me I felt to be rough, repugnant, and silly. The blows caused me nothing but pain; the situation, repugnance and shame. Nevertheless, I induced an ejaculation mechanically, with which, with the help of my imagination, I transformed the real situation into that for which I longed. This—the really desired situation—differed from the actual essentially in that I created in imagination a woman who abused me with the same pleasure that I experienced in her maltreatment of me.

All my sexual fancies were erected on the assumption in the woman of a tyrannical, cruel disposition, to which I wished to be subject. The act expressing the relation was a secondary matter to me. After the first attempt at an impossible realization, it was perfectly clear to me toward what my longing was directed. To be sure, in my lustful dreams, I had often passed beyond all ideas of abuse, and conceived a commanding woman, with an imperious mien, a word of command, a kiss on the foot, etc; but now I fully realized what it was that attracted me, and that flagellation was only the strongest means of expressing the principle, and in itself secondary.

In spite of this disappointment, after the first step, I did not abandon my efforts to realize my erotic ideas. I was confident that, when once accustomed to the new reality, my fancy would find food in it for more intense activity. For my purpose I sought the most suitable women, and instructed them carefully in a complicated comedy. In this I occasionally found that the way had been prepared for me by predecessors of like disposition. The value of these comedies, for the effect of my fancy on my sensuality, remained problematical. What these acts and scenes did for me, in the way of intensifying the subsidiary circumstances of the desired situation, caused a diminution of the intensity of the principal element, which my unaided fancy, without the consciousness of planned, coarse deception, could more easily bring up before me. My physical sensations, under the various punishments, were changeable. The more perfect the self-deception, the more perfectly the pain was felt as pleasure.

Or, more correctly, the punishment was then conceived as a symbolic act. From this arose the illusion of the desired situation, which was then accompanied by an intense psychical feeling of pleasure. The lustful feeling then spread out over the whole body in lustful physical sensations, and thus the perception of the painful quality of the punishment was overcome. The process in the moral punishments—the humiliations to which I subjected myself—was similar, but simpler; because it was confined to the mental sphere. These were also attended with pleasurable feeling when the self-deception succeeded. It was seldom, however, that it succeeded well, and never perfectly; there always remained a disturbing element in consciousness. Therefore, in the intervals, I returned to solitary onanism. Moreover, in the other case, the conclusion of the act was usually an ejaculation provoked by onanism; often an ejaculation without the aid of mechanical means.

Thus I went on for many years, with diminishing power, but with slightly diminished desire, and with the power of my peculiar sexual idea over me unchanged. And at present the condition of my vita sexualis is the same. Coitus, which I have never performed, still seems to me a strange and unclean act. I learned about it from descriptions of sexual dissipations. My own sexual ideas seem natural, and do not in the least offend my sensitive taste. Their realization, as previously mentioned, for various reasons, leaves me unsatisfied. I am pleased with pretty girls and women of respectability, but for a long time I have ceased to approach them. I have never attained, not even partially, a direct, actual realization of my sexual fancy. As often as I have come into close relation with females, I have felt the woman’s will to be beneath mine, never vice versâ. I have never met a woman manifesting a desire of mastery in sexual things. Women who wish to rule in the household and exercise petticoat sovereignty are entirely different from my erotic ideals.

My whole personality presents many abnormalities besides the perversion of my vita sexualis; my neuropathic condition is expressed in many mental and physical symptoms. Besides, I think I recognize in myself an original abnormality of character in the nature of a resemblance to the feminine type; at least, I regard as of this nature my great weakness of will, and my great lack of courage in the presence of men and animals, which is in contrast with my coolness in the face of peril. My external appearance is entirely masculine.

The author of this autobiography also made me the following communication:—

“I always sought to find out whether the peculiar ideas that ruled me sexually were entertained by other men. Since the first stories about it accidentally came to my ears, I have sought everywhere to learn of it. Since it is really a process of inner consciousness, it is, of course, not easy to identify it, and it cannot always be done with certainty; but I assume the existence of masochism where I find perverse sexual acts that cannot be explained except by this dominating idea. I look upon this anomaly as wide-spread.

“I have heard numerous stories about it from prostitutes here in Berlin, and in Vienna; and I thus learned how numerous my fellow-sufferers are. I am always careful not to describe my own experiences, or ask whether they know of such; but I allow these persons to relate their experiences just as they will.

