There has been a lot of buzz around Fifty Shades of Grey. With the release of the movie, it poses the question; why is the series so popular? The writing is mediocre, the author hits every cliché, and then there are the over the top sex scenes.

However, sex in books is not new, nor is the classic bad boy stereotype. But for centuries, books have been written about these abusive men–think of Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights–and the women they seek to dominate.

Like most relationships, not everything is black and white and there […]