— Anonymous
Easily the most uncomfortable piece I read during the semester was “Juliette” by Sade. I think this is very easy to understand because the text and the topics mentioned are meant to be uncomfortable for the common person. Sadism in itself is not something everyone indulges in, and Juliette is considered an example of it. Reading sentences talking about orgies or torture is definitely not something that I am used to which made the text challenging and different. The first time I read Juliette I definitely did not grasp a lot of the reasoning for it, or what message it was trying to convey. Things I did realize immediately was the ability of the author to paint pictures with his words and using his words very descriptively. Another thing Sade did well that I saw was his ability to get me to try and understand what Juliette was feeling even though it’s not something I would personally know the feeling of and that is very skillful. However, meaning beyond just the descriptive language Sade used was still blurred for me.
Discussion in class about the mindset of Juliette did help me understand more. Thinking from the mind of Juliette, to do whatever it takes to get to the point of satisfaction is almost an ideal goal in a person’s life. To do what makes one happy is something that is practically preached. But, in Sade’s vision, a radical version of that concept is one that can totally disregard morality and religion. Sade shows a radical way of thinking of satisfaction and happiness through his portrayal of the character Juliette and her actions. Discussing this text made me wonder a lot about what other’s in the world would do satisfy personal pleasure, and clearly a portion of criminals in the world indulge in this act similar to Juliette. Sade brings up this radical concept he created for people to question things and to see what they desire, I think. He is similar to Kant in that sense. I’ve come to understand more that the ideas he brings through this text are not necessarily to be taken literally, though they can be by some, but to provoke some kind thought process on what one would do to achieve satisfaction. In Juliette’s case she would murder torture and have sex with multiple people. In my life and most people’s lives, this is most likely not the case. However, the question is the same, how far would you go? After reading and discussing I’ve come to realize that this text is something that makes a person question the importance of morality, pleasure, and organization in society. My response of uncomfortableness to the text is expected, because the text itself is meant to stimulate reaction and questioning. I enjoy its challenge to make me think about more concepts that I normally wouldn’t, and I think that is part of what makes it great. It is emotionally challenging but intellectually rewarding and that is what a beautiful text will accomplish.