“Simple flagellation is so common that almost every prostitute is familiar with it; but cases of real masochism are very frequent. The men subject to this perversion submit themselves to the most refined cruelties. In this they always act the same farce with the instructed prostitutes,—humiliating subjection of the man, treading upon him, commands, threats, and scoldings that have been committed to memory; then flagellation, blows on various portions of the body, and all kinds of punishment, pricking with needles, etc. The scenes often end with coitus, but more frequently with ejaculation without it. Twice prostitutes have shown me heavy iron chains with handcuffs, which their patrons had made for them to put on them; and the dried peas, on which they kneeled; the seat set with needles, on which they sat at command; and many other similar things. Often the perverted man wishes the woman to tie his penis so tightly as to cause pain; to prick it with needles, make cuts in it with a knife, or beat it with a stick. Even the act of hanging is indulged in, it being cut short at just the right moment. Others have themselves scratched with a knife or dagger, but in the act the woman must threaten them with death. In all these things the symbolism of subjection is the most important factor. The woman is usually called ‘mistress’; the man, ‘slave.’

“A man of high social standing, dressed as a servant, sat on the box of a carriage and drove his mistress about. Here there may have been a conscious imitation of the ‘Venus in Furs.’ It seems to me that the writings of Sacher-Masoch have done much to develop this perversion in those predisposed. It is peculiar that the inexplicable enthusiasm for furs is so frequently combined with this perversion. It, as well as that for velvet, has been peculiar to me from my earliest youth.

“All these comedies with prostitutes are for masochists only troublesome substitutes. Whether there is such a thing as a realization of masochistic dreams in love relations or not, I do not know. If it occur, it is certainly very infrequent; for this taste in women (sadism in women, as described by Sacher-Masoch) is very difficult to find; and, too, the expression of sexual abnormalities finds greater obstacles in the modesty of women, etc., than in men. I myself have never noticed the slightest indications of anything of this kind, and have never been able to attempt an actual realization of my fancies. Once a man confidingly told me of his masochistic perversion, and said he had found his ideal.”

The two following cases are similar to the foregoing:—

Case 45. Mr. Z., aged 29, technicist, came for consultation because of a fear of tabes. Father was nervous and died tabetic. Father’s sister was insane. Several relatives are very nervous and peculiar. On closer examination the patient is found to have sexual, spinal, and cerebral asthenia. He presents no symptoms of tabes dorsalis, nor does he give a history of them. Questions concerning abuse of the sexual organs bring out a confession of masturbation practiced since youth. In the course of the examination the following interesting psycho-sexual anomalies came out: At the age of five the vita sexualis began with the impulse to whip himself, as well as with the desire to see others whipped. In this he never thought of individuals as of one sex or the other. Faute de mieux he practiced flagellation on himself and, in time, this induced ejaculation. Long before this he had begun to satisfy himself with masturbation, and always during the act reveled in imaginary scenes of whipping. After growing up he twice visited brothels to have himself flogged by prostitutes. For this purpose he chose the prettiest girl he could find; but he was disappointed, and did not even have an erection, to say nothing of ejaculation. He recognized that the flagellation was subsidiary, and that the idea of subjection to the woman’s will was the important thing. He realized this on the second trial. When he had the “thought of subjection,” he was perfectly successful. In time, by straining his imagination with masochistic ideas, he performed coitus without flagellation; but he found little satisfaction in it; so that he performed sexual intercourse in a masochistic way. He found pleasure in masochistic scenes, in the sense of his original desire for flagellation, only when he was flagellated ad podicem, or, at least, only when he called up such a situation in imagination. At times of great excitability it was even sufficient if a pretty girl told stories of such scenes. He would thus have an orgasm, and usually ejaculation.

A very effectual fetichistic idea was early associated with this. He noticed that he was attracted and satisfied only by women wearing high heels and short jackets (“Hungarian fashion”). He does not know how he arrived at this fetichistic idea. Boys’ legs with high heels also pleased him, but this charm was purely æsthetic, without any sensual coloring; and he said he had never noticed anything homo-sexual in himself. The patient referred his fetichism to his partiality for calves (legs). He is charmed by ladies’ calves only when elegant shoes are on the feet. Nude legs—feminine nudity in general—do not in the least affect him sexually. A subordinate fetichistic idea for the patient is the masculine ear. It is a lustful pleasure for him to pet the ears of handsome men, i.e., men having beautiful ears. With men this pleasure is slight, but with women it gives him great enjoyment.

He also has a weakness for cats. He thinks them simply beautiful; and their movements are very attractive to him. The sight of a cat can raise him from a feeling of the deepest depression. Cats seem to him sacred; he sees something divine in them! He does not know the reason for this idiosyncrasy.

Of late he has also frequently had sadistic ideas about punishing boys. In these imaginary flagellations both men and women play a part, but particularly the latter; and then his enjoyment is much more intense.

The patient finds that, with that which he recognizes and feels as masochism, there is something else which he prefers to designate “pageism.”

