logo
SuperSummary Logo
Study Guide

Venus in Furs

Leopold von Sacher-Masoch
Guide cover image

46 pages • 1 hour read

Leopold von Sacher-Masoch

Venus in Furs

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1870

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Download PDF
Access Full Guide

  • Before You Read Sparkles iconBeta

  • Summary

  • Background

    • Chapter Summaries & Analyses

  • Pages 4-38

  • Pages 39-70

  • Pages 71-104

  • Character Analysis

  • Themes

  • Symbols & Motifs

  • Important Quotes

  • Essay Topics

    • Before You Read

    Roundup icon

    Super Short Summary

    In Venus in Furs by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, Severin von Kusiemski meets a widow, Wanda von Dunajew, at a health resort and enters into a consensual dominant/submissive relationship where Wanda becomes his "master" and he her "slave," exploring complex sexual power dynamics, submission, and societal influences on behavior. Includes depictions of abuse and death by suicide.

    Reviews & Readership

    Roundup icon

    Review Roundup

    Venus in Furs by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch is a provocative exploration of desire and power dynamics. Critics commend its daring themes and psychological depth, but some find its pacing uneven and the protagonist unsympathetic. Overall, it remains a compelling and controversial study of human sexuality.

    Who should read this

    Who Should Read Venus in Furs?

    Readers who are intrigued by themes of sensuality, power dynamics, and psychological exploration will enjoy Venus in Furs by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch. Fans of Fifty Shades of Grey and The Story of O will appreciate its pioneering look into BDSM relationships and the complexities of desire and domination.

    Recommended

    Reading Age

    18+years

    Book Details

    Themes

    Identity: Femininity

    Identity: Masculinity

    Identity: Sexuality