Male masochism
modern revisions of the story of love
By Carol Siegel
This scholarly exploration examines how Western culture transformed its understanding of devoted male love from noble sacrifice into psychological pathology. Carol Siegel investigates the profound shift that occurred when the term "masochism" emerged in the late nineteenth century, fundamentally altering how society perceives men's emotional dedication to women.
Through careful analysis of literary works spanning from modernist to postmodern periods, Siegel reveals how narrative has shaped our comprehension of romantic devotion. She traces the evolution from viewing male submission in love as honorable service to reframing it as unhealthy behavior, questioning whether contemporary culture has lost faith in men's authentic capacity for loving women.
The book examines works by James Joyce, D.H. Lawrence, Iris Murdoch, and others, alongside films that grapple with these themes. Siegel demonstrates how psychoanalytic theory contributed to redefining traditional expressions of male romantic devotion as psychological dysfunction, challenging readers to reconsider these interpretations.
By recovering historical perspectives on heterosexual relationships that predate modern patriarchal gender ideologies, this work offers fresh insights into the nature of love itself. Siegel's research suggests that what previous generations understood as genuine devotion has been systematically reinterpreted through clinical frameworks that may obscure rather than illuminate the authentic dynamics of romantic connection.
For readers interested in understanding how cultural narratives shape personal relationships and gender roles, this book provides valuable perspective on love's evolving definitions.
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore History and criticism
- ✓ Understand the nature of love
- ✓ Explore Psychoanalysis and literature
- ✓ Explore English Romance fiction
- ✓ Explore Love stories, history and criticism
- ✓ Transform your relationships
- ✓ Explore Sex role in literature
- ✓ Explore Modernism (Literature)
Topics
Details
- Published
- 1995
- Publisher
- Indiana University Press
- ISBN-10
- 0253352282
- Pages
- 211
- Language
- EN
- LC Classification
- PR888.L69 S5 1995