While his masochistic fancies and acts are entirely of a coarse, sensual nature, his “pageism” consists of the idea of being a page to a beautiful girl. He conceives her as perfectly chaste, but piquant; his relation to her, that of a slave, but perfectly chaste,—a purely platonic submission. This reveling in the idea of serving such a “beautiful creature” as a page, is colored by a pleasurable feeling; but this is in no way sexual. He experienced in it an exquisite feeling of moral satisfaction, in contrast with the sensually-colored masochism; and, therefore, he could but regard it as something of a different nature.

At first sight there was nothing remarkable in the patient’s appearance; but his pelvis is abnormally broad, the ilia are flat, and the pelvis, as a whole, tilted and decidedly feminine. Eyes, neuropathic. He also mentions that he often has itching and lustful irritation at the anus, and that there (“erogenous” area), ope digiti, he can satisfy himself.

The patient is troubled about his future. Help would be possible for him if he could but excite in himself an interest in women, but his will and imagination were too weak for that.

What the patient designates as “pageism” does not differ in any way from masochism, as may be seen when it is compared with the following cases of symbolic masochism, and others; and, further, upon the consideration that in this perversion coitus is avoided as an inadequate act; and from the fact that in such cases there is often a fantastic exaltation of the perverse ideal:—

Case 46. X, writer, aged 28, predisposed. Sexually hyperæsthetic from childhood. At the age of six he had dreams of being whipped ad nates by a woman. After them he would awake in intense lustful excitement; and thus he came to practice onanism. When eight years old he once asked the cook to whip him. From his tenth year, neurasthenia. Until his twenty-fifth year he had dreams of flagellation, or similar waking fancies, and indulged in onanism. Three years ago he had an impulse to have himself whipped by a puella. The patient was undeceived, for neither erection nor ejaculation occurred. At twenty-seven, another effort, with the thought to enforce erection and ejaculation. This was finally made possible by the following artifice: While coitus was attempted, the puella had to tell him how she had mercilessly flogged other impotent men, and threaten him with the same. Besides this, it was necessary for him to fancy that he was bound, entirely in the woman’s power, helpless, and most painfully beaten by her. Occasionally, in order to become potent, it was necessary to have himself actually bound. Thus coitus was possible. Pollutions were accompanied by lustful feeling only when he (infrequently) dreamed that he was abused, or that he looked on while a puella whipped others. He never had an intense, lustful pleasure in coitus. The only things in women that interest him are the hands. Powerful women with big fists are his preference. At the same time, his desire for flagellation is only ideal; for with his great cutaneous sensitiveness, at the most, a few strokes are sufficient. Blows from men were repugnant to him. He wishes to marry. From the impossibility of asking a decent woman to perform flagellation, and the doubt about being potent with such a woman, spring his embarrassment and desire to recover.

In the foregoing three cases, for the most part, passive flagellation serves the individual subject to this perversion of masochism as an expression of the desired situation of subjection to the woman. The same means is needed by a large number of masochists. But passive flagellation is a process which, as is known, has a tendency to induce erection reflexly by irritation of the nerves of the nates.^[61] This effect of flagellation is used by weakened debauchees to help their diminished power; and this perversity—not perversion—is very common. It is, therefore, necessary to ascertain in what relation the passive flagellation of the masochists stands to these dissipated individuals who are not psychically perverse, but physically weakened.

It is not difficult to show that masochism is something essentially different from flagellation, and more comprehensive; that flagellation is rather a by-play,—one of the many means used for the purpose of masochistic gratification in the sense of subjection to the woman. For the masochist the principal thing is subjection to the woman; the punishment is only the expression of this relation,—the most intense effect of it he can bring upon himself. For him the act has only a symbolic value, and is a means to the end of mental satisfaction of his peculiar desires. The essential thing is the desire for ill-treatment, as a sign of this subjection. Besides flagellation, and often without it, there are many other things which serve to express this subjection; as is shown by the following series of cases. This fact establishes a presumption of the existence of an original anomaly of sexual feeling,—a paræsthesia sexualis. On the other hand, the individual that is weakened and not a subject of masochism, and who has himself flagellated, desires only a mechanical irritation of his spinal centre.

Whether, in a given case, it is simple (reflex) flagellation or masochism, is made clear by the individual’s statements, and often by the secondary circumstances. The determination depends upon the following facts:—

In the first place, the impulse to passive flagellation exists ab origine in the masochist. The desire is felt before there has been any experience of the reflex effect, often first in dreams; as, for example, in Case 48. Secondly, with the masochist, as a rule, the flagellation is only one of many and various punishments which come into his mind as fancies and are often realized. In these other punishments, and the frequent acts expressing purely symbolic humiliations, which occur by the side of flagellation, there can, of course, be no thought of a reflex physical irritative effect. Thirdly, it is significant that, in the masochist, when the desired flagellation is carried out, it need have no aphrodisiac effect at all. Very often, indeed, there is a more or less perfect disappointment; in fact, always, if the masochist is not successful in his desire to create, by means of the pre-arranged programme, the illusion of the desired situation (to be in the woman’s power), so that the woman ordered to carry out the act seems to be nothing more than the executive agent of his own will. If one cannot tickle one’s self, no more can one feel one’s self subject to a woman directed by one’s own will. In reference to this important point, compare the three foregoing cases and Case 50.

