Story of O
Encyclopedia
Story of O is an erotic novel published in 1954
about love, dominance and submission by French
author Anne Desclos under the pen name
Pauline Réage.
Desclos did not reveal herself as the author for forty years after the initial publication. Desclos claims she wrote the novel as a series of love letters to her lover Jean Paulhan
, who had admired the work of the Marquis de Sade
.
by Jean-Jacques Pauvert, Story of O is a tale of female submission
about a beautiful Paris
ian fashion photographer, O, who is blindfold
ed, chained
, whipped, branded, pierced, made to wear a mask
, and taught to be constantly available for oral
, vaginal, and anal
intercourse
. Despite her harsh treatment, O grants permission beforehand for everything that occurs, and her permission is consistently sought.
At the beginning of the story, O's lover, René, brings her to the château of Roissy, where she is trained to serve the men of an elite group. After this first period of training is finished, as a demonstration of their bond and his generosity, René hands O to Sir Stephen, a more dominant master. René wants O to learn to serve someone whom she does not love, and someone who does not love her. Over the course of this training, O falls in love with Sir Stephen and believes him to be in love with her as well. While her vain friend and lover, Jacqueline, is repulsed by O's chains and scars, O herself is proud of her condition as a willing slave. During the summer, Sir Stephen decides to move O to Samois, an old mansion solely inhabited by women for advanced training and body modifications related to submission. There she agrees to receive a branding
and a labia piercing
with rings marked with Sir Stephen's initials and insignia. At the climax
, O appears as a slave
, nude but for an owl-like mask, before a large party of guests who treat her solely as an object.
, although this did not prevent the French authorities from bringing obscenity
charges against the publisher. The charges were rejected by the courts, but a publicity ban was imposed for a number of years.
The first English
edition was published by Olympia Press
in 1965. Eliot Fremont-Smith (of the New York Times) called its publishing "a significant event".
A sequel, Retour à Roissy (Return to Roissy, but often translated as Return to the Chateau, Continuing the Story of O), was published in 1969
in French
, again with Jean-Jacques Pauvert, éditeur. It was published again in English by Grove Press, Inc., in 1971. It is not known whether this work is by the same author as the original.
A critical view of the novel is that it is about the ultimate objectification
of a woman. The heroine of the novel has the shortest possible name, consisting solely of the letter O. Although this is in fact a shortening of the name Odile, it could also stand for "object" or "orifice", an O being a symbolic representation of any "hole". The novel was strongly criticised by many feminists, who felt it glorified the abuse of women.
The book has been the source of various terms that are used in the BDSM
subculture such as Samois
, the name of the estate belonging to the character Anne-Marie, who brands O.
According to an article by Geraldine Bedell, published in The Observer
on Sunday 25 July 2004, "Pauline Reage, the author, was a pseudonym, and many people thought that the book could only have been written by a man. The writer's true identity was not revealed until 10 years ago, when, in an interview with John de St Jorre, a British journalist and some-time foreign correspondent of The Observer, an impeccably dressed 86-year-old intellectual called Dominique Aury acknowledged that the fantasies of castles, masks and debauchery were hers."
According to several other sources, however, Dominique Aury was itself a pseudonym of Anne Cécile Desclos, born September 23, 1907 in Rochefort-sur-Mer, France, and deceased April 26, 1998 (at age 90) in Paris, France.
The Grove Press edition (US, 1965) was translated by publisher Richard Seaver
(who had lived in France for many years) under the pseudonym Sabine d'Estree.
's writing and told Desclos that a woman could not write in a similar fashion. Desclos interpreted this as a challenge and wrote the book. Paulhan was so impressed that he sent it to a publisher. Interestingly, in the preface, Paulhan goes out of his way to appear as if he does not know who wrote the book. In one part he says, "But from the beginning to end, the story of O is managed rather like some brilliant feat. It reminds you more of a speech than of a mere effusion; of a letter rather than a secret diary. But to whom is the letter addressed? Whom is the speech trying to convince? Whom can we ask? I don't even know who you are. That you are a woman I have little doubt." (xxiv). Paulhan also explains his own belief that the themes in the book depict the true nature of women. At times, the preface (when read with the knowledge of the relationship between Paulhan and the author), seems to be a continuation of the conversation between them.
