Der Marquis de Sade und seine Zeit.

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

68400

Title

Der Marquis de Sade und seine Zeit.

Language

de

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

This scholarly work examines the life, writings, and philosophy of the Marquis de Sade within the context of 18th-century France. It explores the social, political, and sexual mores of the era, analyzing how Sade's radical ideas emerged from the corruption of the ancien régime and the French Revolution. The text offers a historical and psychological profile of one of history's most notorious figures.

Summary up to 500 words

Dr. Eugen Dühren's *Der Marquis de Sade und seine Zeit* offers a comprehensive social-psychological analysis of the Marquis de Sade, arguing that his life and works must be understood as products of their era rather than merely individual pathology. Dühren posits that to truly comprehend Sade, one must examine the "wild aggregate of privileges" and moral decay of 18th-century France. The book details a society defined by extreme egoism, where the clergy, nobility, and literature were steeped in corruption, prostitution, and sexual perversions ranging from onanism to flagellation. The narrative chronicles Sade's trajectory from his aristocratic lineage to his imprisonment in the Bastille and Vincennes. It highlights his complex political engagement during the Revolution, including his brief role as secretary to the Section of the Pike Men and his contentious relationship with Robespierre. Dühren explains how Sade's arrest for a pamphlet against Josephine and Bonaparte led to his internment in Charenton, where he continued his prolific literary output. A significant portion of the work analyzes Sade's major texts, *Justine* and *Juliette*, discussing their genesis in prison and their evolution under the influence of revolutionary events. Dühren addresses Sade's occasional denials of authorship, contextualizing these claims as common among writers of the time to avoid persecution. The text further defines sadism, exploring the intrinsic connection between lust and cruelty and categorizing various sexual pathologies found in Sade's writings. Finally, the book traces the historical influence of sadism on literature and society throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, citing contemporaries like Rétif de la Bretonne. Throughout, Dühren emphasizes that Sade was the embodiment of the age's "completed sinfulness" before the Revolution, reflecting the objective spirit of a time that Hegel described as a realm of injustice. By shifting the focus from individual psychology to the social milieu, Dühren provides a definitive cultural and historical context for understanding one of history's most controversial figures.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Psychology
• Biography