Between masochism and simple (reflex) flagellation, there is a relation somewhat analogous to that existing between contrary sexual instinct and acquired pederasty. It does not lessen the value of this opinion that, in the masochist, the flagellation may also have the known reflex effect; or that a whipping received in childhood may have aroused lust for the first time, and thus simultaneously excited the latent masochistically-constituted vita sexualis. In this event, the case must be characterized by the conditions mentioned above, under the heads of “secondly” and “thirdly,” in order to be masochistic. If the details of the origin of the case are not known, other circumstances, such as those mentioned above under “secondly,” would make it clearly masochistic. This is illustrated in the two following cases:—

Case 47. A patient of Tarnowsky’s had a person in his confidence rent a house during his attacks, and instruct its personnel (three prostitutes) in what was to be done with him. He would come there, and was there undressed, manustuprated, and flagellated, as ordered. He pretended to offer resistance, and begged for mercy; then, as ordered, he was allowed to eat and sleep. But in spite of protest he was kept there, and beaten if he did not submit. Thus the affair would go on for some days. When the attack was over, he was dismissed; and he returned to his wife and children, who had no suspicion of his disease. The attacks occurred once or twice a year. (Tarnowsky, op. cit.)

Case 48. X., aged 34, greatly predisposed, suffers with contrary sexual instinct. For various reasons he had no opportunity to satisfy himself with men, in spite of great sexual desire. Occasionally he dreamed that a woman whipped him, and then had a pollution.

Through this dream he came to have prostitutes beat him as a substitute for love with men. Occasionally he would obtain a prostitute, undress himself completely (while she was not to take off a thing), and have her tread upon him, whip, and beat him. Qua re summa libidine affectus pedem feminæ lambit quod solum eum libidinosum facere potest: tum ejaculationem assequitur. Then disgust at the morally-debasing situation occurred, and he retired as quickly as possible.

Cases occur, however, in which passive flagellation alone constitutes the entire content of the masochistic fancies, without other ideas of humiliation, etc., and without any clear consciousness of the real nature of this expression of submission. Such cases are difficult to differentiate from those of simple reflex flagellation. A knowledge of the primary origin of the desire, before any experience of reflex stimuli (v. supra, under “first”), is the only thing that makes the differential diagnosis certain; taken with the circumstance that genuine masochists are perverse in their youth, and that the realization of their desires usually comes late, or undeceives them (v. supra, under “thirdly”); for the whole thing, for the most part, belongs to the sphere of the imagination.

The following case is of this nature:—

Case 49. Autobiography.—In January, 1891, I received the following letter from a gentleman in Hungary: “In depression and despair of a life that shuts me out from all that makes human happiness, I come to you with the last gleam of hope of rescue from a condition which, if it continue, can end only tragically.

“I am thirty years old, and come of a mother who suffered with periodical insanity. As early as my fourteenth year abnormal sexual tendencies were noticeable in me. It always gave me a certain lustful pleasure to be whipped by boys of my own age, particularly when I was taken over the knee and spanked. It particularly delighted me when this was done by handsome young persons or boys having well formed legs and closely-fitting trousers. By means of such ideas I also came to masturbate; and I practiced onanism quite frequently,—almost daily, and, in fact, in absolute ignorance of the terrible results of the vice. Thus it continued until my eighteenth year, when, thus far absolutely unsuspecting, I was made aware of the vicious results of the practice.

“From this time began the terrible struggle with the desire to give it up, which I only too often abandoned. The fancies mentioned did not leave me; I longed to be whipped by handsome young persons aged from twenty to twenty-two years, wearing tight trousers. My fancy was filled especially with young soldiers and hussars. At times I was able to repress my imagination and avoid onanism; but I then had pollutions with dreams of the same nature.

“After my twentieth year, to my astonishment, the sexual inclination toward women, which I had noticed in comrades of my own age, and the occurrence of which I expected in myself, did not appear. I was cold toward women, and embarrassed in their presence. At the same time, feminine nudity was not unpleasant; on the contrary, there was something attractive about it, but my sensuality was not excited.

