The first edition of Psychopathia Sexualis (1886)

Psychopathia Sexualis: eine Klinisch-Forensische Studie (Sexual Psychopathy: A Clinical-Forensic Study, also known as Psychopathia Sexualis, with Especial Reference to the Antipathetic Sexual Instinct: A Medico-forensic Study) is an 1886 book by Richard Freiherr von Krafft-Ebing and one of the first texts about sexual pathology. The book details a wide range of paraphilias and focuses on male homosexuality/bisexuality (the "antipathetic instinct" of the subtitle). The book coined the terms "sadism and masochism" as well as borrowing the term bisexual from botanical language.

Masochism, which Krafft-Ebing focuses on at length, is for example defined as a particular erotic sensibility, in which the individual is, "in his sexual feelings and thoughts, dominated by the idea of being absolutely and unconditionally subjected to a person of the other sex".[1]

The Psychopathia Sexualis is notable for being one of the earliest works on homosexuality. Krafft-Ebing combined Karl Heinrich Ulrichs' Urning theory with Bénédict Morel's theory of social degeneration and proposed the theory that most homosexuals have a mental illness caused by degenerate heredity. The book was controversial at the time, arousing the anger of the church in particular .

The book had a considerable influence on continental European forensic psychiatry in the first part of the 20th century. It is regarded as an important text in the history of psychopathology.[2]

In 2006, an independent film based on the book was made in Atlanta; the film was titled Psychopathia Sexualis.[3]

Editions

  • the first edition was published in 1886
  • at least 12 editions of the book were published in German prior to Richard's death in 1902
  • in 1965, an English translation derived from the 12th German edition was written by Franklin S. Kaf, with an introduction by Kaf and a foreword by Joseph LoPiccolo

References

  1. ↑ Krafft-Ebing, Richard von (2010). Les formes du masochisme Psychopathologie de la vie sexuelle (I). Vol. 1. Dimitry Stefanowsky, André Béjin, Normandie roto impr.). Paris: Éd. Payot & Rivages. pp. 121–122. ISBN 978-2-228-90571-8. OCLC 708370438.
  2. ↑ De Vleminck, Jens (2017). "Sadism and Masochism on the Procrustean Bed of Hysteria: From Psychopathia Sexualis to Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality". Psychoanalysis and History. Edinburgh, Scotland: Edinburgh University Press. 19 (3): 381. doi:10.3366/pah.2017.0232. hdl:1854/LU-6984879.(subscription required)
  3. ↑ "Psychopathia Sexualis". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
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