Masochism is Rousseau's Confessions

A detailed Summary of Masochism is Rousseau's Confessions

In Confessions, Rousseau's development of masochistic sexual urges as a result of the guilt he feels over causing his mother's death is apparent. Rousseau conveys to the reader that because his mother died while giving birth to him, he is directly responsible for her death. As a result of this blame he takes upon himself, Rousseau develops a deep hatred of himself. He believes that every punishment he receives is well earned, and at the hands of Mlle Lambercier he even enjoys the beatings. At the time of his first thrashing, coming from none other than Mlle Lambercier, he becomes sexually aroused. And through these whippings, because they happen at such an impressionable age, he develops masochistic urges that remain with him throughout his life. Rousseau feels that by being beaten by a woman, he will be sufficiently punished for causing the death of his mother.

Rousseau views his birth, and the subsequent death of his mot

Later in life, around Rousseau's pre-adolescent years, he moved to Bossey to be tutored by M. Lambercier. It is in Bossey that his masochism develops, at the hands of Mlle Lambercier. Rousseau makes it clear that he views Mlle Lambercier as a surrogate mother, and for a great while, the threat of punishment was enough to keep him from trouble. But in the end, he is punished, and finds that he obtains a certain sexual arousal from being beaten. As Rousseau says, "I found the experience less dreadful in fact than in anticipation; and the very strange thing was that this punishment increased my affection for the inflictor. . . . I had discovered in the shame and pain of the punishment an admixture of sensuality which had left me rather eager than otherwise for a repetition by the same hand" (25). Rousseau admits, "the same punishment at the hands of her brother would not have seemed pleasant at all" (25-26). Because Rousseau

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Approximate Word count = 630
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous

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