Discussing the ending, Paulhan states, "I too was surprised by the end. And nothing you can say will convince me that it is the real end. That in reality (so to speak) your heroine convinces Sir Stephen to consent to her death."
One critic has seen Paulhan's essay as consistent with other themes in his work, including Paulhan's interest in erotica, his "mystification" of love and sexual relationships , and a view of women that is arguably sexist.
wanted to adapt the novel to film for many years. It was eventually adapted by director Just Jaeckin
in 1975 as Histoire d'O
(The Story of O), starring Corinne Clery
and Udo Kier
. The film met with far less acclaim than the book. It was banned in the United Kingdom
by the British Board of Film Censors until February 2000.
In 1975, American director Gerard Damiano
, well-known for Deep Throat
(1972) and The Devil in Miss Jones
(1973) created the movie The Story of Joanna, highly influenced by the Story of O, by combining the motifs
from one of the book's chapters and from Jean-Paul Sartre
's No Exit
.
In 1979, Danish
director Lars von Trier
made the short movie entitled Menthe—la bienheureuse, as an homage
to Story of O. His 2005 film Manderlay
was also inspired by the book, particularly Paulhan's introduction.
Five years later, in 1984, actress Sandra Wey starred as "O" in The Story of O: Part 2.
In 2002 another version of O was released, called The Story of O: Untold Pleasures, with Danielle Ciardi playing the title character.
A Brazil
ian miniseries
in 10 episodes with Claudia Cepeda
was made in 1992 by director Eric Rochat, who was the producer of the original 1975 movie.
In 1975, it was adapted for comics by the Italian
artist Guido Crepax
. Both the original and Crepax's adaptation were parodied for comics in 2007 by Charles Alverson
and John Linton Roberson
.
The comic book character Orlando is a blend of several fictional characters with the name Orlando as well as being known during the mid-sixties as O while engaged in sexual games with the descendants of the Silling Castle
survivors.
From their album Yes, Virginia... by The Dresden Dolls
, the piece "Mrs. O" includes reference to the Story of O.
Oneida
also has a song named Story of O, on their album Rated O
.
Jacqueline Carey's novel, Kushiel's Dart
, gives a nod to The Story of O where, during a grand ball, the main character - a masochist and submissive - dresses as a naked owl similar to that of the last scene of O.
In the documentary, the real author of Histoire d'O, Dominique Aury (also a pen name), talks about the book A Girl in Love. This book was written about how The Story of O was written.
A documentary was also made for BBC Radio 4
entitled The Story of O: The Vice Francaise, presented by Rowan Pelling
, former editor of the Erotic Review
, which looked at the history of the book and Pauline Reage.
1954 in literature
The year 1954 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Jack Kerouac reads Dwight Goddard's A Buddhist Bible, which will influence him greatly.*John Updike graduates from Harvard with a thesis on George Herbert....
about love, dominance and submission by French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
author Anne Desclos under the pen name
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Pauline Réage.
Desclos did not reveal herself as the author for forty years after the initial publication. Desclos claims she wrote the novel as a series of love letters to her lover Jean Paulhan
Jean Paulhan
Jean Paulhan was a French writer, literary critic and publisher, director of the literary magazine Nouvelle Revue Française from 1925 to 1940 and from 1946 to 1968. He was a member of the Académie Française...
, who had admired the work of the Marquis de Sade
Marquis de Sade
Donatien Alphonse François, Marquis de Sade was a French aristocrat, revolutionary politician, philosopher, and writer famous for his libertine sexuality and lifestyle...
.
Plot
Published in FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
by Jean-Jacques Pauvert, Story of O is a tale of female submission
Female submission
Female submission describes a relationship in which a female submits to the will of another person. The submission can be voluntary and consensual or may be obtained as a result of duress. The dominant partner is usually a man, but sometimes it is another woman, or more than one person, or...
about a beautiful Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
ian fashion photographer, O, who is blindfold
Blindfold
A blindfold is a garment, usually of cloth, tied to one's head to cover the eyes to disable the wearer's sight. It can be worn when the eyes are in a closed state and thus prevents the wearer from opening them...
ed, chained
Bondage (BDSM)
Bondage is the use of restraints for the sexual pleasure of the parties involved. It may be used in its own right, as in the case of rope bondage and breast bondage, or as part of sexual activity or BDSM activity.- Private bondage :...
