Chantal Thomas lectrice de Sade

Abstract

Does the way one reads Sade evolve according to whether one reads it from an academic standpoint or from the point of view of fictional creation? Focusing on the work of Chantal Thomas, a renowned specialist of the 18th century who has turned to writing historical novels, this article attempts to show how each of these positions can, in a sense, challenge the other, as though the novel revealed the “unthought” side of a more academic reading of Sade’s writings.

Keywords

• reception
• historical novel
• libertinage
• 18th century literature
• novel