Author: Marquis de Sade
Profile: Marquis de Sade was a French writer, nobleman, philosopher and revolutionary politician. He was born in Paris, Kingdom of France and died in Charenton, Val-de-Marne, France. His main areas of interest are pornography, politics and eroticism. Renee-Pelagie Cordier de Launay is his spouse and Anne-Prospere de Launay and Madeleine LeClerc have been his partners.
His numerous abuses and sexual crimes against children, women and young men, made him disreputable. Marquis de Sade claims to be an advocate of absolute law, religion, freedom and unrestrained by morality. It is from his name that the words sadist and sadism have been derived.
He was imprisoned in an insane asylum and a number of prisons for around 3 decades of his life in Paris, Conciergerie, Madelonnettes Convent, Bicetre Asylum, Sainte-Pelagie Prison and Charenton Asylum. He was elected delegate to the National Convention during the French Revolution. A lot of works have been written by him in prison itself.
Writing style: Marquis de Sade was popular for his libertine sexuality. His works include plays, novels, political tracts, dialogues and short stories. While few of these were published under his own name in his lifetime while others he denies having written them and hence have appeared anonymously. He is well known for his erotic works which are a combination of depicting sexual fantasies, pornography with philosophical discourse with greater emphasis on crime, violence, sexual suffering and blasphemy against Christianity.
Published Texts:
Novels
The 120 Days of Sodom
Aline and Valcour
Histoire secrete d’lsabelle de Baviere, reine de France
Juliette (novel)
Justine (de Sade novel)
Philosophy in the Bedroom
Awards and Acknowledgements:
Marquis de Sade’s biopic, ‘Quills’ starring Kate Winslet and Geoffrey Rush was named best picture of the year by the Board which is made up of film professionals, actors, writers and teachers.