Philosophy in the Boudoir av Marquis de Sade

Philosophy in the Boudoir (La philosophie dans le boudoir) is a 1795 book by the Marquis de Sade written in the form of a dramatic dialogue. Set in a boudoir (commonly mistaken for a bedroom, due to an erroneous translation into English) the two lead characters make the argument that the only moral system that reinforces the recent political revolution is libertinism, and that if the people of France fail to adopt the libertine philosophy, France will be destined to return to a monarchic state.

In the chapter titled “Fifth Dialogue”, there is a lengthy section where the character Chevalier reads a philosophical pamphlet titled “Frenchmen, Some More Effort If You Wish To Become Republicans”. This represents Sade’s philosophy on religion and morality, a philosophy Sade hopes the citizens of France will embrace and codify into the laws of their new republican government. Throughout the text, Sade makes the argument that one must embrace atheism, reject society’s beliefs about pleasure and pain, and contends that if any crime is committed while seeking pleasure, it cannot be condemned.