Spanking literature

Book cover (illustrated by Herric, a pseudonym of Chéri Hérouard) for the spanking novel Venez ici, qu'on vous fouette ! (c.1938) by Jean Martinet (likely a pseudonym that should not be confused with the 17th-century Jean Martinet).

Spanking literature refers to a subset of sadomasochist literature. It consists primary of novels/novellas and short stories, but also magazines. The context and settings of spanking literature varies: it may revolve around characters (for example a husband and wife) who are engaged in a Dominance and submission/Domestic discipline relationship, school corporal punishment, or the spanking of a housemaid by her mistress etc. Typically spanking literature aims at being erotic rather than pornographic, and within spanking literature itself the act of spanking often is (intended or not) erotic for either the spanker/s and/or the individual/s spanked (referred to in some uses as a 'spankee'). Technically speaking spanking is the use of the hand to strike the buttocks, however spanking literature is not necessarily confined to the use of the hand, as implements such as canes, hairbrushes, slippers, straps, switches, wooden spoons etc. are common. In some cases spanking literature also includes other acts such as bondage or the receiving of enemas (in a manner of sexual gratification - for the giver and/or receiver - or punishment). The "Golden Age" of spanking literature was the early 20th century.

History

Interest in sexual gratification received from giving, receiving and witnessing spanking began to increase during the 19th century (particularly within France and the United Kingdom). It should be noted that interest was not only confined to literature, the development of photography during 19th century resulted in beginning of the creation, availability and consumption of spanking photography. In the context of literature, this growing demand gave way to the publication of numerous limited edition spanking novels (although, whilst the term novel is/was used many of these works from this time and subsequently can be instead classified as novellas).

Illustration by J. X. Dumoulin from Jean Claqueret's spanking novel Humiliations Chéries (1936).

This interest for spanking (both in regards to literature and photography) followed into the next century, with the early 20th century being considered the "Golden Age" of spanking literature. This period of spanking literature is marked by three notable characteristics. First, greater audiences were reached with the availability of less expensive editions and greater print runs. Second, many of the spanking novels contained numerous illustrations (many of which have fallen under public domain and are easily available online). Third, this period saw a gradual increase in the output and publication of spanking literature, growing particularly within the 1920s and peaking within the 1930s. Much of the output of spanking literature during this period was by French publishers, writers and illustrators. Similarly, within the context of spanking photography, France was also the home to the creation of much content: most notable being the Biederer Studio and Ostra Studio. This "Golden Age" of spanking literature (and so to the French Spanking photography) came to an end as a result of the Second World War, more specifically due to the German occupation of France between 1940 to 1944 and later the enforcement of censorship laws.

A somewhat notable exception to the decline of Spanking literature during this period was John Willie's bondage Bizarre magazine (published between 1946 to 1959). Additionally, in a similar period to the "Golden Age" of Spanking literature, throughout the 1920s to 1950s spanking (often playful and flirtatious) within mainstream film and television (particularly in romantic comedies and Westerns) of actresses was common. It was also common, even if a spanking did not occur during a film, for promotional photos to show or suggest that the leading actresses was going to get spanked. In many cases this was likely done to portray and/or imply sexual activity in a manner that went around censorship and would not be generally accepted, along with representing social acceptability of such behaviour and relationships.

Illustration by John Willie from Bizarre magazine (published from 1946-1959).

Of the many French works from the "Golden Age" few were translated into other languages within which Spanking literature was popular, namely English and German. Beginning during the mid-1960s a number of these French works were translated into English and published, along with these works being republished in French and older British works also being republished. The occurrence of this was facilitated by the availability of mass-produced paperbacks and changes in censorship laws.Today numerous works from the "Golden Age" and before that have since entered public domain, and have accordingly been republished a number of times both in print and digital.

Apart from reprints, new spanking literature has also been published in both novel and short story length. Notably, the development and proliferation of the Internet has helped facilitate a new growth in Spanking literature, with both professional and amateur writers able to self-publish online or through electronic books.

A number of contemporary works are set in the Victorian and Edwardian era within which spanking literature was popular, and within which spanking was widely common. It should however be noted that contemporary spanking literature differs from many of the 19th- and early-20th-century works in that these earlier works often contained social satire or dark humour.

Selected "Golden Age" authors

• Alan Mac Clyde (it has been suggested is a pseudonym of French science fiction writer Maurice Renard)
• René-Michel Desergy (also used the pseudonym Désiré Van Rowel, also spelled Desiré)
• Pierre Dumarchey (also used the pseudonyms Pierre Mac Orlan, Pierre du Bourdel, Sadie Blackeyes, Pierre de Jusange, Doctor Fowler, Sadinet, Ludovic Riezer, Claude de Saint-Hieble (in L'Instrument des apothicaires, Jean Fort, 1920), Chevalier de X (in Georges: Femmes du monde et sang bleu, Liseux, 1908) and Jean Macorlan for the illustrations in Les Grandes Flagellées de l'Histoire (1909))
• Pierre Guénolé
• Liane Lauré (she also wrote under the pen names Liane Delorys, Liane de Lorys, Liane de Lauris, Lucette de Chatay and G. Donville) (Her real name may have been G. Donville)
• James Lovebirch (is mentioned in James Joyce's Ulysses, with there being some speculation that James Lovebirch was a pseudonym of Joyce)
• Louis Malteste (as Jacques d'Icy)
• Jean Martinet (should not be confused with the 17th-century Jean Martinet; the Jean Martinet listed here is likely a pseudonym derived from the historical figure)
• Gaston Smit
• Aimé Van Rod (pseudonym)

Selected "Golden Age" illustrators

• Édouard Bernard
• Carlõ
• N. Carman
• Pierre Dumarchey (Jean Macorlan)
• J. X. Dumoulin
• René Giffey
• Daniel Girard (Dagy)
• Pierre Guénolé
• Chéri Herouard (Herric)
• Charles Hirlemann
• Luc Lafnet
• Etienne Le Rallic (R. Fanny)
• Martin van Maële
• Louis Malteste
• Leon Pierre
• Sergisky
• Georges Topfer (Gaston Smit)

Selected "Golden Age" publishers

• Paul Brenet (imprints: Éditions P. Brenet, Librairie Artistique, Édition Parisienne, Librairie Artistique et Édition Parisienne Réunies, Librairie Générale (probably))
• Charles Carrington (Paul Harry Ferdinando)
• Jean Fort (many imprints including his best known Collection des Orties Blanches)
• Select Bibliothèque (Roland Brévannes?)

Selected works

See also

• Sadism and masochism in fiction
• Dominance and submission
• Domestic discipline
• Spanking
• Erotic spanking
• Victorian era
• Edwardian era

References

Further reading

• Foucault, Michel (2012). The History of Sexuality, Vol. 2: The Use of Pleasure. Knopf Doubleday. p. 304. ISBN 9780307819277.
• Kearney, Patrick J. (1981). The Private Case: an annotated bibliography of the Private Case Erotica Collection in the British (Museum) Library. J. Landesman. p. 160. ISBN 0905150244.
• Wood, Robert (1995). "Sadomasochistic Literature". glbtq.com. New England Publishing Associates. Archived from the original on 2007-12-28. Retrieved 2007-12-14.