Medieval Mystics and Modern Masochists: Explorations of Violence, Eros, and Self

The question of how to interpret the rhetoric of violence and eroticism—and in particular, masochism—in the words of women medieval mystics has been the center of scholarly analysis for many decades. In my paper, I will briefly review this history then suggest an analysis that need neither dismiss this rhetoric as inherently pathological nor must it ignore or seriously downplay its existence. By taking seriously the interpretations of sexual masochism and its positive attributes as discussed by people who actually practice it today, we can make an argument that yes, medieval women mystics were masochistic and as such, they reflected the very characteristics of body-soul unity, empowerment, healing, and agency that practitioners say are positive results of their experiences. Only then will we be able to start seriously questioning what this masochistic tendency in mystical writing and contemporary sexuality means.