
Dominique de Sade
Update date: 02/19/2025
The Libertine Philosopher of the French Enlightenment. Dominique de Sade, also known as the Marquis de Sade, was a French aristocrat, revolutionary politician, philosopher, and writer famous for his pornographic works, the novel Justine, or the Misfortunes of Virtue, and the play Oxtiern, or the Misfortunes of Decency. Known for his libertine views on morality, de Sade believed in the pursuit of pleasure and sensuality as the ultimate goal of human existence, often exploring themes of power, sexuality, and transgression in his works. His controversial ideas and writings led him to spend the majority of his adult life in prison or confined in mental asylums.