The Vulcan Love Myth
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| Title: | The Vulcan Love Myth |
| Creator: | M. L. Barnes |
| Date(s): | 1972 |
| Medium: | |
| Fandom: | Star Trek: TOS |
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The Vulcan Love Myth is a 1972 essay by M.L. Barnes.
It was printed in Eridani Triad #3.
The topic: Barnes' idea of the true nature of pon farr and why women who write stories about putting Spock in that state are making a mistake.
Topics Discussed
- why pon farr?
- pon farr as rape
- women's desire to "tame" Spock
- fanfiction writing by women and its relationship to canon, gothic romances, and Freud
- "So let's do away with this strange myth that has grown to gigantic proportions. In his human moods, Spock might indeed find release in a tender and shared experience. But he would probably be as uneasy about it as when any of his humanity escapes his control. For us, our human style of sex is fine, but for a Vulcan —it's got to be "pon farr"!"
From the Essay
Many are the tales that wax enthusiastic about Mister Spock's amorous qualities. With our hero in the grip of "pon farr" the reader is besieged with stories of his tender and solicitous regard towards his current bed-partner. Her sharing of his satisfaction seems to be of paramount importance.
Now, I also find Mister Spock sexually exciting, extremely masculine, and undeniably intriguing. It is part of his 'mystique', a projection of that restrained sexuality that is so apparent to all of us. If he were totally nunBn the attributes assigned him would be valid. But he is not. As he rather impatiently told Kirk..."Nor am I a man...I am a Vulcan!" And as such, those aforementioned tender qualities come under grave suspicion. Sorry, girls --- but t'ain't so!
First, let us consider the Vulcan method of choosing mates. A completely parental selection evidently. There are no emotions involved — no tender expressions of devotion. Totally, coldly logical.
Next the Vulcan sex drive must be investigated. Practically nonexistent most of the time, it leads us to believe that perhaps very little knowledge of the opposite sex is gained over the years. In our human relationships we often find that the experienced lover — the fellow who has developed a few previous sexual liaisons—makes the best bed partner. He knows what will arouse, what pleases, how to bring fulfillment. He has also, through years of incidental acquaintanceship with females, (and a male/female association is always sexual in connotation if not content) learned the basic tenderness or attentlveness we females thrive on. He knows the importance of the "courting" period, however brief, that must precede the bedroom romp.
I can hear the cries of protest that have arisen. Any reader who has come this far will probably be in violent disagreement. Unfortunately, in our society, love making is a learned art and Mister Spock has had little opportunity to enroll in that school. "He could learn," the reader insists. Indeed he might if he were able to overcome certain dominant traits. But a deep, inhibiting layer of Vulcan control over-rides any normal human behavior we might expect from him. He would be far more likely to respond in the manner of any Vulcan male who has the urge to mate.
And that brings us to point three. We must consider the state of mind of the Vulcan male in "pon farr." He is highly stimulated and over-wrought (to the point of not eating or sleeping and sometimes to the point of not thinking). A quite normal outgrowth of this type of drive. He is erotically aroused, ready to consummate his desire with a female he may not really know. To undertake a rather casual, animalistic coupling... in short, he is in rut.
For a clear understanding of this state we must turn to the lower life forms on our own planet. Hare, and only here, do we find a likely parallel. Salmon spawn with much the same pattern as Vulcans. They are cold-blooded and are not a truly applicable example. Yet here we are concerned with reproduction as a basis for survival of the species. This must be the underlying purpose for "pon farr" if we can only strip away our human desire to romanticize it.
Dogs are seasonal in sex life also. Again we see very little "wooing." The female is passive until oestrus is in full bloom. Then she actively seeks the male and he Is drawn to her. They exchange amenities, get to the basic problem, and go their separate ways. Still, the female takes an active part In the allure of the moment, and this is unlike the Vulcan situation.
