Writing power dynamics?

I've always found power dynamics - not just the Property of Love kind - interesting, and they tend to show up in stories often, in various ways.

One of my characters, a noblewoman, is a Dominant sadist, often with her prostitute partners. I've tried to break down how her relationship with another female protagonist works, and why it works for the pair; here's what I've got:

Each person in the relationship, they play off of each other. They each want control of something big in their lives (Mikami of her life as a whole, and the other of her future and her security), and they each control a different part of the relationship. Mikami controls the physical part, and the pleasure of it, while her partner controls its emotional state and turmoil. They control each other with earnest affection and selfishness all at once. So their power dynamics, unique to each, interplay on the other's weakness or area of need. Her partner's are: affection, freedom, and usefulness; Mikami's, by contrast, are: control, desire, and superiority. Mikami, with her servants (who absolutely HATE her), is cruel and haughty, and enjoys making the woman work far harder than the men for her own enjoyment. They are at her complete command, and she takes advantage of this and treats them with less than admirable goals while her husband is away. However, with her lover, she is fun and very playful, mischevious, but rarely cold or hurtful. She enjoys teasing her, but not the cold sort of emotional teasing, the physical kind that the other secretly enjoys a great deal. Mikami finds pleasure in controlling her partner, while acknowledging that she is similarly controlled by the same person. They both allow thmselves to be manipulated and "used" for the sake of the other, believing it to be helpful and strengthening. And they both love being treated in such a way. The other, however, is not a masochist, and doesn't much enjoy the sadism aspect of the other - it is tolerated for the affection and wealth it brings.

What do you think of this setup? Does it work, or not? Have you written power dynamics of your own - BDSM, day-to-day tradeoffs, or anything else?

Do you like it when you can pick them out in a work, or do you just hate it and not want to ever see that kind of thing again?

Sorry for all the questions - I've gotten curious again...

I like how you complicated the dynamic and made it realistic.

Thank you! Well, I'm not in a dynamic like that myself, but everyone I've talked to who is has one far more complicated than a fantasy. I find it interesting when things aren't just, "Oh, I'm writing this because I think it's sexy." Power dynamics included.

I have fun with power dynamics myself. Like the relationship between two of my protagonists, one of whom poses as the servant of the other despite actually being his financial partner. The dynamic between the two is... odd, with forces of personality (and UST) bearing just as much power as class or wealth.

Stranger yet is the one between the Big Bad, his Dragon, The Sixth Ranger and The Brute. "Complicated" understates it.

I don't understand what you mean by "power dynamics".

I think in partnerships, so I write power dynamics as partnerships—my subservient characters either have reason to want to serve (even if that reason is as simple as "I feel compelled to have a master"), or have to serve in order to survive.

edited 15th Jul '11 1:17:18 AM by feotakahari

I'm really drawn or intrigued by Power Dynamics within relationships, so naturally I try to make any that appear in my own work as real and interesting as possible. I think my favourite from my own writing would between a little girl named Beatrice and her imaginary friend, The Prince Nod of Dreamland.

Nod often abuses the power of his title in order to feel better about himself and to get what he wants. For the sake of his mother, The Queen of Dreamland, he does attempt to be a nice boy and at times succeeds. Though he tries to be brave and strong he usually fails to do so because of his small size. Non is a slippery little boy. What he lacks in courage and strength, the little prince makes up for in wit and guile.

Beatrice on the other hand, is more practical than her friend. Precocious, level-headed and honoest, Beatrice usually serves as Nod's voice of reason. Most of the time she plays along with Non's persistant ordering though she has been known to remind the Prince of his mother and her wishes. Non, in return, sees her as a true friend and is willing to do most anything for him but he pretends to see her as a servant and plaything, often reminding her of his status.

As Beatrice grows older the relationship changes to resemble a mother and her child...which kinda makes sense since Dreamland is Beatrice's dream.