Were it not for the Marquis de Sade`s explicit use of language and complete disregard for the artificially constructed taboos of a religious morality he despised, the novelty and profundity of his thought, and above all, its fundamental modernity, would have long since secured him a place alongside the greatest authors and thinkers of the European Enlightenment.

This Very Short Introduction aims to disentangle the `real` Marquis de Sade from his mythical and demonic reputation of the past two hundred years. Phillips examines Sade`s life and work: his libertine novels, his championing of atheism, and his uniqueness in bringing the body and sex back into philosophy.

Table of Contents:
1: Beyond the Myth: The real Marquis de Sade
2: Man of Letters
3: Martyr of Atheism
4: Sade and the French Revolution
5: Theatres of the Body
6: Apostle of Freedom
References
Further Reading

Author Information:
John Phillips, Department of French Literature and Culture, London Metropolitan University