Philosophy in the Boudoir, or Immoral Mentors

Marquis de Sade (1740–1814) was a man who rejected all accepted norms, whether ecclesiastical, moral, or legal. He exalted personal freedom and placed pleasure at the center of everything the world could offer him. In his works, he projects this lifestyle onto his characters. They are immoral, idle, and disregard commonly accepted rules of good conduct. Most of the texts written by this classic of French literature were composed in prison, which somewhat reconciles the European cultural community with his works and free views, acting as a sort of Smile of God over human fate. In "Philosophy in the Boudoir," a young girl is taught how to live properly. All the advice given to her comes from hardened nihilists, atheists, and debauchers, steeped in the horrors of the dark side of human life. The primary task of women is to please men; sodomy is the norm, and religion is corrupt. In general, the book contains everything that a "good mother" would advise her young daughter to become educated from.