(Music by The Residents. Some original homemade footage and technical assistance thanks to jojo and Mr Hudson.)
Monday, December 30, 2013
NEW VIDEO - Third in the series
To celebrate the turning of the year, here is the third video in this series. We wish all our supporters and the worldwide odalisque community, Slavekeepers and their beautiful slaves, all the best for 2014.
(Music by The Residents. Some original homemade footage and technical assistance thanks to jojo and Mr Hudson.)
(Music by The Residents. Some original homemade footage and technical assistance thanks to jojo and Mr Hudson.)
Different traditions
But not everyone within the BDSM spectrum is into sadomasochism. There are other traditions. One of these has been beautifully rendered by John Norman in his World of Gor fiction series. While cast as science fiction, Norman in fact evokes a world of noble Barbarian culture. The Gorean lifestyle that has developed from this is founded upon ideals of naturalism, with its chief motif being the right of the strong to rule. Male dominance and female submission is seen as a natural order that, when properly restored, allows for an innate beauty and dignity in both Master and slave. This has very little to do with Marquis de Sade and the 'Old Guard' tradition. The Gorean tradition - a modern invocation of an ancient order - is not about eroticizing pain, fear and violence. It is a different tradition. Often, in on-line BDSM chat rooms, Goreans converse with Old Guard types. Their conversations are at cross purposes. They belong to very different traditions with very different philosophies and ideals. Goreans, it must be said, often do not fully appreciate the extent to which their tradition is different to the French Revolution Old Guard tradition in both principle and practice.
Then there is odalisque slavery. It is a tradition of female sexual submission. It does not draw upon models from the French Revolution and it does not look back to the models of tribal Barbarians. Instead, it looks to the historical slave traditions of the ancient and medieval Orient. This is a sumptuous slavery that served a hedonistic culture of urban traders. The odalisque is a specifically erotic slave. The odalisque lifestyle is for sexually submissive women. But there is no sadomasochism involved. No dungeons and whips. The natural arena of the odalisque is the bath and the spa and the boudoir. This is a very rich tradition that once fascinated the imaginations of Europeans. There is a rich tradition of odalisque imagery in European painting and early erotic photography. Code d' Odalisque is a revival of odalisque slavery as another alternative within the broad range of erotic possibilities. It is specifically female submissive, and submission is specifically sexual. The implicit philosophy is hedonistic - the sophisticated man's pursuit of new pleasures. Plainly, this is a quite different thing to either Old Guard or Gorean modes of consensual slave play.
A lot of very annoying sniping goes on between advocates of these different traditions. A lot of misunderstanding and disagreements could be avoided if everyone acknowledged that there are different ways for different people. Some people respond to sadomasochism. That should be respected. Some people feel fulfilled by the Gorean lifestyle. That too deserves respect. It also needs to be ackowledged throughout the wide BDSM world that there needs to be an alternative for submissive females who do not respond to pain. They are submissive, but it is a sexual submission, and it is not suited to the 'Old Guard' lifestyle. Code d' Odalisque is a third way. Odalisque slavery is a different tradition again.
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Only for rich men?
Question: Is keeping an odalisque only for rich men?
An odalisque is a luxury slave - she is not one of the essentials of life. So any man who struggles to maintain the essentials - mortgage, medical fees, loan repayments etc - should not add keeping an odalisque to his financial burdens. An odalisque is an indulgence, like a sports car or a yacht. Clearly, not every man can afford one.
On the other hand, keeping an odalisque is not the preserve of only the filthy rich; it is possible for men of relatively modest means to purchase and keep a cockslave. It is quite possible to keep an odalisque on a decent middle-class income if one is prepared to forgo other luxuries in order to pay for her. If it is what a gentleman really wants to do, and he is sufficiently well-off to meet all the essential obligations in life, then he can easily reorganise his finances in order to accommodate her.
Ideally, an odalisque is entirely kept. This means that her Master keeps her in occlusion and pays for her; she does not have to work. In Code d' Odalisque, work is a characteristic of low slaves (memlooks) and an odalisque, by definition, is "preserved from toil." Indeed, it is a travesty that an odalisque should have to get her hands dirty with common labour. It is an outrage that an odalisque - an object of beauty - should ever have to work in a factory or at menial tasks. By definition, an odalisque is lifted above labour. She is kept. Ideally, a man who owns an odalisque should be able to provide for her entire up-keep in order to preserve her from labour.
In today's conditions, however, this is not always possible. For financial or for other reasons, it is often the case that an odalisque may have to earn some money at a part-time job. The rules of the Code allow for this. The slave may go on "sojourn" like a freewoman between the periods when she is held in active "occlusion". We know of many cases of this. For many couples, there is no alternative because they would struggle to live on a single income. The woman (odalisque) plays slave to her Master as often as possible, but she goes out to work (or study) on a part-time basis in order to supplement their finances. This is not ideal, but it is often necessary.
If that is the case, then the odalisque should only be required to do suitable work and should be protected from any injurious labour. For example, she should not do any type of work where she might get burnt or where it will impact upon her beauty. She should not be a dishwasher, for example, because that type of work will age and damage her hands. She should not be a bricklayer; hard physical labour will age her and make her skin rough and damage her beauty. If an odalisque must go out to work, it should only be to part-time jobs and jobs that are soft, clean and light. Light labour only. Secretarial work would be suitable, for example.
Other than having the slave work part-time, there are other strategies that can help make keeping a cockslave a viable option. Most importantly, Code d' Ode is a social form of slave play. An odalisque is bound to a single man (her Slavekeeper) but, by default, he is to share her. It is quite possible for a group of gentlemen to contribute to the maintenance of an odalisque. She can only be bound to one Master, but she may be enjoyed by a circle of gentlemen. Her Master cannot prostitute her - a Slavekeeper is not a pimp! - but there is nothing to prevent an agreement between gentlemen concerning the maintenance of an odalisque.
Similarly, let us remember that an odalisque is, by definition, extra-marital. In many cases, husband/wife couples play Master/slave, but it is not necessarily the case. It is possible for a married couple to acquire a slave for themselves. In that case, the slave will be bound to the husband as her Slavekeeper, but she plays the role of sex toy to the married couple. In such cases, the combined income of the married couple is enough to support owning an odalisque. (This, of course, requires an agreeable wife.)
