Film Talk: Professor Marston and the Wonder Women & Polyamory

[Deleted Member]

Professor Marston, was an early psychologist working on the developments of the modern polygraph along side his wife Elizabeth. Professor Marston also promoted his ideals on DISC theory which becomes a theme throughout this film and is listed as the following:

* Dominance produces activity in an antagonistic environment
* Inducement produces activity in a favorable environment
* Submission produces passivity in a favorable environment
* Compliance produces passivity in an antagonistic environment.

In understanding the inspiration that Wonder Woman was birthed from, I find it important to talk about how Professor Marston and his wife Elizabeth develop their relationship with their mutual lover Olive Byrne. (I love the psychology of kink- can you tell? Haha!) Their relationship started purely professional, as Olive became a teachers assistant at university for the professor. Seemingly opening their relationship, Elizabeth gives Marston permission to pursue Olive. But then welcomes her with, “I feel sorry for you. It’s not your fault. It’s your beauty, it’s like a handicap. Like having three legs or something. So please do me the courtesy of not fucking my husband.”
Olive is at a loss, she has just met her biggest idol and has been completely crushed by her crude welcome. Once the three of them meet together, Olive professes her frustration of always being treated like a pretty object. Once out for drinks and talking about feminism in a mans world. It is revealed that Olive is related to two of the worlds most famous feminists and yet she was raised by nuns. Elizabeth says,” I thought you were... I don’t know... not THAT!” I find this intro rewarding. Professor Marston and Elizabeth who pride themselves on their psychological “woke”ness are suddenly made fools for assuming to know the type of woman Olive Byrne is based on her beauty.

They then begin to study Olives behaviors in relation to DISC theory. We are taken to a scene at a sorority house where the girls are treated as babies from their big ***s. Olive finds herself in a situation of spanking one of her fellow ***s with a wooden paddle over twenty times for punishment. And suddenly the kink door is warmed and opened and Professor Marston, Elizabeth and Olive are filled with a variety of mixed emotions. This argument helps them discover the systolic *** pressure relation to lying for the polygraph. Eureka!

As their relationship grows. Professor Marston says this in response to Elizabeth asking if it’s possible to love two people at once and why he is attracted to Olive:

“She is beautiful, guileless, kind, pure of heart. And you are brilliant, ferocious, hilarious and a grade-A bitch. Together, you are the perfect woman.”

As the three of them explore their fantasies further. Olive dresses in her clad amazonian burlesque attire to much of Marston’s and Elizabeth’s surprise when they return. Our shy angelic submissive is suddenly transformed into the fierce *** of the woman she always was.

And suddenly the idea of Wonder Woman is birthed. Marston’s passion for both of the women in his life is something that has to be hidden in society and his story of Wonder Woman becomes his outlet to express their kinky BDSM lifestyle. The early comics are filled with sadomasochism themes, as Wonder Woman ***s her villains into submission leading to pleasure. Her whip, meant to bind and *** them into telling the truth. Her strong fierce persona challenging what it meant to be a woman in the 1940s.

I know not all polyamorous relationships end with life long commitments to one another. But I do find this story beautiful. Professor Marston was never looking for the “perfect” woman. It was not his greed for this that brought them together. It was his appreciation for how diverse both women are and how even their differences ignited a passion between them as well. For those that have been in a polyamorous relationship, what was your experience? What would be your advice to others in the same position? And did you find this portrayal of polyamory in the movie to be accurate? I open the floor to any and all opinions. Again, I love the psychology of all things kink and I’m looking to educate myself. I look forward to hearing your opinions. And I leave you with this quote:

“Wonder Woman is a love letter. She is a fantasy. She comes from a distant place where there is beauty and justice, and respect. I write what I see about women I know women who are every bit as just and strong, and capable as Wonder Woman. Now, we can debate the length of her hemline. But what is important is the way Wonder Woman reforms criminals. She makes them tell the truth. That is what she stands for the truth. To you Wonder Woman is just a comic but she's my life. She's my love."

[MasterSub_069]

This post is my first exposure to this topic. I am planning on watching and researching and if you don’t mind would enjoy discussing.

[SirPaul]

Interesting discussion. I must admit to finding it hard to know if your quotes are from the movie, or from
Memoirs, as I’ve not seen the latest movie. That aside, I can certainly see how some of the memes in WW could be eluding to BDSM themes.

[Deleted Member]

Yes the quotes are from the movie haha and yes I’d really like to read some of the original WW comics after seeing this movie.

[SirPaul]

I think I’m going to have to seek out the original comics also... not to mention see the movie. Although if they are quotes from the movie I’m probably going the develop a thing for Gal Gadot!