, whipped, branded, pierced, made to wear a mask
Mask
A mask is an article normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance or entertainment. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and practical purposes...
, and taught to be constantly available for oral
Oral sex
Oral sex is sexual activity involving the stimulation of the genitalia of a sex partner by the use of the mouth, tongue, teeth or throat. Cunnilingus refers to oral sex performed on females while fellatio refer to oral sex performed on males. Anilingus refers to oral stimulation of a person's anus...
, vaginal, and anal
Anal sex
Anal sex is the sex act in which the penis is inserted into the anus of a sexual partner. The term can also include other sexual acts involving the anus, including pegging, anilingus , fingering, and object insertion.Common misconception describes anal sex as practiced almost exclusively by gay men...
intercourse
Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
. Despite her harsh treatment, O grants permission beforehand for everything that occurs, and her permission is consistently sought.
At the beginning of the story, O's lover, René, brings her to the château of Roissy, where she is trained to serve the men of an elite group. After this first period of training is finished, as a demonstration of their bond and his generosity, René hands O to Sir Stephen, a more dominant master. René wants O to learn to serve someone whom she does not love, and someone who does not love her. Over the course of this training, O falls in love with Sir Stephen and believes him to be in love with her as well. While her vain friend and lover, Jacqueline, is repulsed by O's chains and scars, O herself is proud of her condition as a willing slave. During the summer, Sir Stephen decides to move O to Samois, an old mansion solely inhabited by women for advanced training and body modifications related to submission. There she agrees to receive a branding
Human branding
Human branding or stigmatizing is the process in which a mark, usually a symbol or ornamental pattern, is burned into the skin of a living person, with the intention that the resulting scar makes it permanent. This is performed using a hot or very cold branding iron...
and a labia piercing
Labia piercing
Labia piercings are one type of female genital piercing. This piercing can be placed either through the labia minora or the labia majora. They are one of the simpler and more common genital piercings performed on women, and are often pierced in symmetrical pairs...
with rings marked with Sir Stephen's initials and insignia. At the climax
Climax (narrative)
The Climax is the point in the story where the main character's point of view changes, or the most exciting/action filled part of the story. It also known has the main turning point in the story...
, O appears as a slave
Sexual slavery
Sexual slavery is when unwilling people are coerced into slavery for sexual exploitation. The incidence of sexual slavery by country has been studied and tabulated by UNESCO, with the cooperation of various international agencies...
, nude but for an owl-like mask, before a large party of guests who treat her solely as an object.
Publishing history
In February 1955, Story of O won the French literature prize Prix des Deux MagotsPrix des Deux Magots
The Prix des Deux Magots is a major French literary prize. It is presented to new works, and is generally awarded to works that are more off-beat and less conventional than those that receive the more mainstream Prix Goncourt....
, although this did not prevent the French authorities from bringing obscenity
Obscenity
An obscenity is any statement or act which strongly offends the prevalent morality of the time, is a profanity, or is otherwise taboo, indecent, abhorrent, or disgusting, or is especially inauspicious...
charges against the publisher. The charges were rejected by the courts, but a publicity ban was imposed for a number of years.
The first English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
edition was published by Olympia Press
Olympia Press
Olympia Press was a Paris-based publisher, launched in 1953 by Maurice Girodias as a rebranded version of the Obelisk Press he inherited from his father Jack Kahane...
in 1965. Eliot Fremont-Smith (of the New York Times) called its publishing "a significant event".
A sequel, Retour à Roissy (Return to Roissy, but often translated as Return to the Chateau, Continuing the Story of O), was published in 1969
1969 in literature
The year 1969 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:* The first Booker Prize is awarded.* "Penelope Ashe", author of the bestselling novel Naked Came the Stranger, is found to be several people who each took a turn writing a chapter of what they described as "junk" in...
in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, again with Jean-Jacques Pauvert, éditeur. It was published again in English by Grove Press, Inc., in 1971. It is not known whether this work is by the same author as the original.