How much does it cost? There are different estimations. In the past, we have quoted the figure of $12,000 a year, but this has proved to be inflated. That figure works out at about $250 a week. We have, however, spoken to Slavekeepers who put their costs at much less than that - barely $100 a week. Figures can be very rubbery, though. The main pitfall is health costs. Provided an odalisque remains fit and healthy, costs can be kept to a minimum. There are no clothing costs. Feeding an extra mouth doesn't take too much extra money. But if she needs medical attention, it can start to get expensive and go well beyond $100 a week. That is life. Life often has many hidden costs. This should be taken into account.
It would be wrong, though, to say that owning an odalisque is only for rich men. It is more accurate to say that it is not a game for poor men. Experience shows that any man who is relatively settled in life and who is gainfully employed can, if he is keen, make the financial adjustments in order to keep an odalisque. It means not buying so many CDs, not spending $150 for tickets to a sports game, and cutting back on other luxuries. An odalisque is luxury enough. If a middle-class gentleman cuts back on frivolities and other indulgences, and manages his finances well, there is no reason why he cannot afford the pleasures of an odalisque.
An odalisque is a luxury slave - she is not one of the essentials of life. So any man who struggles to maintain the essentials - mortgage, medical fees, loan repayments etc - should not add keeping an odalisque to his financial burdens. An odalisque is an indulgence, like a sports car or a yacht. Clearly, not every man can afford one.
On the other hand, keeping an odalisque is not the preserve of only the filthy rich; it is possible for men of relatively modest means to purchase and keep a cockslave. It is quite possible to keep an odalisque on a decent middle-class income if one is prepared to forgo other luxuries in order to pay for her. If it is what a gentleman really wants to do, and he is sufficiently well-off to meet all the essential obligations in life, then he can easily reorganise his finances in order to accommodate her.
Ideally, an odalisque is entirely kept. This means that her Master keeps her in occlusion and pays for her; she does not have to work. In Code d' Odalisque, work is a characteristic of low slaves (memlooks) and an odalisque, by definition, is "preserved from toil." Indeed, it is a travesty that an odalisque should have to get her hands dirty with common labour. It is an outrage that an odalisque - an object of beauty - should ever have to work in a factory or at menial tasks. By definition, an odalisque is lifted above labour. She is kept. Ideally, a man who owns an odalisque should be able to provide for her entire up-keep in order to preserve her from labour.
In today's conditions, however, this is not always possible. For financial or for other reasons, it is often the case that an odalisque may have to earn some money at a part-time job. The rules of the Code allow for this. The slave may go on "sojourn" like a freewoman between the periods when she is held in active "occlusion". We know of many cases of this. For many couples, there is no alternative because they would struggle to live on a single income. The woman (odalisque) plays slave to her Master as often as possible, but she goes out to work (or study) on a part-time basis in order to supplement their finances. This is not ideal, but it is often necessary.
If that is the case, then the odalisque should only be required to do suitable work and should be protected from any injurious labour. For example, she should not do any type of work where she might get burnt or where it will impact upon her beauty. She should not be a dishwasher, for example, because that type of work will age and damage her hands. She should not be a bricklayer; hard physical labour will age her and make her skin rough and damage her beauty. If an odalisque must go out to work, it should only be to part-time jobs and jobs that are soft, clean and light. Light labour only. Secretarial work would be suitable, for example.
Other than having the slave work part-time, there are other strategies that can help make keeping a cockslave a viable option. Most importantly, Code d' Ode is a social form of slave play. An odalisque is bound to a single man (her Slavekeeper) but, by default, he is to share her. It is quite possible for a group of gentlemen to contribute to the maintenance of an odalisque. She can only be bound to one Master, but she may be enjoyed by a circle of gentlemen. Her Master cannot prostitute her - a Slavekeeper is not a pimp! - but there is nothing to prevent an agreement between gentlemen concerning the maintenance of an odalisque.
Similarly, let us remember that an odalisque is, by definition, extra-marital. In many cases, husband/wife couples play Master/slave, but it is not necessarily the case. It is possible for a married couple to acquire a slave for themselves. In that case, the slave will be bound to the husband as her Slavekeeper, but she plays the role of sex toy to the married couple. In such cases, the combined income of the married couple is enough to support owning an odalisque. (This, of course, requires an agreeable wife.)
How much does it cost? There are different estimations. In the past, we have quoted the figure of $12,000 a year, but this has proved to be inflated. That figure works out at about $250 a week. We have, however, spoken to Slavekeepers who put their costs at much less than that - barely $100 a week. Figures can be very rubbery, though. The main pitfall is health costs. Provided an odalisque remains fit and healthy, costs can be kept to a minimum. There are no clothing costs. Feeding an extra mouth doesn't take too much extra money. But if she needs medical attention, it can start to get expensive and go well beyond $100 a week. That is life. Life often has many hidden costs. This should be taken into account.
It would be wrong, though, to say that owning an odalisque is only for rich men. It is more accurate to say that it is not a game for poor men. Experience shows that any man who is relatively settled in life and who is gainfully employed can, if he is keen, make the financial adjustments in order to keep an odalisque. It means not buying so many CDs, not spending $150 for tickets to a sports game, and cutting back on other luxuries. An odalisque is luxury enough. If a middle-class gentleman cuts back on frivolities and other indulgences, and manages his finances well, there is no reason why he cannot afford the pleasures of an odalisque.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
VIDEO - The Odalisque's Life
This is the second in a series of video promotions that capture and illustrate aspects of Code d' Odalisque. The series, which we will roll out in the New Year, will include multi-media presentations with audio lectures. Enjoy. Please feel free to share and distribute it to those who might be interested. We appreciate any efforts to bring Code d' Odalisque to a wider audience.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Karsya - formal begging (repost)
17.8. - Karsya
An odalisque shall be trained in the formal mode of begging to be used in cock worship. The slave falls to her knees, clutches her Keeper's legs, rests her cheek on his thigh such that his crotch is near her face, and she begs him for cock in this position. She begs directly to his cock. It is called "Karsya", face to face or eye to eye.
Article 17.8 of Code d' Odaliusque describes a method of cockworship called "Karsya", a term meaning 'face to face' or 'eye to eye'. This is very simple. The Slavekeeper can be standing or sitting. The odalisque falls to her knees, clutches hold of his legs and places her cheek on his thigh so that her face is then directly facing his cock only inches away. In this position, she starts talking directly to his cock. She does not address her Master here. She addresses his cock directly. She begs. She implores. She might say to it, "Please fuck me... Please fuck me...Please let me serve you.." She speaks in a passionate whisper and begs the cock to let her serve it.
