Venus in Furs

Venus in Furs is a novella about exploring sexuality and experimenting with desires, fantasies, and relationships. Severin’s early interest in “supersensuality” and submission reflects an early understanding of masochism, the term referring to people who derive sexual pleasure from pain and submission that was coined from Sacher-Masoch’s name (See: Background). Severin and Wanda’s experiences of sexuality are closely tied to their understanding of sexual power dynamics.

As Severin develops his own sexuality, Wanda, too, embarks on a journey of sexual self-discovery, learning the conditions under which she enjoys sadism. After whipping Severin, she notes, “You have awakened dangerous elements in my being” (39), as she enjoys seeing Severin “tremble and writhe beneath [her] whip” (39). Experimenting with sadism brings Wanda satisfaction, as she initially enjoys fulfilling Severin’s fantasy because she loves him. Even in Wanda’s letter three years after she parts from Severin, she remarks that she hopes he was “cured under [her] whip,” adding that she is “a woman who loved [him] passionately” (103). However, she ultimately confirms that she, like Severin, prefers masochism. Wanda wants a man who will dominate her, adhering to a traditional understanding of heteronormative sexuality in which the woman is the more submissive party.