Dominant Men in Books

I love to read. And I will pretty much read anything and everything, but my favorite books involve strong willed women who find themselves hopelessly in love with dominant men. No I am not talking Mills and Boon or Harlequin here. I am talking old classics. The kind of books that were written before spanking was taboo, and sexual dominance was the norm, not the exception.

I'd like to tell you about my most favorite. A book I read at least once a year, but usually more than that, and have done so since I was around 11 years old, when I didn't even really understand it, but it touched something in me anyway.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.

The story of a sweet simple girl in way over her head in the employ of an extremely dominant and mainly broody gentleman, Edward Rochester. Now the fact that we do not find out just exactly why Mr. Rochester is so moody and dark until the very end of the story only adds to the element of dominance. Tell me that in this day and age any woman would fall in love with a man such as he without pestering him for all the psychological details of why he is so messed up! Never gonna happen. But our Jane falls, hard!

Even when his orders make no sense, even when he disappears for weeks at a time, Jane's fascination with him simply grows stronger, never dimmer. And why is this? Because deep down inside she is fantastically turned on, all hot and bothered by his strength and masterly ways that she cannot help but want to know him better! Okay so it doesn't say any of that in the book. Sort of paraphrasing here, but believe me...it is in there!

The poor girl starts her life living with her vicious cousins the Reeds, unwanted, made fun of for her love of learning and has abuse heaped upon her at all turns from nasty relatives who do not want her. Her cousin John, a fat nasty sort of boy throws a book and strikes her hard, and you would think this would turn her away from men of any sort, but it does not. She has a witty tongue and a retort (see above) for those that harm her. I rather like the little girl she starts out as!

Yet another aspect of the book I adore is that Jane's first love is another girl. Helen. (If you all pay attention to my posts here, you will remember that I have two cats..Jane, and Helen). When Helen contracts pneumonia in the drafty awful Lowood School, she dies, tragically and romantically in Jane's little arms. Sigh...such beautiful love. And maybe the humiliation factor in the school is not so sexy, but there's a caning!

The best movie version of this book is this one, Joan Fontaine, Orson Welles, and sweet little Margaret O'Brien as Adelle, the French child whom Jane comes to Mr. Rochester's to governess. Okay, so right there you have a sexy element. The governess, and the Master. Perfect! And Orson Welles? Nobody does broody moor man better!

Things really begin to heat up with them over time, as Mr. Rochester realizes he is mad for sweet little submissive yet sometimes defiant Jane, and they decide to marry. I like to think that he had all kinds of delicious sexy plans in store for her, spankings, a little bondage, etc. Yes, I do read between the lines in books. Don't you? If not, you're missing out on all the fun!

Alas, things go awry as they often do in the most perfect love stories. Though I think most people do not find out their fiance has a mad woman stashed in the attic who goes round setting beds and wedding gowns on fire! Still, what does the heroine do? She does something I actually do well. She runs from it all. Danger, emotion, and facing up to the disaster that has become her life. She should probably have been spanked for that!

So I am sure you are wondering if it all works out in the end. Does the girl get the dark and dominant Mr. Rochester and learn herself a valuable lesson? I should probably tell you to read the book, but common sense tells me you most likely won't. So yes, it all works out fine...sort of!

Emily