A critical view of the novel is that it is about the ultimate objectification
Sexual objectification
Sexual objectification refers to the practice of regarding or treating another person merely as an instrument towards one's sexual pleasure, and a sex object is a person who is regarded simply as an object of sexual gratification or who is sexually attractive...
of a woman. The heroine of the novel has the shortest possible name, consisting solely of the letter O. Although this is in fact a shortening of the name Odile, it could also stand for "object" or "orifice", an O being a symbolic representation of any "hole". The novel was strongly criticised by many feminists, who felt it glorified the abuse of women.
The book has been the source of various terms that are used in the BDSM
BDSM
BDSM is an erotic preference and a form of sexual expression involving the consensual use of restraint, intense sensory stimulation, and fantasy power role-play. The compound acronym BDSM is derived from the terms bondage and discipline , dominance and submission , and sadism and masochism...
subculture such as Samois
Samois
Samois was a lesbian-feminist BDSM organization based in San Francisco that existed from 1978 to 1983. It took its name from the fictional estate of Anne-Marie, a lesbian dominatrix character in Story of O, who pierces and brands O...
, the name of the estate belonging to the character Anne-Marie, who brands O.
Hidden identities
The author used a pen name, then later revealed herself under another pen name, before finally, prior to her death, revealing her true identity. Her lover Jean Paulhan wrote the preface as if the author were unknown to him.According to an article by Geraldine Bedell, published in The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
on Sunday 25 July 2004, "Pauline Reage, the author, was a pseudonym, and many people thought that the book could only have been written by a man. The writer's true identity was not revealed until 10 years ago, when, in an interview with John de St Jorre, a British journalist and some-time foreign correspondent of The Observer, an impeccably dressed 86-year-old intellectual called Dominique Aury acknowledged that the fantasies of castles, masks and debauchery were hers."
According to several other sources, however, Dominique Aury was itself a pseudonym of Anne Cécile Desclos, born September 23, 1907 in Rochefort-sur-Mer, France, and deceased April 26, 1998 (at age 90) in Paris, France.
The Grove Press edition (US, 1965) was translated by publisher Richard Seaver
Richard Seaver
Richard Woodward Seaver was an American translator, editor and publisher. Seaver was instrumental in defying censorship, to bring to light works by authors such as Samuel Beckett, Jean Genet, Henry Miller, William S. Burroughs, Hubert Selby, Eugene Ionesco, E.M. Cioran, D.H. Lawrence, Jack...
(who had lived in France for many years) under the pseudonym Sabine d'Estree.
Jean Paulhan
Jean Paulhan, who was the author's lover and the person to whom she wrote Story of O in the form of love letters, wrote the preface, "Happiness in Slavery". Paulhan admired the Marquis de SadeMarquis de Sade
Donatien Alphonse François, Marquis de Sade was a French aristocrat, revolutionary politician, philosopher, and writer famous for his libertine sexuality and lifestyle...
's writing and told Desclos that a woman could not write in a similar fashion. Desclos interpreted this as a challenge and wrote the book. Paulhan was so impressed that he sent it to a publisher. Interestingly, in the preface, Paulhan goes out of his way to appear as if he does not know who wrote the book. In one part he says, "But from the beginning to end, the story of O is managed rather like some brilliant feat. It reminds you more of a speech than of a mere effusion; of a letter rather than a secret diary. But to whom is the letter addressed? Whom is the speech trying to convince? Whom can we ask? I don't even know who you are. That you are a woman I have little doubt." (xxiv). Paulhan also explains his own belief that the themes in the book depict the true nature of women. At times, the preface (when read with the knowledge of the relationship between Paulhan and the author), seems to be a continuation of the conversation between them.
Discussing the ending, Paulhan states, "I too was surprised by the end. And nothing you can say will convince me that it is the real end. That in reality (so to speak) your heroine convinces Sir Stephen to consent to her death."
One critic has seen Paulhan's essay as consistent with other themes in his work, including Paulhan's interest in erotica, his "mystification" of love and sexual relationships , and a view of women that is arguably sexist.
Mainstream
French director Henri-Georges ClouzotHenri-Georges Clouzot
Henri-Georges Clouzot was a French film director, screenwriter and producer. He is best remembered for his work in the thriller film genre, having directed The Wages of Fear and Les Diaboliques, which are critically recognized to be among the greatest films from the 1950s...
wanted to adapt the novel to film for many years. It was eventually adapted by director Just Jaeckin
Just Jaeckin
Just Jaeckin is a French film director.-Life:He was born in Vichy France during the Nazi Occupation, but left with his mother and father for England: after the war, he returned to France where he studied art and photography, much of it he did before and after serving with the French Army: while...
in 1975 as Histoire d'O
Story of O (film)
Story of O is a Franco-German film directed by Just Jaeckin, released in 1975.The screenplay is an adaptation of the erotic novel Story of O published in 1954 by Pauline Réage.-Synopsis:...