This method of begging for cock - or begging TO cock - is called 'Karsya'. If a Slavekeeper commands his slave "Karysa!" then she falls to her knees, hugs his legs, puts her cheek on his thigh and starts begging his cock that she might serve it and worship it.
The method of Karsya should be included in the training of an odalisque. She should learn how to beg in this manner to her Master's satisfaction.
An odalisque shall be trained in the formal mode of begging to be used in cock worship. The slave falls to her knees, clutches her Keeper's legs, rests her cheek on his thigh such that his crotch is near her face, and she begs him for cock in this position. She begs directly to his cock. It is called "Karsya", face to face or eye to eye.
Article 17.8 of Code d' Odaliusque describes a method of cockworship called "Karsya", a term meaning 'face to face' or 'eye to eye'. This is very simple. The Slavekeeper can be standing or sitting. The odalisque falls to her knees, clutches hold of his legs and places her cheek on his thigh so that her face is then directly facing his cock only inches away. In this position, she starts talking directly to his cock. She does not address her Master here. She addresses his cock directly. She begs. She implores. She might say to it, "Please fuck me... Please fuck me...Please let me serve you.." She speaks in a passionate whisper and begs the cock to let her serve it.
This method of begging for cock - or begging TO cock - is called 'Karsya'. If a Slavekeeper commands his slave "Karysa!" then she falls to her knees, hugs his legs, puts her cheek on his thigh and starts begging his cock that she might serve it and worship it.
The method of Karsya should be included in the training of an odalisque. She should learn how to beg in this manner to her Master's satisfaction.
Moi - self-referencing
Strictly speaking, a slave owns nothing. Under the etiquette of Code d' Odalisque, therefore, an odalisque ought to avoid the use of the possessive parts of speech. She ought not refer to things as "mine" and should especially not refer to the Slavekeeper who is over her in this manner. It is not an absolute rule; she might use the possessive in some contexts but ordinarily she should try to find alternatives to the phrase "my Master". Of course, her Master is not "hers" - rather, she is an object and he owns her, not the other way around. It is a figure of speech to say "my Master" but if it can be avoided, it should. She can do this by avoiding the first person. She should avoid saying "I" and by extension "me" and "mine". A slave has no real right to such phrases. When she speaks to her Master she should say, "Your slave is happy to serve you, Keeper" rather than "I am happy to serve you, Keeper." She might say, "The Master of this slave" rather than "my Master". Much depends upon context, but avoiding the possessive forms of speech and shunning the first person are conductive to good mental discipline in a slave and helps to shape her slave-heart.
This is true of all slaves, memlooks and odalisques. By definition, slaves are stripped of both identity and possessions. An odalisque, however, is given the privilege of being able to refer to herself by the French word "moi" (pronounced mwaa) - me.This concession is largely to enable her speech to be attractive. In order to avoid the possessive and first person, speech can sometimes become clumsy. Instead, here the odalisque can use the French. "The Master of moi." "Moi is sleepy." Only odalisques among slaves can use this form. It is part of the way the speech of an odalisque, under the etiquette of Code d' Odalisque, is peppered with French words and phrases. This is one of the most important instances of it. When she refers to herself, instead of saying "me" she can revert to the French and call herself "moi". It is characteristic of odalisques; they refer to themselves as "moi".
All of this is set out in the etiquette and manners sections of Code d' Odalisque. The Code provides a detailed system regulating the speech of odalisques.
This is true of all slaves, memlooks and odalisques. By definition, slaves are stripped of both identity and possessions. An odalisque, however, is given the privilege of being able to refer to herself by the French word "moi" (pronounced mwaa) - me.This concession is largely to enable her speech to be attractive. In order to avoid the possessive and first person, speech can sometimes become clumsy. Instead, here the odalisque can use the French. "The Master of moi." "Moi is sleepy." Only odalisques among slaves can use this form. It is part of the way the speech of an odalisque, under the etiquette of Code d' Odalisque, is peppered with French words and phrases. This is one of the most important instances of it. When she refers to herself, instead of saying "me" she can revert to the French and call herself "moi". It is characteristic of odalisques; they refer to themselves as "moi".
All of this is set out in the etiquette and manners sections of Code d' Odalisque. The Code provides a detailed system regulating the speech of odalisques.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
The end of the discalcing ritual?
Question: What happens at the end of the discalcing ritual? In the published version it says that it must be a memorable experience - a gangbang. Is that always the case? Is it for the pleasure of the slave or the Master? Can you explain what is supposed to happen at the end of the ritual?
The published ritual is one example of a discalcing ritual. Discalcing is the name of the ritual by which a freewoman becomes an odalisque. The slave surrenders her shoes in a symbolic gesture - odalisques are barefoot (discalced). When the formalities of consent, vows and other spoken parts are completed, the example ritual concludes with an orgiastic initiation of the slave into her new life. It reads:
At this point all the men undress and may freely enjoy the slave as they desire (subject to the restraints of her Contract of Submission). At a discalcing the slave should be fucked vigorously - gangbanged. It is her initiation into erotic slavery. It should be made an occasion she doesn't forget.
(h) The woman shall be led naked and barefoot into occlusion (captivity).
The published ritual is one example of a discalcing ritual. Discalcing is the name of the ritual by which a freewoman becomes an odalisque. The slave surrenders her shoes in a symbolic gesture - odalisques are barefoot (discalced). When the formalities of consent, vows and other spoken parts are completed, the example ritual concludes with an orgiastic initiation of the slave into her new life. It reads:
At this point all the men undress and may freely enjoy the slave as they desire (subject to the restraints of her Contract of Submission). At a discalcing the slave should be fucked vigorously - gangbanged. It is her initiation into erotic slavery. It should be made an occasion she doesn't forget.
It is not essential. The actual requirements given in the Code itself are more broad. Article 4.8 (h) simply reads:
And, in any case, please note the proviso: (subject to the restraints of her Contract of Submission).If, for example, the woman has become a slave to only serve her Master and she does not want to be shared, then a "gangbang" would violate her Contract and be out of the question.
A discalcing is essentially a ritual stripping. The steps are: the woman consents to becoming a slave, she is stripped, then she is led into occlusion. It is not essential to end the ritual with an orgy, a "gangbang" or any other sex. It is, however, entirely appropriate to do so if one so wishes (and if it does not violate the slave's limits). It makes sense that since the woman is being initiated into sexual slavery she should at this point be initiated into what sexual slavery is all about. It should be a memorable event for the slave. It is not every day a woman commits herself to a life of sexual service.
