Intercourse, by: Andrea Dworkin - Feminish

chapteroneREPULSIONN 1 9 0 5 , A T T H E A G E O F T W E N T Y - F I V E , W I T H T W O S I C KIchildren, tired, alienated and unhappy in her marriage, AlmaMahler had an argument with her husband, Gustave, duringwhich she told him that his smell repelled her. Her biographerspeculates that it was the smell of cigars. In her diary she wrote:“ He was a stranger to me, and much about him is still strange tome— and will, I believe, remain so forever. . . I wonder that wecan continue to live together, knowing this. Is it duty? Children?Habit? No, I know that I do really love him and only him. . . ” *Soon after, the composer Hans Pfitzner, on a visit to the husband,became infatuated with the wife. They flirted, embraced.On a long afternoon walk, Alma confessed to Gustave. Angry,he left her, and she had to walk home alone. Dusk came, and astranger followed her. Once home, she told Gustave that astranger had followed her. He saw it as more proof of her disloyalty.They fought. She went to bed alone. Usually, whenGustave wanted intercourse, he waited until Alma was asleep,or pretended to be; then he would begin his lovemaking. Onthis night, he came to her knowing she was awake; told her she