The Misfortunes of Virtue and Other Early Tales by Marquis De Sade

The Misfortunes of Virtue and Other Early Tales by Marquis De Sade

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The Misfortunes of Virtue and Other Early Tales by Marquis De Sade

The name of the Marquis de Sade is synonymous with the blackest corners of the human soul, a byword for all that is foulest in human conduct. In his bleak, claustrophobic universe, there is no God, no morality, no human affection, and no hope. Power is given to the strong, and the strong are murderers, torturers, and tyrants. No quarter is given; compassion is the virtue of the weak. Yet Sade was a man of savage intelligence who carried the philosophy of the French Enlightenment to its logical extreme. His writings effectively release the individual from all social and moral constraint: for many, Sade is the Great Libertarian. The Victorians considered him `Divine' and Apollinaire called him `the freest spirit'; the Surrealists recognised him as a founding father, and he is a key figure in the history of modernism and post-modernism. With Freud and Marx, Sade has been one of the crucial shaping influences on this century, and reactions to him continue to be extreme. But he has always been more talked about than read. This selection of his early writings, some making their first appearance in this new translation, reveals the full range of Sade's sobering moods and considerable talents. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
The Marquis de Sade (1740-1814) was a French aristocrat, sexual libertine, political radical, philosopher, and writer whose work led to the coinage of the terms sadism and sadist. His works combine philosophical discourse with pornography, depicting sexual fantasies with violent, criminal, and blasphemous elements in support of his belief in unrestrained individual freedom.
Margaret Crosland is a translator of French and Italian literature who has written biographies of Colette, Jean Cocteau, Simone de Beauvoir, and Edith Piaf. She has translated the works of Emile Zola, Colette, Cocteau, and others.
SKU Unavailable
ISBN 13 9780199540426
ISBN 10 019954042X
Title The Misfortunes of Virtue and Other Early Tales
Author Marquis De Sade
Series Oxford World's Classics
Condition Unavailable
Binding Type Paperback
Publisher Oxford University Press
Year published 2008-05-08
Number of pages 336
Cover note Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note Unavailable