Venus in furs. Level 3. Venus IM Pelz. Zacher-Mazokh L.

Austrian writer Leopold von Zaher-Mazokh is one of the bright figures of the European decadence. His works psychologically deeply and accurately reveal a love dependence and inextricable connection of pain with pleasure. The tendency to enjoy, experiencing humiliation and pain, received its name from the surname of the writer - masochism.

“Venus in furs” - the most famous story of the author, insanely sensual, complete passion and frenzy. The main character Severin meets his Venus - a girl named Wanda. He is captured by her coldness, cruelty and alienation, he falls in love with her to madness. She forces him to sign an agreement, according to which his life is now completely belongs to her. Wanda has the right to torment Severin at his first whim. The more physical and emotional pain she causes her “slave”, the more pleasure he experiences. What can the violence and power of a despotistical woman over a weak man lead to? Is there a limit in such a relationship?

a sensual story, and to this day exciting imagination, served as the basis for the film “Venus in Furs” (2013), shot by the outstanding film director Roman Polanski.

The text of the work is adapted for B1-B2 levels (for continuing to study German in the middle step) and is equipped with comments. After the story, exercises with keys are offered. At the end of the book - a dictionary of vocabulary used that facilitates reading.