Masochism seems to be a subject of inexhaustible analytic interest and the source of continual discovery of new levels of meaning and implication. John Noyes comes to the subject from the vantage point of a student of history and culture; his emphasis falls primarily on the literary and historical context within which he traces the progressions and permutations of the masochistic themes. In the process, Freud takes his place along with other literary luminaries, especially Sacher-Masoch.

The guiding spirits behind this excellent and informative study are Michel Foucault, Richard Krafft-Ebing, Leopold von Sacher-Masoch,