52

The author defines masochism in the sexual relationship in terms of the constant pressure of the sex drives, with their double impact of “break-through” and “nourishment”. This leads to a model of feminine erotic masochism characterized by the fact that the ego can admit great quantities of libido, thereby enhancing the woman’s experience of sexual ecstasy and creating her feminine sphere with the help of her male partner’s own masculine dimension. When this form of masochism is taken into account, together with the fact that both sexes can then open up to libidinal influx, it becomes possible to progress beyond what Freud described as an underlying bedrock: repudiation of femininity in both men and women.