“I twice attempted coitus; I was not troubled about being in bed with the girl, but rather kissed and embraced her with pleasure, and even had traces of erection, but that was all. Since then I have had no hope, and occasionally returned to onanism, which I had avoided for some months previously. Nevertheless, I cultivated social intercourse with ladies, and particularly young girls; and I was esteemed in society, and liked for my graceful dancing. I was always hoping that in this way my unhappy tendency would be overcome successfully, but in vain; it grew constantly stronger. Thus I have lived hours of wretchedness; and the ghost of suicide has passed before me. I once confided in a physician in Pesth, but he had only the usual remedies for persons suffering with sexual weakness,—cold baths, quieting medicines, intercourse with women, etc.

“I tried everything in vain, until by accident a book on contrary sexual instinct fell into my hands, and gave me the last ray of hope. I have a respected position as a merchant, and appreciate thoroughly the joys of family life; and I have an opportunity to marry, under the most favorable circumstances, a young girl whom I love, and who loves me. But I feel the cruel impossibility of this step. I suffer terribly in thinking about these repulsive abnormalities. My only hope lies in a cure by means of hypnosis. May it not be in vain!”

Pity and a scientific interest induced me to invite the writer of the preceding lines to come to see me. Early in February Mr. D. came. He was distinguished, pleasing, and masculine in appearance. Examination of the case showed it to be one of masochism. He distinctly remembered that, when he once saw fellow-pupils whipped by the teacher, it gave him a feeling of lustful pleasure. He cannot remember that he was ever whipped by a teacher. His masochism had been an absolutely primary manifestation, and incomprehensible to him. Only gradually and faute de mieux had he come to practice onanism, during which ideas of flagellation, in which he played the passive rôle, filled his mind. He had never had desire to be whipped by the teacher; he always wished to be flogged by fellow-pupils and well-grown young persons. Since maturity he had never been able to induce himself to satisfy his masochistic inclinations.

In intercourse with puellis he had repeatedly had the thought to have himself whipped by them; but since this was not accompanied by sensual feeling, it was not carried out. The patient declares that his inclinations toward persons of his own sex are purely masochistic. In other respects he finds nothing interesting in men. Until his eighteenth year the patient had also sadistic tendencies. He was enthusiastic about the position of the pedagogue and wanted to be a teacher in order to be able to flog boys. This ideal sadism later disappeared entirely. The patient complains that he feels alone in the world, like a pariah, and that he is different from other men. But his libido toward women had much diminished, possibly as a result of his masturbation. He had no erection at the sight of feminine charms, but the sight of a riding-whip or a cane excited him powerfully sexually. When he attempted coitus, no masochistic ideas occurred. Such ideas arose, however, whenever he saw attractive young men. He believed that if he were freed from his ideas of flagellation, he would be helped; for his sensuality would then direct itself in a normal path.

The patient has neuropathic eyes, but is free from all degenerative signs. In the direction of hereditary taint, it is noteworthy that his maternal grandfather was peculiar, and shot himself while in a psychopathic condition. The patient feels well, save for slight neurasthenic troubles. Patellar reflex increased. The genitals are perfectly normal. His dreams with pollutions are exclusively about flagellation by young persons, particularly soldiers with tight trousers.

The principles of treatment laid down were: 1. Removal of the symptoms of neurasthenia. 2. Suggestive treatment looking to (a) avoidance of onanism; (b) indifference toward his own sex and the disappearance of thoughts of flagellation, both while awake and asleep; (c) libido exclusively toward persons of the opposite sex, the occurrence of erections at sight of beautiful women, complete power with women, and dreams of women exclusively. At the first sitting, by means of Bernheim’s method, the patient passed quickly into a state of deep lethargy. At the second sitting (February 5) a cataleptic condition of the muscles was induced. Sittings almost daily. It was seen that stroking the brow induced deeper hypnosis with catalepsy, which, however, did not go beyond deep lethargy. Suggestion was begun in the third sitting.

February 10. The patient says that he has no longer any interest in men, but a growing interest in women. He begins to dream of women.

February 13. He feels himself free from masochism during the day, and canes and whipping do not interest him any more. At night he still has “weak” dreams of flagellation concerning men, but without lustful feeling or pollution. A short time ago he had had a dream that was entirely strange, and without erotic coloring, to the effect that he whipped himself.

February 19. The patient attempted coitus with a puella pleasing to him. Erection was incomplete, and ejaculation did not occur; so he gave up the attempt. The patient finds that his libido toward women is still very slight. He was not discouraged by his failure, and expected ultimate success; for he felt free from his abnormal tendencies, and like another man. On February 20, unfortunately, the patient had to discontinue treatment, being called home by duties there.

The fact that traces of sadism (v. infra), were simultaneously present, lends certainty to the diagnosis of this rudimentary case as one of masochism. The purely psychical character of this latter perversion is unquestionable. At the same time, the case is combined with incompletely developed contrary sexual instinct, an association not infrequent in masochists and sadists.

