The "philosophy of the boudoir" of the Marquise de Sade as a small window into the morals of the time, which hide the deep needs without husks. First, let's find out the basics.
The very word "boudoir" sounds intriguing. It conceals secrets and mysteries, being a symbiosis of femininity and a secret arena on which human destinies are made. Women at all times had a great influence on men, and most of the decisions were probably made not in the offices, but in these secluded chambers.
What is this?
The boudoir was called the female chamber, starting from the 18th century. Notice - not a faceless "female half", but a bewitching, alluring boudoir.
What is this in practice? Just a few rooms where the woman was relaxing, going about her business and receiving guests in an informal setting. It was there that one could meet friends, allowing himself to flaunt in translucent peignoirs. Everywhere bliss, seduction, languor, and a hidden challenge. The boudoir made it possible to charm the powerful of this world, practically "without taking off pajamas." Flirting on the verge of a foul, dancing on a fine line of decency.
Boudoir is not only a coquetry zone
These rooms attracted men with their symbiosis of permissiveness and decency. The double bottom of the premises, designed to provide women with comfort in their daily affairs, regularly found a response in many works from the field of painting and literature. Indeed, the boudoir is a bottomless source of inspiration for lovers of beauty. The scandalous marquis de Sade did not fail to join this source in due time.
Say good word about poor marquise
This outstanding husband was born in France in 1740. The writer, philosopher and unprincipled fan of absolute freedom belonged to the oldest family of the French aristocracy.
Throughout his life (and he lived for a long time - 74 years), the Marquis wrote a lot of works, among which is the "Philosophy of Boudoir" de Sade. It will not be possible to fully describe his valiant biography - it was so saturated that it would be enough for several lives or for one detailed article, so we will highlight only the main provisions of the philosophy de Sade adhered to:
- God does not exist. Lack of morality as such, denial of church canons. Propaganda of aggressive hedonism.
- Chanting of a free man, not weighed down by the framework. In his opinion, the same boudoir - what is it? A place where a person can let himself go and elevate animal manifestations to absolute, even if he is not able to "lose face" in people - no one will see, no one will tell.
- There are no estates. There are only those who command and those who obey - there is no middle ground. The primitive question is the strongest and the weakest in all its uniformity.
- Denial of any norms in principle.
- Chanting of killing as a natural process designed to save the Earth from overpopulation, which will create an urgent need for resources.
The Philosophy of Boudoir by the Marquis de Sade
One of the works of the Marquise, as already stated above, is dedicated just to the boudoir, or rather, to what is happening in it.
The brief story is as follows: a young girl comes to visit, where she meets a couple who happily dedicates her to the mysteries of love. The key locale is precisely the boudoir. "What it is?" “You may exclaim in a fit of righteous indignation and you will be right.” However, de Sade does not care, for desires are above all. If we move away from the details of the description and evaluate the picture in general, we can understand that this work most gently (against the background of his other works) indicates the perception of the world by the writer. It is controversial, but has the
right to life, like any opinion.
If you wish, you can draw a parallel between this work and the theory of Sigmund Freud, in which he emphasized the unconscious, at the same time highlighting the animal Ono, the familiar Self and the unattainable Superself. De Sade gracefully bypasses the last two concepts, completely focusing his attention on the first. "Libido is good, it is important and necessary, follow his lead and whatever happens!" - the author tells us between the lines. No platonic love and sublime feelings at your fingertips, direct satisfaction of your desires. Of course, the Marquise’s "Philosophy of Boudoir" is controversial, but there is also a rational kernel in it - in the pursuit of complexity and elevation of feelings, people forget to establish contact with themselves, to understand what they really want.
So, still a boudoir - what is it? A place where they will not see and condemn, a place where you can spend a little time in the shoes of the Marquis de Sade, without losing your social image.