Our Liberated Age

The Official Weblog of
The Association for Creative Sexuality

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

Philosophy in the Bedroom

So you have probably been wondering what we were doing building a pillory last week. The answer is that some good friends that have helped us out in the past had asked to make use of the hall for a 'party' at the weekend. When they described the nature of the party I offered to build a few props for them ACS style (i.e. completely over the top).

We did not fully complete the pillory but we had it fully functional and assembled. I had to make a couple of spare head boards as Helen was busy carving the final ones. There is more carving to be done on the frame but it looks fine in white wood. I ran the edges through the router table with a roundover bit and sanded them down to avoid splinters etc.

At the end of the weekend my guests presented me with a fine antique of one of their favourite pieces of work, Philosophy in the Bedroom by the Marquis de Sade. This prompted me to find an English translation on the Web.

As always with de Sade there is more than a little wishful thinking on his part. The basic plot is that three libertines plot the seduction of the pious fifteen year old daughter of a libertine friend. But there never really is any seduction. The girl arrives, listens to a quick lecture on the evils of religion says 'how clever and true your words are' and then begs to be allowed to do whatever the libertines ask of her.

Given the reputation the work has I am somewhat disappointed. It fails as pornography and it fails as philosophy. de Sade has no intention of having any of his characters seriously challenge his views. On the other hand in the years before Stopes and co I suspect that more than a few young people got their sex education from the play. Thats the moral majority for you, supress all the balanced sex ed and the kids have nobody to find out from except de Sade.

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