Burning bellies and beds, The distinctive differential between free women and slaves

A Point / CounterPoint by Viktel and Nyre

Point: By Viktel

What is the difference between a free woman and a slave? John Norman would say it is simply a collar. Norman, throughout the books makes several generalized statements about females, without regards as to their status. Women, in the natural order of life, submit to men or to a man for that matter. It is in her nature to do so, but when applying this to today’s society even a slave has choices. A free woman chooses to ‘conditionally’ surrender to her mate, while a slave chooses to ‘unconditionally’ surrender to her slavery. The key words here are choice and surrender. Both have a choice as to the depths of her surrender and both surrender to some degree.

A free woman, while held to higher standards of protocol, still yearns for the touch of a man. What burns deep within her belly is no different from that of a slave. A free woman still feels that burn to serve and be pleasing, however, it is because of her status that she feels the need to conceal those desires within her robes. Proper etiquette and decorum dictate that she not display her sexual needs and desires for the world to see, but when out of the public eye, this same woman will become just a submissive as a slave without truly realizing it. When in public, a free woman will display the very same needs and desires as a slave but in more subtle ways.

"Mistress might, for example, in the presence of a man she wishes to arouse, take a larger bite from a fresh fruit, and look at the man over the fruit, letting juice, a tiny trickle of it, run at the side of her mouth." "But why would I wish to arouse a man?" I asked. The girl looked at me, puzzled. "Perhaps the needs of Mistress might be much upon her," she said. "Perhaps she might wish to be taken and overwhelmed in his arms, and forced to surrender to him." "I do not understand," I said, as though horrified. "That is because Mistress is free," she said. I had understood only too well, of course. But I was horrified to even think such thoughts. - Kajira of Gor Pg. 61-62

It is because of her status that she is deemed differently than a slave. They are both females and in every way subservient to men. This is the natural order of life. A free woman is able to make decisions on her own, carry out tasks and duties that she feels will better the situation she is in, be it in a companionship or by herself. A slave can do the same, however, she will not do so without the knowledge that her Master would wish it. Both a free woman and a slave put the needs of the man they are with first and foremost, whether it is displayed outright, or within the seclusion of their private dwellings, this does not change. John Norman, while separating the two by means of their position and status, still continues throughout the books to show how truly similar they are, and that is that they are both women and submissive in nature.

"I dance well," she had told me.

How startled I had been when she had said that. I had turned away. She had looked into my eyes, in that instant, not as a slave into the eyes of a free woman, but as one woman into the eyes of another. I had felt then, in that instant, that we were both, ultimately, only women, that we were identical in our femaleness, that we were united in the bonds of a common sisterhood and what, in relationship to men, it entailed. We were both, ultimately, only women; we were both, ultimately, though I was free and she was a slave, representatives of the slave sex. - Kajira of Gor - Pg 162-163

A free woman is taught many similar things to that of a slave. She must cook and clean and tend to the needs of her companion. She is to take care of the everyday tasks and chores that need tending to so that the man is able to focus his attention on more important things. She is taught these things simply because she is a woman. She finds pleasure in ensuring that her mate is taken care of to the best of her abilities. She sees to it that his every need, want and desires are met and ensures his happiness. While she may not see these chores the same way as a slave, simply because she chooses to do them, in essence she is doing them to please the man she is with. To make life easier on him, to ensure that he remains focused on taking care of the family to the best of his abilities without the distractions of everyday hassles. Much the same as a slave will do for her Master.

The Gorean girl is, even if free, accustomed to slavery; she will perhaps own one or more slaves herself; she knows that she is weaker than men and what this can mean; she knows that cities fall and caravans are plundered; she knows she might even, by a sufficiently bold warrior, be captured in her own quarters and, bound and hooded, be carried by tarnback over the wall of her own city. Moreover, even if she is never enslaved, she is familiar with the duties of slaves and what is expected of them; if she should be enslaved she will know, on the whole, what is expected of her what is permitted her and not; moreover the Gorean girl is literally educated, fortunately or not, to the notion that it is of great importance to know how to please men; accordingly, even girls who will be free companions, and never slaves, learn the preparation and serving of exotic dishes, the art of walking, and standing, and being beautiful, the care of a man’s equipment, the love dances of their city, and so on. -Nomads of Gor pg 63

In the above statement I have made claims that while a free woman and a slave are different only in status, by virtue of who they are, they are no different. Both are women and in the respect of the natural order of life, they are both subservient to men. Once a free woman makes the choice of whom it is she wishes to be with, she begins to slowly relinquish that control she held for so long. The independent nature she held so firmly to begins to drift away to thoughts of how best to tend to the needs of her mate. A free woman lets go of her inhibitions and she does so once she finds the man that she feels most comfortable with. She will become more submissive in nature, but she will do it within the confines of their home. A slave will do this because it is her very nature to serve and be pleasing in all ways. While the differences remain ever so subtle, a woman if she truly sits back and thinks about it, will realize that whether she is free or not, she is in every sense of the word submissive to the needs of a man. Whether it is to many or to one her nature cannot be disregarded. Gor is a man’s world. It is where men are expected to be men. The same holds true for women. They are expected to be women in the purest sense of the word. However, we live on earth and in today’s society no one can force any other to be slave here. Men are men and women are women, to be less simply does not fit into the equation. It is the natural order of life.

