Why The 120 Days of Sodom Was Banned
Few books in history have been as notorious as The 120 Days of Sodom. Written in 1785 by the Marquis de Sade while imprisoned in the Bastille, the work was immediately considered scandalous. It was banned for its graphic depictions of sexual violence, blasphemy, and cruelty. The book’s content—detailing acts of sadism, extreme perversion, and the systematic abuse of victims—was seen as utterly immoral and dangerous to public decency.
For centuries, the text was suppressed, censored, and circulated only in secret. In countries like France, Britain, and the United States, it faced bans for obscenity. Even today, it is often restricted or considered too disturbing to be included in public libraries or school curricula. The book’s reputation as “the most banned book in the world” highlights its status as both a piece of radical literature and a deeply troubling text.
About the Author: Marquis de Sade
Donatien Alphonse François, better known as the Marquis de Sade, was born in 1740 into French aristocracy. He lived a life filled with scandal, imprisonment, and exile. His name gave rise to the term “sadism,” reflecting his obsession with combining pleasure, power, and cruelty. De Sade’s writings, including Justine and Juliette, were condemned for their explicit nature, but they also forced readers to confront uncomfortable truths about desire, morality, and hypocrisy.
De Sade spent much of his life in prisons and asylums, where he produced some of his most infamous works. To his critics, he was a monster; to some later thinkers, he was a radical philosopher who pushed the boundaries of freedom, sexuality, and the relationship between power and morality.
Content and Themes of The 120 Days of Sodom
The book tells the story of four wealthy libertines who retreat to a remote castle with a group of victims—both male and female—whom they subject to escalating acts of violence and sexual depravity over 120 days. Structured almost like a diary or catalog, the work presents an endless series of transgressions, stripping away all illusions of innocence, morality, or restraint.
While horrifying in its details, the book has been read by some scholars as a critique of absolute power and corruption. The libertines, insulated by wealth and privilege, represent the extremes of unchecked authority. At the same time, the work forces readers to question human nature, desire, and the limits of freedom when morality is abandoned.
Why the Book Still Matters Today
The 120 Days of Sodom remains one of the most disturbing works ever written, but also one of the most discussed. Its continued censorship raises questions about the role of literature: should books that shock, offend, or disgust still be preserved and studied? Many argue that even if the book cannot be celebrated, it deserves attention for its historical significance and its challenge to conventional ideas of morality and power.
Though difficult to read and morally unsettling, the work continues to spark debate about censorship, the freedom of expression, and the darkest possibilities of human imagination. In this sense, de Sade’s book remains both infamous and relevant, a reminder that literature often tests the boundaries of what society is willing to accept.