In contrast with this case of rudimentary masochism, in which there is some difficulty of diagnosis, follows a typical case of masochism, in which the whole circle of ideas peculiar to this perversion appears completely developed. This case, in which there is a detailed personal description of the whole psychical state, is different from Case 44 only in that here there is no thought of a realization of the perverse fancies; and that, notwithstanding the perversion of the vita sexualis, normal stimuli are so far effectual that sexual intercourse is possible under normal conditions.

Case 50. I am thirty-five years old, mentally and physically normal. Among all my relatives, in the direct as well as in the lateral line, I know of no case of mental disease. My father, who, at my birth, was thirty years old, as far as I know, had a preference for voluptuous, large women.

Even in my early childhood I loved to revel in ideas about the absolute mastery of one man over others. The thought of slavery had something exciting in it for me, and alike whether from the stand-point of master or servant. That one man could possess, sell, or whip another, caused me intense excitement; and in reading “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” (which I read at about the beginning of puberty), I had erections. Particularly exciting for me was the thought of a man’s being hitched up before a wagon in which another man sat with a whip, driving and whipping him. Until my twentieth year these ideas were purely objective and sexless,—i.e., the one in subjugation in my fancy was another (not myself), and the master was not necessarily a woman. These ideas were, therefore, without effect on my sexual instinct,—i.e., on the way in which it was expressed. Though these ideas caused erections, yet I have never masturbated in my life; and from my nineteenth year I had coitus without the help of these ideas and without any relation to them. I always had a great preference for elderly, voluptuous, large women, though I did not scorn younger ones.

After my twenty-first year my ideas became objective, and it became an essential thing that the “mistress” should be a woman over forty years old, tall, and powerful. From this time I was always, in my fancies, the subject; the “mistress” was a rough woman, who made use of me in every way, also sexually; who harnessed me before a carriage, and made me take her for a drive; whom I must follow like a dog; at whose feet I must lie naked, and be punished—i.e., whipped—by her. This was the constant element in my ideas, around which all others were grouped. In these fancies I always found endless pleasure, which caused erection, but never ejaculation. As a result of the induced sexual excitement, I would immediately seek a woman, preferably one corresponding exteriorly with my ideal, and have coitus with her without any actual imitation of my fancies, and sometimes also without any thought of them during the act. At the same time, I also had inclination toward women of a different kind, and had coitus with them without being impelled to it by my fancy.

Notwithstanding all this, my life was not exceedingly abnormal sexually; yet these ideas were certain to occur periodically, and they have remained essentially unchanged. With growing sexual desire, the intervals constantly grew shorter. At the present time the ideas come every two or three weeks. If I have had coitus, the occurrence of the fancies is perhaps postponed. I have never attempted to realize my very definite and characteristic ideas,—i.e., to connect them with the objective world,—but I have contented myself with reveling in the thoughts; because I was convinced that my ideal would not allow even an approach to realization. The thought of a comedy with paid prostitutes always seemed to me silly and purposeless; for a person hired by me could never take the place in my imagination of a “cruel mistress.” I doubt whether there are sadistically constituted women like Sacher-Masoch’s heroines. But, if there were such women, and I had the fortune (!) to find one, still, in a world of reality, intercourse with her would always seem only like a farce to me. Indeed, I can say that, were I to become the slave of a Messalina, I believe that, owing to the other necessary renunciations, my desired manner of life would soon pall on me, and in my lucid intervals I should try to obtain my freedom at all hazards.

Yet I have found a way in which to induce, in a certain sense, a realization. After my sexual desire has been intensely excited by reveling in my fancy, I go to a prostitute and there call up before my mind’s eye, with great intensity, some scene of the kind mentioned, in which I play the principal rôle. After thinking of such a situation for about half an hour, with a constantly resulting erection, I perform coitus with increased lustful pleasure and strong ejaculation. After the latter, the vision fades away. Ashamed, I depart as quickly as possible, and try not to think of the affair. Then, for about two weeks, I have no more such ideas; indeed, after a particularly satisfactory coitus, it may happen that, until the next attack, I have no sympathy whatever with masochistic ideas. But the next attack is sure to come sooner or later. I must, however, state that I also have coitus without being prepared by such ideas, especially, too, with women that are acquainted with me and my position, and in whose presence I abhor such fancies. Under the latter circumstances, however, I am not always potent, while, with masochistic ideas, my virility is perfect. It does not seem superfluous to add that otherwise, in my thought and feeling, I am very æsthetic, and despise anything like maltreatment of a human being. Finally, I will not leave unmentioned the fact that the form of address is of importance. In my fancies it is essential that the “mistress” address me in the second person (Du), while I must address her in the third (Sie). This circumstance of being thus familiarly addressed (Du) by a person so inclined, as the expression of absolute mastery, has, from my youth, given me lustful pleasure, and does to-day.

