Bataille reader of Sade

an essay on the unleashing of pleasure

Abstract

The essay 'Bataille Reader of Sade: An Essay on the Unleashing of Pleasure' explores the relationship between the Marquis de Sade and the concept of pleasure, based on the interpretation proposed by Georges Bataille in 'The Erotism' (2017) and 'Literature and Evil' (2015). Sade is recognized for exploring themes such as transgression, sadism, and pleasure in his works, challenging the moral and social norms of his time. However, Bataille proposes a deeper reading of Sade's intentions, suggesting that his goal was to bring to consciousness the disorder, evil, and pleasure that had always been denied by society, with rationalist systems as a foundation. Bataille argues that Sade used his works as a means to expose and confront social repressions around pleasure, seeking a broader and more complex understanding of human nature. For Bataille, Sade not only unleashed pleasure in his narratives but also aimed to challenge the social structures that repressed it, elevating pleasure to the category of something conscious and acceptable, even if morally condemnable. The essay examines how Bataille's interpretation sheds light on Sade's work and flirts with Adorno and Horkheimer's analyses in 'Juliette or the Moral Enlightenment' (1985), highlighting his role as an intellectual provocateur who confronted the social and moral conventions of his time while exploring the limits and contradictions of human pleasure.

Keywords: Sade. Bataille. Unleashing of Pleasure.