(The Story of O), starring Corinne Clery
Corinne Clery
Corinne Cléry, also known as Corinne Piccolo is a French actress.-Biography and filmography:Born near Paris, and raised in Saint Germain-en-Laye, Cléry started her acting career in the late 1960s under the name 'Corinne Piccoli'...
and Udo Kier
Udo Kier
Udo Kier is a German actor, known primarily for his work in horror and exploitation movies.-Early life:...
. The film met with far less acclaim than the book. It was banned in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
by the British Board of Film Censors until February 2000.
In 1975, American director Gerard Damiano
Gerard Damiano
Gerard Damiano was an American director of adult films and producer, writer and director of the 1972 cult classic Deep Throat .-Biography:...
, well-known for Deep Throat
Deep Throat (film)
Deep Throat is a 1972 American pornographic film written and directed by Gerard Damiano and produced by Louis Peraino and starring Linda Lovelace ....
(1972) and The Devil in Miss Jones
The Devil in Miss Jones
The Devil in Miss Jones is a pornographic film, written, directed and produced by Gerard Damiano and starring Georgina Spelvin. It is widely regarded as a classic adult film, released during the Golden Age of Porn. Damiano made the film after his 1972 success with Deep Throat...
(1973) created the movie The Story of Joanna, highly influenced by the Story of O, by combining the motifs
Motif (narrative)
In narrative, a motif is any recurring element that has symbolic significance in a story. Through its repetition, a motif can help produce other narrative aspects such as theme or mood....
from one of the book's chapters and from Jean-Paul Sartre
Jean-Paul Sartre
Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre was a French existentialist philosopher, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and literary critic. He was one of the leading figures in 20th century French philosophy, particularly Marxism, and was one of the key figures in literary...
's No Exit
No Exit
No Exit is a 1944 existentialist French play by Jean-Paul Sartre. The original French title is Huis Clos, the French equivalent of the legal term in camera, referring to a private discussion behind closed doors; English translations have also been performed under the titles In Camera, No Way Out...
.
In 1979, Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
director Lars von Trier
Lars von Trier
Lars von Trier is a Danish film director and screenwriter. He is closely associated with the Dogme 95 collective, although his own films have taken a variety of different approaches, and have frequently received strongly divided critical opinion....
made the short movie entitled Menthe—la bienheureuse, as an homage
Homage
Homage is a show or demonstration of respect or dedication to someone or something, sometimes by simple declaration but often by some more oblique reference, artistic or poetic....
to Story of O. His 2005 film Manderlay
Manderlay
Manderlay is the 2005 sequel to the film Dogville. It is the second part of Lars von Trier's projected USA - Land of Opportunities trilogy. Bryce Dallas Howard replaces Nicole Kidman in the role of Grace Mulligan. The film co-stars Willem Dafoe, replacing James Caan...
was also inspired by the book, particularly Paulhan's introduction.
Five years later, in 1984, actress Sandra Wey starred as "O" in The Story of O: Part 2.
In 2002 another version of O was released, called The Story of O: Untold Pleasures, with Danielle Ciardi playing the title character.
A Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
in 10 episodes with Claudia Cepeda
Claudia Cepeda
Claudia Cepeda is a Brazilian actress, mostly known for playing the role of "O" in the 1992 Brazilian erotic series Story of O.-External links:...
was made in 1992 by director Eric Rochat, who was the producer of the original 1975 movie.
In 1975, it was adapted for comics by the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
artist Guido Crepax
Guido Crepax
Guido Crepax was an Italian comics artist. He is most famous for his character Valentina, created in 1965 and very representative of the spirit of the sixties. The Valentina series of books and strips became noted for Crepax's sophisticated drawing, and for the psychedelic, dreamlike storylines,...
