Is Sade our fellow man? The transgressive enjoyment, as imperative and as a scandal

Abstract

This article intends to carry out a philosophical systematization of the libertine universe portrayed in the works of Sade, with the ultimate purpose of discussing the extent to which contemporary society could be reflected in such a deforming mirror. In this exegesis of Sadian universe, the extravagant philosophical reflections of the libertines starring his works are intertwined with the very multifarious interpretations of Sade’s writing. Although Sade’s modernity has frequently beenacknowledged through his unconditional commitment to unrestrained desire, the imperative of enjoyment and transgression, in this work we argue that the contemporaneity of the Sadian work lies in its ambivalent affinity with our culture of scandal.

Keywords

• imperativo del goce, cultura del escándalo, pasiones, modernidad