I wish you well,

Viktel

Viktel@torian-square-inn.com

© May 2000 Copyright

Counter-Point by Nyre

There is indeed a vast gully between a slave, and a free woman, however it seems this point must be defined futher for the good of the many to encompass, and acknowledge as a truth rather then an individual opinion.

"'I have never been in one of these places before,' she said. 'I now understand why it is that free women never enter Paga taverns." - Assassins Of Gor - Page 22

A free woman is required by the law of the land, being the philosophy of Gor, that she must maintain a certain respectablity, a determined class. She is not entitled to throw her body around sexually regardless of her needs. She must look beyond that instance, and focus on the metal ability to sit with other free men and women in a round table of indepth conversation. The classic assumation to the ideal she is above her own sexual needs is unrealistic at best because of the differentials we apply to our realities as we walk this philosophy. What is mistaken in that anaylis is that she has no sexual desire, hence the statements of cold hearted and jeolous. Her strenght in words, and action is percieved often as bitterness, hatred, and lack of sexual attention. The fact remains though she is still a woman, sexually, and emotionally, and her choices will determine her true nature.

Are these needs considered a burning belly, no I don’t believe so. She desires the touch of one man. The fellow that has outdone the rest and won her heart. It is true to book form that free women are only free because of the men of Gor, however the reality of the situation is a woman decides where she fits into the scope of things, and why. By her actions her place is determined, by her needs her state is allocated. Many of us do not reside in the same city, let alone state. So for the men to police who should have that freedom and who should not is a beniegn theory. A free woman is not ashamed that her sexuality is not open on display as the fiction claims, she is strengthened by being needed by her mate, and by offering value as a free person.She accepts her true nature as being submissive yet an effective and composed figure in her actions. For slaves a freedom is spoken of when submitting their full self to a said Master, yet I believe for a free woman maintaining and enjoying her freedom of speech, and detailed ability to particpate in events and conversations that slaves can not, grant her intellectual freedom, and directly embraces the needs of a free woman to be valued. The interesting part about this point is she didn’t have to take off articles of clothing to acheive this.

" The woman who fears that she is unattractive to men, of course, is generally mistaken. She need only to learn to please men. A woman who pleases men, and pleases them on their own term, would, on Earth, be a startling rarity, an incredibly unusual treasure." - Explorers of Gor - Page 39

A slave is required to obey the fellow whom she has begged to serve. In that obedience it could be to simply serve him alone, or if he so chooses to serve the many. She is not allowed to hide, nor shun the sexuality that is desired in her. Her clothing does not belong to her, nor does her name. These things can be taken without thought at anytime during her state of slavery. Her food is granted, and permission is mandated for every detail of her life. Her life infact is not hers to own, it was given to the man she begged to serve, the same man the encircled her neck with his steel. I have no complaint to the fellow that isnt so generous to share what he owns. In that example I can see why he would not share his property when he has worked many hours to maintain it, and educate this woman in his needs, wants, and requirements of his home. In one swoop some no name can falter all his hard work and draw back all that he has acheived, some feel it is simply not worth it. Does this make the slave less than, or free, no. Does a slave burn to serve all, no. It determines she is fairly wise in obeying the mandates set forth for her by the one that owns her, indeed if she were to disregard such mandates, she may find her punishment unpleasant to say the least.

In the above statements I have claimed:

A free woman does not speak openly in a serious manner about her sexual needs.

A free woman is fulfilled partially by her hunger for intellectual stimulation.

A free woman finds great pleasure in being regarded as valuable to the community.

The ability and access to a free woman’s belly is private, and not regarded as discussion for the many, but rather then the two involved in such affairs of the heart.

Slavery is not stupidity, some men simply dont choose to let all other males and assorted types use what is his.

The two groupings of women have gender in common, and the ability to understand that gender, but in retrospect their lives are very much different. As are the requirements they both act upon.

Can a male demand that any free woman must find her place at his feet, yes, I suppose he could, however after many debates on this issue, it is all a matter if she consents to be there. If she does that is a valid choice she has undertaken, if she doesn’t that is also choice.

To regard the general blanket statement, "all freewomen are hot wenches under their robes" has long gone sour. To believe women speak to men for the soul purpose of finding a mate, and to be sexual is also simple redantancy. Folks, we are applying a very novel ideal to our lives that stemmed from science fiction, I believe in my heart we have the ability to use common sense in applying this philosophy to daily living. There is more to men and women then simply acting on physical needs.

Some men will choose free women, other men want the presence of slaves in their home and heart, for each it is different. The difference is that men themselves have acknowledged free women, and slaves are different in these choices.

I wish you well,

Nyre
Intended of Lion
nyre@home.com

© Copyright May 2000