I had the fortune to find a wife who is in everything, but especially sexually, attractive to me; though, as I scarcely need say, she in no way resembles my masochistic ideal. She is gentle, but proud; for without the latter characteristic I cannot conceive such a thing as sexual charm. The first few months of married life were normal sexually; the masochistic attacks did not occur, and I had almost lost all thought of masochism. Then came the first confinement and the necessary abstinence. Punctually, then, with the occurrence of libido, came the masochistic fancies again, which, in spite of my great love for my wife, necessitated coitus with another, with the accompaniment of masochistic ideas. It is here worthy of note that coitus maritalis, which was later resumed, did not prove sufficient to banish the masochistic ideas, as masochistic coitus always does. As for the essential element in masochism, I am of the opinion that the ideas,—i.e., the mental element,—are the end and aim.

If the realization of the masochistic ideas (i.e., passive flagellation, etc.) be the desired end, then it is in opposition with the fact that the majority of masochists never attempt realization; or, when this is attempted, great disappointment occurs, or at least the desired satisfaction is not obtained.

Thus the reveling in imagination is the principal thing; and, in fact, this gives an unspeakable delight that takes its subject beyond external things, beyond all troubles and cares.

It is an astonishing fact that there is an author, who, instead of keeping them to himself, as others do, discloses his imaginary ideals to the world in novels and romances. In “Venus in Furs,” we find those that are like us in feeling,—word for word, line for line, are expressed the ideas so familiar to us, which we believe to be our own exclusive discovery.

Until then I did not think it possible that there could be, in any other brain than mine, the lustful thought of being harnessed to a plow and made to work like a draught-horse.

And the ill-temper of the mistress to be served at the toilet and bath; the imprisonment,—ah, how familiar such ideas are to us from childhood!

Therefore, perhaps by reason of this open disclosure of things that should be secret, the reading of this book shocks masochists, undeceives them, and exerts a curative influence.

Finally, I should mention that, according to my experience, the number of masochists, especially in large cities, seems to be quite large. The only sources of such information are—since men do not reveal these things—words of prostitutes; and, since they agree on the essential points, it may be concluded that certain facts are proved.

Thus there is the fact that every experienced prostitute is accustomed to keep some suitable instrument (usually a whip) for flagellation; but it must be remembered that there are men who have themselves whipped simply to increase their sexual pleasure; who, in contrast with masochists, regard flagellation as a means to an end.

On the other hand, almost all prostitutes agree that there are many men who like to play “slave,”—i.e., like to be so called, and have themselves scolded and trod upon and beaten. As has been said, the number of masochists is larger than has yet been dreamed.

As you can imagine, reading the “New Investigations”^[62] made a great impression on me. I should like to have faith in a cure, in a logical cure, so to speak, in accordance with the motto: “Tout comprendre c’est tout guérir.” (To understand all is to cure all.)

Of course the word cure is to be taken with some limitation, and there must be a distinction made between general feelings and concrete ideas. The former can never be overcome; they come like a stroke of lightning, are there, and one does not know whence or how.

But this practice of masochism in imagination, by means of concrete, associated ideas, can be avoided, or at least restricted.

Now the thing is changed. I say to myself: What! you busy your mind with things which not only the æsthetic sense of others, but also your own, disapproves? You regard that as beautiful and desirable which, in your own judgment, is at once ugly, coarse, silly, and impossible? You long for a situation which in reality you can never obtain? This opposing idea has an immediate inhibitory and undeceiving effect, and takes the edge off the fancy. Too, since reading the “New Investigations” (early this year), I have actually not reveled in my fancy once, though the masochistic tendency has occurred with regularity.

I must also confess that, in spite of its marked pathological character, masochism is not only incapable of destroying my pleasure in life, but it does not in the least affect my outward life. When not in a masochistic state, as far as feeling and action are concerned, I am a perfectly normal man. During the activity of the masochistic tendencies there is, of course, a great revolution in my feeling, but my outward manner of life suffers no change; I have a calling that makes it necessary for me to move much in public, and I pursue it in the masochistic condition as well as ever.

The author of the foregoing lines also sends me the following notes:—

1. Masochism, according to my experience, is, under all circumstances, congenital, and never acquired by the individual. I know positively that I was never spanked; that my masochistic ideas were manifested from my earliest youth; and that, as long as I have been capable of thinking, I have had such thoughts. If the origin of them had been the result of a particular event, especially of a beating, I should certainly not have forgotten it. It is characteristic that the ideas were present before there was any libido. At that time the ideas were absolutely sexless. I remember that, when a boy, it affected (not to say excited) me intensely when an older boy addressed me in the second person (Du), while I spoke to him in the third (Sie). I would keep up a conversation with him, and have the exchange of address take place as often as possible. Later, when I had become more mature sexually, such things affected me only when they occurred with a married woman, and one relatively old.