The discalcing ritual is a matter for personal creativity. The published ritual is only a guide.
Monday, December 9, 2013
On cockworship
The term "cockworship" has a wider meaning than this in Code d' Odalisque. By all means, odalisques are encouraged to be expert in sucking cock in the way described above, but that is not the only act of "cockworship" for an odalisque. More generally, an odalisque is sworn to cockworship as a state of mind and as an attitude. She is expected to have a love for cock and to have an urge to devote herself to pleasuring cock. It is her obsession. There is nothing she loves more. She loves it so much, in fact, that she has devoted herself - her body - to cock. She makes herself into an object to be used for phallic pleasure. Code d' Odalisque is an exploration of this obsession. Obsession and monomania are among its themes.
In particular, for an odalisque cock is the object of worship, not the man to whom it is attached. Man is her master. Cock is her god. In a lot of Dom/sub play and consensual slavery the female sub become obsessed with the person of her Master. She becomes fixated upon him. In some cases, Masters expect to be worshipped like gods and want their slaves to be willing devotees. All of that is about power. Code d' Ode, on the other hand, is focused on pleasure, not power. Slaves are not expected to regard Masters as gods. Code d' Ode is a phallic thraldom. The slave obeys her Master and respects her Master, and may even love her Master, but cock is her god. She wants nothing more than for her Master to give her cock to serve. She loves him because he supervises her devotion to cock. Cock is her thing. He facilitates it.
For a woman to have aptitude for the odalisque's life, then, a woman must above all be cockloving. Some women even where they are sex loving are not necessarily cock-loving. Some women just love men, but not necessarily cock. Lots of fem subs are in this category. What they love about men is their power and strength; virility is a function of this. But some women are actually smitten by cock. They love the phallus. They may not even be especially fond of men socially and otherwise, but they love cock. They think cocks are beautiful. They love pleasuring them. They love being pleasured by them. They love fucking them. They love sucking them. They love everything about them. This is the type of woman who would be well-adapted to the odalisque role.
It is an ancient obsession. Phallic worship goes back to the neolithic age. But always, of course, the phallus is a symbol of greater things than the six to seven inches of swollen flesh that constitute the male organ. Often, of course, what is symbolized is fertility. The phallus is an ancient fertility symbol and that is the basis of a lot of phallic worship in history. This is not the odalisque's motivation. She is interested in the phallus as a symbol of bliss, rapture, pleasure. She loves cock because there is nothing on earth than can shake her reality like the virile orgasmic power of a cock. It represents concentrated pleasure. It is the god of transformations. Cock makes her tremble. Cock makes her swoon. Cock gives her a taste of heaven. It is the virile potency she worships, not its fecundity.
There are numerous practices in Code d' Odalisque that have cockworship as their intent. For example, there are various methods and modes of begging for cock that can form part of slave play. They are all designed to enhance and develop the woman's natural love for cock and to nurture it into a form of dedicated devotion. That devotion, ideally, should be as deep as religious emotions - thus it is called cockworship. A cockslave is for cockworship. Code d' Odalisque is specifically phallic. Odalisque slkavery is, in the end, a vehicle for phallic worship.
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Grading vulva
Undoubtedly, one of the most salubrious aspects of assessing and grading an odalisque is the inspection of her vulva. Grading includes an assessment of her teeth, skin and other attributes, but it also includes an aesthetic estimation of her genitalia. Accordingly, the grader must make a careful inspection of the slave’s pussy.
The vulva is assessed on a scale of one to nine (1-9). There are defined types, as set out in the Code. The types are usually grouped into four distinct categories:
1. Concave (1-2)
2. Flat (3-4)
3. Arched (5-6-7)
4. Extended (8-9)
What we are after and regard as the ideal is a well-defined and gracefully attractive “arched” type.
This is usually determined by viewing the vulva from the side in profile. The grader should ask the woman to stand side-on. Then ask her to move her near leg back slightly. The mool can then be viewed from the side. The grader should do this from both sides, both views, as well as inspecting the vulva from other angles. It is best if the women is smooth shaven for this. It can also be helpful to change the lighting in order to see the slave in silhouette.
Ideally, looking side-on, there is a gentle, well-defined crescent moon shape made by the lower belly, the vulva and the perineum. The vulva does not protrude out too far, and nor is the vaginal entry sunken and hidden.
To some extent, this is an assessment of the size of the vulva. Are the cunt lips too big or too small, or in between? The protruding vulva is usually because the lips are too large, too flabby or swollen, chubby. The concave shape is usually because the vulva is small, thin. In some cases, the vulva are best described as “flat”. But it is not only size. It is also a question of shape, form, volume. Some allowance needs to be made for ethnic differences – Asian women are likely to have smaller lips, for example – but the range of types is universal.
We are interested in this line (marked in black) in the female form. It is a crescent shaped arch that extends from the lower belly to the perineum. How well-shaped is this line in any given specimen? Men who are grading slaves should look at this line in the subject's anatomy.
Universally, too, there is a lot of variation between women. These days more and more women are having cosmetic surgery to correct what they see as imperfections. Different gentlemen might have differing tastes in this sort of matter too. All the same, the ideal shape in Code d’ Odalisque conforms to popular preferences, i.e. neither too big nor too small, neither protruding nor sunken. We are not imposing an unusual standard. The ideal is a steady line, a gentle arch, a visually attractive form.
This is necessarily a subjective aspect of slave grading, but the grader should try to be as objective as possible. After inspection – guided by the four groupings – he gives the specimen a score on the 1-9 scale. Is the mool shapeless? Are the lips lacking in contour and definition? Or are they extended or even pendulous, over full? Finally, it is a judgment about the woman’s entire genitalia – obviously an important attribute for a sexual slave.
A vulva that deviates wide of the ideal should not be regarded as a fatal flaw, however. It is merely one factor in the assessment, and compared to other things it is, in the end, not a defining matter. On the contrary, too, a vulva that deviates from the ideal is still a thing of beauty. Here is an example:
This vulva would be graded 8 or 9 on our scale, classified as "extended", but no one is saying it is unattractive. The Code sets a standard and it is used for grading purposes but in the end pussy is pussy and the red-blooded hetero Slavekeeper has a natural love for them all.
Lucile - a case study
This is the story of a young woman of our acquaintance. Let's call her "Lucile". She is an attractive dark-haired woman, slim, pretty, small-breasted, chocolate eyes. Her father was an academic professor and so she came from a well-to-do home, had a standard, stable middle-class upbringing. Several older siblings.