. Both the original and Crepax's adaptation were parodied for comics in 2007 by Charles Alverson
Charles Alverson
Charles Elgin Alverson is a novelist, editor and screenwriter who has sometimes used the byline Chuck Alverson. He co-scripted the film Jabberwocky ....
and John Linton Roberson
John Linton Roberson
John Linton Roberson , also known as JLRoberson, is an American writer, illustrator, and cartoonist.-Biography:His father was Lt. John Linton Roberson III, who served under Col...
.
The comic book character Orlando is a blend of several fictional characters with the name Orlando as well as being known during the mid-sixties as O while engaged in sexual games with the descendants of the Silling Castle
120 Days of Sodom
The 120 Days of Sodom, or the School of Libertinism is a novel by the French writer and nobleman Donatien Alphonse François, Marquis de Sade, written in 1785...
survivors.
From their album Yes, Virginia... by The Dresden Dolls
The Dresden Dolls
The Dresden Dolls are an American musical duo from Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in 2000, the group consists of Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione...
, the piece "Mrs. O" includes reference to the Story of O.
Oneida
Oneida (band)
Oneida is a rock band from Brooklyn, New York. Their influences include psychedelic rock, krautrock, electronic, noise rock, and minimalism, but the overall structure and intent of their music cannot be easily traced to any of these styles...
also has a song named Story of O, on their album Rated O
Rated O
Rated O is the tenth full-length album by Brooklyn-based indie rock band by Oneida, released as a triple LP.-Track listing:...
.
Jacqueline Carey's novel, Kushiel's Dart
Kushiel's Dart
Kushiel's Dart is Jacqueline Carey's first novel and the first of the novels in her Kushiel's Legacy series. The idea for this book first came to Carey when she was reading the Biblical Book of Genesis, and specifically a passage about "sons of God" coming into the "daughters of Men." Later, when...
, gives a nod to The Story of O where, during a grand ball, the main character - a masochist and submissive - dresses as a naked owl similar to that of the last scene of O.
Documentaries
Writer of O, a 2004 documentary film by Pola Rapaport, mixed interviews with re-enactments of certain scenes from the book.In the documentary, the real author of Histoire d'O, Dominique Aury (also a pen name), talks about the book A Girl in Love. This book was written about how The Story of O was written.
A documentary was also made for BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
entitled The Story of O: The Vice Francaise, presented by Rowan Pelling
Rowan Pelling
Rowan Dorothy Pelling is a British journalist and broadcaster, who first achieved note as the editor of a monthly literary/erotic magazine, entitled the Erotic Review....
, former editor of the Erotic Review
Erotic Review
Erotic Review is a monthly UK-based lifestyle publication. Covering eroticism and sex-related topics, it was first published in 1995 as a print magazine, migrating to an eZine format in June, 2010...
, which looked at the history of the book and Pauline Reage.
See also
- 1975 in film1975 in filmThe year 1975 in film involved some significant events, with Steven Spielberg's thriller Jaws topping the box office.-Events:*March 26 - The film version of The Who's Tommy premieres in London....
- Compare with Venus in FursVenus in FursVenus in Furs is a novella by Austrian author Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, the best known of his works. The novel was part of an epic series that Sacher-Masoch envisioned called Legacy of Cain. Venus in Furs was part of Love, the first volume of the series...
, The Claiming of Sleeping BeautyThe Claiming of Sleeping BeautyThe Sleeping Beauty Trilogy is a series of three novels written by American author Anne Rice under the pseudonym of A. N. Roquelaure. The trilogy comprises The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty, Beauty's Punishment and Beauty's Release, first published individually in 1983, 1984 and 1985 in the United... - Dominance and submission
- Sadism and masochism in fictionSadism and masochism in fictionThe role of sadism and masochism in fiction attracts serious, scholarly attention. Anthony Storr has commented that the volume of sadomasochist pornography shows that sadomasochistic interest is widespread in Western society; John Kucich has noted the importance of masochism in late-19th century...
- OOO is the fifteenth letter and a vowel in the basic modern Latin alphabet.The letter was derived from the Semitic `Ayin , which represented a consonant, probably , the sound represented by the Arabic letter ع called `Ayn. This Semitic letter in its original form seems to have been inspired by a...
- Damien RiceDamien RiceDamien Rice is an Irish singer-songwriter, musician and record producer who plays guitar, piano, clarinet and percussion....
album