Anne Rice, pen name A.N. Roquelaure, wrote an enticingly fascinating trilogy of Sleeping Beauty.  All appropriately titled: The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty (1983), Beauty’s Punishment (1984), and Beauty’s Release (1985).

The most prominent aspect from the tale of Sleeping Beauty, and entire framework for the novels, was based on “true love’s first kiss” that wakes Aurora from her sleep.  Instead, Rice translates this to ‘first fuck’, leaving out love entirely (arguably, love was never a theme that actually occurred previously).

In the novel, Sleeping Beauty is simply called Beauty.  Even though she in the predominant protagonist, her lack of name is evident that she lacks autonomy and initial characteristics aside from her looks.

The BDSM fairytale land often skims the lines of consent so frequently and closely that it gets pushed between no consent and barely consent – at least initially.  Beauty essentially develops Stockholm Syndrome, which seems to be her only saving grace in a world where she has no choice, as upon her waking she is given to the Prince as a sex slave.

She eventually loves her capture and punishment to the point of yearning for both.  Much like in BDSM when a slave reaches their breaking point, one where it can be a breakdown of their will, attitude, and sometimes thought process, which can lead to a blank canvas type of state in which a Master can paint what they wish.  To make a distinction, BDSM has strong and true under layers of everything being safe, sane, and consensual with copious constant communication.  That is unlike Beauty’s treatment, where she never consented to the acts.

There comes a line of contention: can something be considered enjoyable if not initially consensual?  What are your thoughts?