A restless spirit, however, she left school early (just before her seventeenth birthday) and left home to live with her uncle who owned a hobby farm and was pursuing an alternative lifestyle in the sub-tropics. She lived on welfare initially but then worked occasional rural jobs such as fruit picking. She became a vegetarian and learnt guitar. Retro-hippy.
After that she became involved in a travelling street-theatre group populated by a range of feral but creative misfits. Sexual promiscuity was the norm in that group, and so it was at this stage that she became fully active sexually. She slept with a lot of boys - and some girls - and became engaged in theatre plays involving nudity and exploring sexual themes. The troupe specialised in alternative and slightly BDSM ritual theatre.
These connections led her to find a place in an inner city shared house where she became best friends with a young woman who worked as a burlesque dancer. Through her, Lucile eventually started a career as a dancer, making most of her money as a stripper. Moving around among various clubs, she soon came in contact with a man named John who acted as an agent for pole dancers and strippers, and soon after that began a sexual relationship with him. This was her first serious relationship.
It lasted just under a year. He was much older than her and turned out to be both emotionally cruel and manipulative. She wasn't mistreated physically, but John siphoned her wages away from her and she found that she was working more for him than for herself. He also pressured her to try prostitution, but she resisted this.
All the same, she did sleep with various men as a way of advancing her career and getting work. At the age of twenty, she could reasonably be described as a very nubile young woman, attractive and very sexy, and men were eager to sleep with her. At one stage she decided to return to study in order to get some qualifications, but John obstructed this and wanted her to do more dancing instead. This strained their relationship and eventually she fell in with another older dominant man, Steven, a former soldier. He removed her from the stripper scene, but he was possessive and egomaniacal. He wanted her to be entirely focused upon him. Submissive by nature, she began a dominant/submissive relationship as the passive partner over another eighteen months.
Steven was also into S & M. He had a particular thing for torturing women's breasts. He liked to apply nipple clamps, tight bondage, air suction or just pins to Lucile's breasts. She didn't enjoy this at all, and was scarred by it, but while it turned her off, it was wildly exciting to him. She spent most of the eighteen months she remained with him trying to find a way to get away from him. When she finally left him, he stalked her and her father intervened to get rid of him.
After this, she spent some time unemployed before getting work as a model. It was through modelling that she met "Richard", a mature intelligent gentleman who would employ attractive young female models for his own personal photography shoots. It was Richard who introduced her to Code d' Odalisque, sharing a copy of the Code with her. Richard was an artistic and sophisticated bohemian type. She spent a lot of time with him (always Platonic) listening to his ideas and reading his books. He thought she might be interested in Code d' Odalisque. She read the Code and was attracted to the idea straightaway.
Shortly after this, Richard asked her if she was serious in this. She said she was, and so he introduced her to a friend, Jeff, who was also interested in odalisque slave play. Jeff was 45+ yo, athletic type and owned a boating and yachting small business. He was divorced, no children. Loaded. Lucile met him over dinner one night and quite liked him. Not a genius, but handsome and warm. They negotiated the prospects of a contractual arrangement. He also had a business partner, Des, who was involved. (They had done similar things before, Jeff and Des.)
At length, Lucile - then nearly 23yo - consented to live as odalisque to Jeff for an agreed period of a year. Lucile saw this as an opportunity to re-orientate her life and to catch up on education. She enrolled in a diploma by correspondence (which pleased her father.) Jeff owned a large, modern home on the riverfront and dedicated two adjoining rooms and a bath and spa to be Lucile's quarters (with a sweeping view over the river.)
They adopted the protocols and slave positions of Code d' Odalisque - Lucile became her Keeper's dedicated cockslave, being kept barefoot and (mostly) naked for his sexual use. From time to time he would lend her to Des as a "Guestmaster". He and Des used her and enjoyed her. She found that she enjoyed the role and adapted naturally to it. She liked the leisure. She like being naked. She liked the house. Her Keeper was nice and above all she thoroughly enjoyed the sex. It was fun. It was fun being used in men's fantasies in a safe environment. All the while she remained friends with Richard and modelled for him. He had become important to her. She felt he was looking out for her.
Apart from the sex, her Master (Jeff) also taught her many things. A yachting man, he liked to keep a tight ship. Her upbringing had been liberal. She had always been undisciplined. Jeff demanded good grooming, punctuality, no round shoulders, clean fingernails, no smoking. He imposed structure upon his slave. It was also an experience in which she came to understand much more about men's sexuality. His athleticism was sexual; he made lots of use of her.
All of this was several years ago now. Since then Lucile has met a man and got married and works in the aged care industry. we like to think she was a successful case where Code d' Odalisque was useful to a young woman in the course of her life. Being an odalisque gave Lucile some stability and time out in life after getting off to a reckless start. This might seem a strange claim to make: being a sexual slave gave someone stability in life, but it is true. For over a year Lucile lived in the stability of Jeff's home by the river, rarely going out, and did her studies, and served her Master's bed (and often that of her Master's friend Des as well.) It was like all the fun of promiscuity without it being self-destructive. It was a settled, predictable life, with fringe benefits. Her family never knew she was living as an odalisque, but they were happy that she had found some stability and had moved on from hippy street theatre types and sadistic Iraq War veterans.
A restless spirit, however, she left school early (just before her seventeenth birthday) and left home to live with her uncle who owned a hobby farm and was pursuing an alternative lifestyle in the sub-tropics. She lived on welfare initially but then worked occasional rural jobs such as fruit picking. She became a vegetarian and learnt guitar. Retro-hippy.
After that she became involved in a travelling street-theatre group populated by a range of feral but creative misfits. Sexual promiscuity was the norm in that group, and so it was at this stage that she became fully active sexually. She slept with a lot of boys - and some girls - and became engaged in theatre plays involving nudity and exploring sexual themes. The troupe specialised in alternative and slightly BDSM ritual theatre.
These connections led her to find a place in an inner city shared house where she became best friends with a young woman who worked as a burlesque dancer. Through her, Lucile eventually started a career as a dancer, making most of her money as a stripper. Moving around among various clubs, she soon came in contact with a man named John who acted as an agent for pole dancers and strippers, and soon after that began a sexual relationship with him. This was her first serious relationship.
It lasted just under a year. He was much older than her and turned out to be both emotionally cruel and manipulative. She wasn't mistreated physically, but John siphoned her wages away from her and she found that she was working more for him than for herself. He also pressured her to try prostitution, but she resisted this.