Only in deer and elk and some similar animals do we see true male rut. It is aggressive by nature, brutal and brief. The fire is not quenched by one experience. Over a period of days every waking moment is devoted to slaking this insatiable thrist. Love and tenderness do not enter into the picture. So it must be with Vulcans. Some authors have offered the premise that through the mind bond the selfishness of the male's act is tempered and becomes to the female, if not pleasurable, at least bearable. But even if this is the case, until the bond has time to strengthen the female's situation must indeed be grim.
This is not to say that Vulcans cannot experience tenderness and even affection towards their partner. Witness Sarek's attitude toward Amanda. He is almost as understanding as a human husband (although he would 'logically' deny it) and in a normal situation this manner would be appropriate. But not, please, not in a state of "pon farr."
Now we must turn to the Vulcan mating itself. Almost total strangers, looked together solely for the purpose of "koon-ut-kali-fee", there can be no real depth of emotional feeling. Indeed their loeical minds would reject any such inclination. From what we were permitted to see of the Vulcan marriage ceremony we are led to believe that T'pring was not aroused by Spock's agitation. In fact so little was her mind touched by it that she defied his claim. Hardly the actions of a woman suffering from a feminine equivalent of "pon farr. " From this it is surmised the the female Vulcan is always in a state of "passive readiness." Bluntly stated, she may be bred at any time her male has need of her services, whether she is physically and mentally prepared or not. What we are talking about is simple rape.
And herein lies an unadmitted appeal to Spock's sexuality. A dark and possibly Freudian side of our human female nature! which of us will deny the secret and deeply buried thrill that this forbidden word brings to mind? The advertising world and other commercial interests purport that every woman's dream is the white knight who rescues his fair maiden and bears her off on his charger into the sunset. Presumably we are to draw our own conclusions as to their future relationship. The feminine mind is expected to see it all wrapped in gossamer clouds of star dust. An analogy rather like that of the bee shaking pollen on the flower that has little to do with human emotions.
Come fellows! That is for little girls...according to psychologists, very little girls indeed. A fairy tale concocted to placate the Victorian mind.
The true female is something quite different. She is, in her way, as sexually motivated as the male. She may even be the aggressor, in a devious manner. Through this association, Spock becomes a symbol of the height of sexual experience. She is aware of the danger posed by "pon farr" but is obsessed by the idea of it. She is attracted by Spock's remoteness, but desires to destroy it — to arouse him. She must subconsciously realize what getting into bed with him would be like, but she seeks to drive him to that very situation. All the while she is convinced that through her he will find an avenue of escape for his deeper emotions of love. Such is the human female — the optimist of our race. Optimism can be a wonderful quality but not when it seeks to tamper with a racial inheritance and such a basic tenet of Vulcan life.
For Earthllngs, let us keep our gentler ways. That certain spark of attraction that leads to that game we find the most exciting of all. With it, let's keep the more or less prolonged period of erotic arousal, the shared endeavor and the final adventure that leads (hopefully) to enjoyment for both partners.
For Vulcans, who may be unable to develop a sexual relationship as we understand it, their own way is best. In what other manner but forcible rape could two people, almost total strangers and inhibited from any emotional reactions, hope to consummate a sexual act? It would seem to be a logical method to me.
Furthermore, in this unique race we may be dealing with that mysterious phenomenon of Nature called "induced ovulation." This is a term used to describe ovulation that can be brought about in tnetenaie of certain species only by stimulation from the male. This stimulus is normally provided in the form of antagonistic, aggressive, and seemingly "rough" sexual behavior on the part of the male. In no other way can sucn a female be impregnated. It seems likely to me, considering the cyclic aspect of potency in the Vulcan male, that such a condition may exist m the female. It would be difficult to guarantee that her fertility coincided with his unless this is the case.
So let's do away with this strange myth that has grown to gigantic proportions. In his human moods, Spock might indeed find release in a tender and shared experience. But he would probably be as uneasy about it as when any of his humanity escapes his control. For us, our human style of sex is fine, but for a Vulcan —it's got to be "pon farr"!