2. Physically and mentally I am in all respects masculine. I have a superabundant growth of beard, and my whole body is very hairy. In my relations to the female sex that are not masochistic, the dominating position of the man is an indispensable condition, and any attempt to change it would meet with my energetic opposition. I am energetic, if not over-courageous; but the want of courage is not manifest when my pride is injured. I am not sensitive to events in nature (thunder-storms, storms at sea, etc.).^[63]

Too, my masochistic tendencies have nothing feminine or effeminate about them (?). To be sure, in these the inclination to be sought and desired by the woman is dominant; but the general relation desired with her is not that in which a woman stands to a man, but that of the slave to the master, the domestic animal to its owner. If one regards the ultimate aim of masochism without prejudice, it must be acknowledged that its ideal is the position of a dog or horse. Both are owned by masters, and punished by them; and the masters are responsible to no one. Just this unlimited power of life and death, as exercised over slaves and domestic animals, is the end and aim of all masochistic ideas.

3. The foundation of all masochistic ideas is libido; and as this ebbs and flows, so do the masochistic fancies. On the other hand, as soon as the ideas are present, they greatly intensify the libido. I am by no means excessively sensual naturally. However, when the masochistic ideas occur, I am impelled to coitus at any cost (for the most part I am driven to the lowest women); and if these impulses are not soon obeyed, libido soon becomes almost satyriasis. One is almost justified in looking upon this as a circulus vitiosus.

Libido occurs either in the course of time, or as the result of especial excitement (also of a kind that is not masochistic,—e.g., kissing). In spite of its manner of origin, this libido, by virtue of the masochistic ideas it engenders, is soon transformed into a masochistic and impure libido.

Moreover, there is no doubt that external, accidental impressions, particularly loitering in the streets of a large city, greatly intensify the desire. The sight of beautiful and imposing female forms, in nature as well as in art, is exciting. For those subject to masochism,—at least during the attacks,—the whole external world becomes masochistic. The box on the ear administered by the teacher to the pupil and the crack of the driver’s whip make deep impressions on the masochist, while they leave him indifferent or annoy him when he is not in the masochistic state.

4. An example of masochistic ideas follows: “She” is a peasant woman,—a rough, tall, large-boned woman of forty or fifty years. She is the possessor of a small, remote farm, which she works with the help of her slave alone. The work begins before sunrise. At four o’clock in the morning she opens the shed where she has kept me shut up over night, and wakens me, as I lie on the ground, with a kick; then she leads me out and harnesses me to a milk-cart bound for town. She leads me by a halter, and urges me along. On the road she gets on the heavily-loaded wagon, and sleeps until the destination is reached. There, in the open market-place of the town, still harnessed to the wagon, I lie down on the bare ground to rest. Those passing knock against me or step on me, without giving me any attention. After the stock is sold, we start homeward. After a short rest the work begins again, always under the direction of the mistress, who holds me by the halter and urges me on. At seven or eight o’clock at night I am put up to rest, and sleep until the next morning, when the same thing begins again. Work and blows, blows and work; no pleasure, no recreation, day in and day out!

Another time I fancy myself in the rôle of a paid lover of an elderly female roué, who makes use of me, sexually, in the most reckless manner; and in this direction makes the most shameful demands on me. If I do not submit to these willingly, I am beaten and punished; and, at the same time, she despises me unspeakably; gives me the lowest housework to do; and on every occasion shows me how low an opinion she has of my manhood.

I cannot clothe the character of masochism in any better formula than the following: A real masochist, without reflection, prefers the kick of a low woman to the embrace of a Venus.

5. In reading Sacher-Masoch, it struck me that in masochists, now and then, there was also an undercurrent of sadistic feeling. Too, I have now and then discovered in myself sporadic feelings of sadism. I must remark, however, that the sadistic feelings are not so marked as the masochistic; and that, aside from the fact that they are infrequently accessory, the sadistic fancies never leave the sphere of abstract feeling, and, above all, never take the form of concrete, connected ideas (like those above mentioned). The effect on libido, however, is the same with both.

If this case is remarkable on account of the complete development of the psychical state that constitutes masochism, the following one is noteworthy because of the great extravagance of the acts resulting from the perversion. The case is also particularly suited to make clear the reason for the subjection and humiliation at the hands of the woman, and the peculiar sexual coloring of the resulting situations:—