All the same, she did sleep with various men as a way of advancing her career and getting work. At the age of twenty, she could reasonably be described as a very nubile young woman, attractive and very sexy, and men were eager to sleep with her. At one stage she decided to return to study in order to get some qualifications, but John obstructed this and wanted her to do more dancing instead. This strained their relationship and eventually she fell in with another older dominant man, Steven, a former soldier. He removed her from the stripper scene, but he was possessive and egomaniacal. He wanted her to be entirely focused upon him. Submissive by nature, she began a dominant/submissive relationship as the passive partner over another eighteen months.
Steven was also into S & M. He had a particular thing for torturing women's breasts. He liked to apply nipple clamps, tight bondage, air suction or just pins to Lucile's breasts. She didn't enjoy this at all, and was scarred by it, but while it turned her off, it was wildly exciting to him. She spent most of the eighteen months she remained with him trying to find a way to get away from him. When she finally left him, he stalked her and her father intervened to get rid of him.
After this, she spent some time unemployed before getting work as a model. It was through modelling that she met "Richard", a mature intelligent gentleman who would employ attractive young female models for his own personal photography shoots. It was Richard who introduced her to Code d' Odalisque, sharing a copy of the Code with her. Richard was an artistic and sophisticated bohemian type. She spent a lot of time with him (always Platonic) listening to his ideas and reading his books. He thought she might be interested in Code d' Odalisque. She read the Code and was attracted to the idea straightaway.
Shortly after this, Richard asked her if she was serious in this. She said she was, and so he introduced her to a friend, Jeff, who was also interested in odalisque slave play. Jeff was 45+ yo, athletic type and owned a boating and yachting small business. He was divorced, no children. Loaded. Lucile met him over dinner one night and quite liked him. Not a genius, but handsome and warm. They negotiated the prospects of a contractual arrangement. He also had a business partner, Des, who was involved. (They had done similar things before, Jeff and Des.)
At length, Lucile - then nearly 23yo - consented to live as odalisque to Jeff for an agreed period of a year. Lucile saw this as an opportunity to re-orientate her life and to catch up on education. She enrolled in a diploma by correspondence (which pleased her father.) Jeff owned a large, modern home on the riverfront and dedicated two adjoining rooms and a bath and spa to be Lucile's quarters (with a sweeping view over the river.)
They adopted the protocols and slave positions of Code d' Odalisque - Lucile became her Keeper's dedicated cockslave, being kept barefoot and (mostly) naked for his sexual use. From time to time he would lend her to Des as a "Guestmaster". He and Des used her and enjoyed her. She found that she enjoyed the role and adapted naturally to it. She liked the leisure. She like being naked. She liked the house. Her Keeper was nice and above all she thoroughly enjoyed the sex. It was fun. It was fun being used in men's fantasies in a safe environment. All the while she remained friends with Richard and modelled for him. He had become important to her. She felt he was looking out for her.
Apart from the sex, her Master (Jeff) also taught her many things. A yachting man, he liked to keep a tight ship. Her upbringing had been liberal. She had always been undisciplined. Jeff demanded good grooming, punctuality, no round shoulders, clean fingernails, no smoking. He imposed structure upon his slave. It was also an experience in which she came to understand much more about men's sexuality. His athleticism was sexual; he made lots of use of her.
All of this was several years ago now. Since then Lucile has met a man and got married and works in the aged care industry. we like to think she was a successful case where Code d' Odalisque was useful to a young woman in the course of her life. Being an odalisque gave Lucile some stability and time out in life after getting off to a reckless start. This might seem a strange claim to make: being a sexual slave gave someone stability in life, but it is true. For over a year Lucile lived in the stability of Jeff's home by the river, rarely going out, and did her studies, and served her Master's bed (and often that of her Master's friend Des as well.) It was like all the fun of promiscuity without it being self-destructive. It was a settled, predictable life, with fringe benefits. Her family never knew she was living as an odalisque, but they were happy that she had found some stability and had moved on from hippy street theatre types and sadistic Iraq War veterans.
Friday, December 6, 2013
Pleasure and pain (repost)
t is a matter of common experience that there is no real hard and fast dividing line between pleasure and pain. While we think of pleasure and pain as opposites, often they seem to complement each other, or are interchangeable. Pleasures can be excruciating, pain can be delicious. But pleasure/pain responses in individuals differ markedly. There are some people who need pain to feel pleasure. There are others for whom any sort of pain kills all sensations of pleasure. People are wired differently. There is no across the board “norm”.
Accordingly, there are types of sexual play that cater to different types of people and different responses. For example, sado-masochistic play (SM) caters to people who enjoy or need pain for erotic fulfillment. Pain is their pleasure. It excites them. It is what they enjoy. Many submissives need the experience of pain in order to “zone” into a fully submissive state. The psychology of these responses is well understood.
But there are others – the majority, as it happens – who experience pleasure and pain as a polarity and so for whom pain kills (rather than deepens or enhances) pleasure. When they experience pain, it kills their libido. Pain is a turn off. So they find it hard to conceive of erotic pain. Nor do they experience intense pleasure as a type of pain. They are wired on/off. It is either pleasure or pain, but never both. Obviously, such people are not suited to sado-masochistic play. They will not use pain to further their pleasures. Their pursuit of erotic fulfillment will be hedonistic rather than sado-masochistic.
Code d’ Odalisque is a code of consensual slave play for women of the second type. Odalisques are protected from sado-masochism. The mode of play is hedonistic. It suits women who love sexual submission but who do not enjoy pain.
The advantage of using pain in sex play is that it is a fast track into deeper levels of submission. People (organisms) will readily submit to pain. Since pain is not used as a tool in Code d’ Odalisque other methods – psychological manipulations – are used to reach deeper layers of submission.
Any sort of developed hedonism must extend from simple pleasures of the flesh to pleasures of the imagination and the mind. Code d’ Odalisque seeks intensities of sexual pleasure – attained without the use of pain – as well as refined aesthetic pleasures such as the visual enjoyment of the naked female form.
Accordingly, there are types of sexual play that cater to different types of people and different responses. For example, sado-masochistic play (SM) caters to people who enjoy or need pain for erotic fulfillment. Pain is their pleasure. It excites them. It is what they enjoy. Many submissives need the experience of pain in order to “zone” into a fully submissive state. The psychology of these responses is well understood.
