The Philosophy of the Marquis de Sade

The Marquis de Sade is famous for his forbidden novels like Justine Julietteand the 120 Days of Sodom. Yet despite Sades immense influence on philosophyand lite... » 

The Marquis de Sade is famous for his forbidden novels like Justine Julietteand the 120 Days of Sodom. Yet despite Sades immense influence on philosophyand literature his work remains relatively unknown. His novels are too longrepetitive and violent. At last in The Philosophy of the Marquis de Sade adistinguished philosopher provides a theoretical reading of Sade. Airaksinenexamines Sades claim that in order to be happy and free we must do evilthings. He discusses the motivations of the typical Sadean hero who leads alife filled with perverted and extreme pleasures such as stealing murderrape and blasphemy. Secondary sources on Sade such as Hobbes Erasmusm andBrillatSavarin are analyzed and modern studies are evaluated. The Philosophyof the Marquis de Sade greatly enhances our understanding of Sade and hisphilosophy of pain and perversion. «