120 Days of Sodom or The School of Debauchery

The novel «120 Days of Sodom, or The School of Debauchery» was written by the Marquis de Sade in thirty-seven days in 1785, during his imprisonment in the Bastille. It is the story of four wealthy debauchers who decided to experience the highest sexual pleasure available in orgies. To do this, they secluded themselves for four months in a remote castle in Saint-Martin-de-Belleville with a harem. There were young men, teenage girls, and even four madams of brothels who recounted their adventures.

«120 Days of Sodom» — is one of the most provocative texts of the 18th century. The scandalous reputation of the novel often overshadows its main theme: de Sade explores absolute power and shows what happens when there is impunity, unbounded by law or morality. The repetitiveness and cold systematization of the events intentionally strip violence of any appeal, turning it into a mechanism of suppression and destruction of the individual.

The novel remains unfinished, so in the later sections, the coherent narrative is replaced by a detailed author’s plan. However, even in this form, de Sade's concept is clearly and consistently discernible. The book is of interest as a literary and philosophical experiment that pushes the ideas of power, freedom, and permissiveness to the limit. The edition is intended for adult readers interested in the history of literature and works that challenge conventional moral and aesthetic boundaries. Strictly 18+.