But there are others – the majority, as it happens – who experience pleasure and pain as a polarity and so for whom pain kills (rather than deepens or enhances) pleasure. When they experience pain, it kills their libido. Pain is a turn off. So they find it hard to conceive of erotic pain. Nor do they experience intense pleasure as a type of pain. They are wired on/off. It is either pleasure or pain, but never both. Obviously, such people are not suited to sado-masochistic play. They will not use pain to further their pleasures. Their pursuit of erotic fulfillment will be hedonistic rather than sado-masochistic.
Code d’ Odalisque is a code of consensual slave play for women of the second type. Odalisques are protected from sado-masochism. The mode of play is hedonistic. It suits women who love sexual submission but who do not enjoy pain.
The advantage of using pain in sex play is that it is a fast track into deeper levels of submission. People (organisms) will readily submit to pain. Since pain is not used as a tool in Code d’ Odalisque other methods – psychological manipulations – are used to reach deeper layers of submission.
Any sort of developed hedonism must extend from simple pleasures of the flesh to pleasures of the imagination and the mind. Code d’ Odalisque seeks intensities of sexual pleasure – attained without the use of pain – as well as refined aesthetic pleasures such as the visual enjoyment of the naked female form.
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Taking on a slave's debts?
In modern consumer society everyone is in debt. Everyone lives on credit. Even before we have reached full adulthood most of us have already acquired some level of debt. It is a pervasive fact of life. How then is a woman to give herself to the odalisque's life, where she is kept for sex in a state of occlusion, doesn't work and has no means of her own? An odalisque is "preserved from toil". She is not a work slave. By definition, an odalisque is outside of the workforce; she is preserved as an object of beauty and desire. She lives naked and wears no protective clothing or footwear. She does nothing that would blemish her skin or disfigure the beauty of her hands. Ideally, therefore, she does not have a job. She is not expected to pay her way. She is kept. So what becomes of her debts? Who pays her credit cards?
This question arose early in the history of Code d' Odalisque. A slavekeeper had found a woman who was willing to serve as his odalisque, but she had debts that required her to continue working a 35 hour a week job. This prevented her from serving and also from relocating to where the Slavekeeper lived. The question then was: could he pay out her debts for her if she agreed to live with him as his slave? Or could he take on her debts and meet the payments for her so that she could live in occlusion for him? The question provoked some controversy. According to some, this proposal amounted to a financial inducement to the woman and so constituted a type of payment for service. Thus it was akin to prostitution. They argued that this would be against the letter and spirit of Code d' Odalisque.
This point of view was finally rejected, although the grey area is acknowledged. It was decided that Slavekeepers can pay out or take on the debts of a prospective slave if this enables her to live in occlusion. This does not amount to sex for hire. Certainly, it is legally permissible and does not encroach on legal definitions of prostitution. The payment of debts cannot be directly connected to sexual acts (which would be prostitution) but otherwise it is no different to a man taking on the debts of his wife-to-be. The grey area is that, yes, it is open to abuse. There is a danger, for example, that young women might turn to odalisque service as a way of getting free of their debts. If a young woman is in debt, she can find a Slavekeeper and promise to serve as his slave so long as he pays off her debts. An odalisque makes no money from her service, but she can use service as a way of paying former debts.
It admittedly gets hazy but in the end it is more important that there is a way for an odalisque to serve in occlusion. Since everyone carries debts these days, the only prospect for a woman seeking to live in occlusion as a cockslave is to be debt free, or else she must continue working for a wage to meet her repayments. It is reasonable that a Slavekeeper can clear a path through this thicket of debt and release the woman from that financial burden so that she is at liberty to serve. Note, though, that it is not a binding agreement. If, for example, a man paid off a slave's debts but she then left his service, he could not claim he has been robbed. There was no agreement of a debt-for-sex nature. If a Slavekeeper wants to pay off a woman's debt in the hope she will be his odalisque, the risk is entirely his, and he must understand that the paying of the debt in no way places the woman under an obligation, legal or otherwise. Consent must be free of financial coercion. Regardless of what money a Keeper spends on a cockslave, under the terms of Code d' Odalisque, she must always be free to withdraw consent. The Keeper/slave bond is not a financial one for the simple reason that an odalisque is not a whore.
On this question then, as reflected in the protocols of the new edition of the Code, a Keeper may pay off or pay out the debts of a slave in order to enable her to serve and live in occlusion. This is not a binding financial arrangement. The Keeper does it merely to free the slave from the need to work.
This question arose early in the history of Code d' Odalisque. A slavekeeper had found a woman who was willing to serve as his odalisque, but she had debts that required her to continue working a 35 hour a week job. This prevented her from serving and also from relocating to where the Slavekeeper lived. The question then was: could he pay out her debts for her if she agreed to live with him as his slave? Or could he take on her debts and meet the payments for her so that she could live in occlusion for him? The question provoked some controversy. According to some, this proposal amounted to a financial inducement to the woman and so constituted a type of payment for service. Thus it was akin to prostitution. They argued that this would be against the letter and spirit of Code d' Odalisque.
This point of view was finally rejected, although the grey area is acknowledged. It was decided that Slavekeepers can pay out or take on the debts of a prospective slave if this enables her to live in occlusion. This does not amount to sex for hire. Certainly, it is legally permissible and does not encroach on legal definitions of prostitution. The payment of debts cannot be directly connected to sexual acts (which would be prostitution) but otherwise it is no different to a man taking on the debts of his wife-to-be. The grey area is that, yes, it is open to abuse. There is a danger, for example, that young women might turn to odalisque service as a way of getting free of their debts. If a young woman is in debt, she can find a Slavekeeper and promise to serve as his slave so long as he pays off her debts. An odalisque makes no money from her service, but she can use service as a way of paying former debts.
It admittedly gets hazy but in the end it is more important that there is a way for an odalisque to serve in occlusion. Since everyone carries debts these days, the only prospect for a woman seeking to live in occlusion as a cockslave is to be debt free, or else she must continue working for a wage to meet her repayments. It is reasonable that a Slavekeeper can clear a path through this thicket of debt and release the woman from that financial burden so that she is at liberty to serve. Note, though, that it is not a binding agreement. If, for example, a man paid off a slave's debts but she then left his service, he could not claim he has been robbed. There was no agreement of a debt-for-sex nature. If a Slavekeeper wants to pay off a woman's debt in the hope she will be his odalisque, the risk is entirely his, and he must understand that the paying of the debt in no way places the woman under an obligation, legal or otherwise. Consent must be free of financial coercion. Regardless of what money a Keeper spends on a cockslave, under the terms of Code d' Odalisque, she must always be free to withdraw consent. The Keeper/slave bond is not a financial one for the simple reason that an odalisque is not a whore.
On this question then, as reflected in the protocols of the new edition of the Code, a Keeper may pay off or pay out the debts of a slave in order to enable her to serve and live in occlusion. This is not a binding financial arrangement. The Keeper does it merely to free the slave from the need to work.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Inquiry from an 18yo
A young lady writes to us:
I am 18 years old. The Code sounds fantastic. This is for me! How do I get involved? Can you help me find a Master?
To which we reply:
Dear Mademoiselle,
Thank you for your inquiry and for your enthusiasm for Code d' Odalisque. The Code offers a new alternative for sexually submissive females. It is very pleasing that you find the Code inspiring. For some women this can be a very fulfilling lifestyle.
Usually, however, women who become involved in Code d' Odalisque are 21 years or older. Of course, the legal age for consent is 18 years, but our experience is that women under 21 are rarely in a position to make a fully informed and carefully considered decision about this. Sexual service as a consensual slave is demanding and few women have true aptitude for it. You may be one such woman, but it is not a lifestyle into which you should rush. There are many options in life for young women. Code d' Ode is really only for those who have given it lots of thought and who know exactly what is involved.
Our advice in the first instance, therefore, is that you should give the matter more thought. If, after that, you are still enthusiastic and still want to serve a Master, then we would be happy to help you find the right man. Please take the time to do some more reading about Code d' Ode. We have attached a copy of our booklet, A Ladies Guide to Code d' Odalisque, to assist you in this. Perhaps give it a couple of months and get back to us after that.
Please do not be affronted by this approach, Mademoiselle. Our first concern is safety and the welfare of the slave. It would be remiss of us to not advise you to take more time making such an important decision. It would be wonderful if, in the end, you decide that you are indeed an odalisque at heart and that you are ready to serve. If that were the case then your enthusiasm will not wane over time. If, in a few months, you are still keen, then that would be a sure sign it is for you.
In the meantime, we are happy to answer any questions about the odalisque's life that you may have. We are here to assist.
Sincerely
I am 18 years old. The Code sounds fantastic. This is for me! How do I get involved? Can you help me find a Master?
To which we reply:
Dear Mademoiselle,
Thank you for your inquiry and for your enthusiasm for Code d' Odalisque. The Code offers a new alternative for sexually submissive females. It is very pleasing that you find the Code inspiring. For some women this can be a very fulfilling lifestyle.
Usually, however, women who become involved in Code d' Odalisque are 21 years or older. Of course, the legal age for consent is 18 years, but our experience is that women under 21 are rarely in a position to make a fully informed and carefully considered decision about this. Sexual service as a consensual slave is demanding and few women have true aptitude for it. You may be one such woman, but it is not a lifestyle into which you should rush. There are many options in life for young women. Code d' Ode is really only for those who have given it lots of thought and who know exactly what is involved.
Our advice in the first instance, therefore, is that you should give the matter more thought. If, after that, you are still enthusiastic and still want to serve a Master, then we would be happy to help you find the right man. Please take the time to do some more reading about Code d' Ode. We have attached a copy of our booklet, A Ladies Guide to Code d' Odalisque, to assist you in this. Perhaps give it a couple of months and get back to us after that.
Please do not be affronted by this approach, Mademoiselle. Our first concern is safety and the welfare of the slave. It would be remiss of us to not advise you to take more time making such an important decision. It would be wonderful if, in the end, you decide that you are indeed an odalisque at heart and that you are ready to serve. If that were the case then your enthusiasm will not wane over time. If, in a few months, you are still keen, then that would be a sure sign it is for you.
In the meantime, we are happy to answer any questions about the odalisque's life that you may have. We are here to assist.
Sincerely
The Peacock Feather
The forthcoming seventh edition of Code d’ Odalisque corrects many omissions. One of them is that it includes among the emblems of an odalisque, the peacock’s feather. In European depictions of odalisques they are often shown holding peacock feathers. From the beginnings of Code d’ Odalisque, this was also a feature of play. An odalisque owns a peacock feather. It is a traditional symbol of her status and her craft. Accidentally this was left out of earlier versions of the Code, then in subsequent revisions it was not regarded as important. This oversight has now been corrected.
What, though, does the feather symbolize? What does it mean? Why are peacock feathers associated with odalisque eroticism? The peacock can have many meanings. In Christian symbolism, for example, the peacock usually signifies pride and arrogance and hence the Fall. That symbolism does not apply to odalisques. Or else, in many traditions, it symbolizes vanity and narcissism. There may be a hint of that in this case, but it is not the relevant symbolism either. Rather, in this case the peacock’s feather represents the idea of EXCESS. Surely, there is nothing more excessive in nature than the peacock’s tail! It is completely excessive. In eastern traditions, the peacock feather signifies excess and so by extension debauchery and indulgence. This is why odalisques are shown holding them. They can be used as ticklers, but mainly their purpose is symbolic: when a naked woman is shown holding a peacock’s feather it signifies her willingness to engage in sexual excess.
Traditionally, an odalisque’s feather is referred to ironically as her “weapon”. It is in contrast to the sword wielded by the Slavekeeper. The Master and the slave = the sword and the feather. The sword and the feather is a symbolic theme in Code d’ Odalisque. The new edition of the Code finally acknowledges it.
What, though, does the feather symbolize? What does it mean? Why are peacock feathers associated with odalisque eroticism? The peacock can have many meanings. In Christian symbolism, for example, the peacock usually signifies pride and arrogance and hence the Fall. That symbolism does not apply to odalisques. Or else, in many traditions, it symbolizes vanity and narcissism. There may be a hint of that in this case, but it is not the relevant symbolism either. Rather, in this case the peacock’s feather represents the idea of EXCESS. Surely, there is nothing more excessive in nature than the peacock’s tail! It is completely excessive. In eastern traditions, the peacock feather signifies excess and so by extension debauchery and indulgence. This is why odalisques are shown holding them. They can be used as ticklers, but mainly their purpose is symbolic: when a naked woman is shown holding a peacock’s feather it signifies her willingness to engage in sexual excess.
Traditionally, an odalisque’s feather is referred to ironically as her “weapon”. It is in contrast to the sword wielded by the Slavekeeper. The Master and the slave = the sword and the feather. The sword and the feather is a symbolic theme in Code d’ Odalisque. The new edition of the Code finally acknowledges it.
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