What Is The Ending Of The Complete Marquis De Sade Explained?

2026-02-21 13:26:13
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4 Answers

Reviewer Accountant
Sade’s endings are like a punch to the gut, and 'The Complete Marquis de Sade' collects all those blows. Take '120 Days of Sodom'—its unfinished state almost makes it worse, leaving the horrors to your imagination. But the published fragments? Pure chaos. The libertines’ orgies spiral into grotesque violence until society collapses around them. It’s not just shock value; it’s a deliberate dismantling of Enlightenment optimism. Sade forces readers to confront the ugliness he believed was at humanity’s core.

I’ve reread these endings multiple times, and each time, I notice new layers. The way 'Philosophy in the Bedroom' ends with that infamous pamphlet—'Yet Another Effort, Frenchmen, If You Would Be Republicans'—shows Sade’s twisted genius. He slides from pornographic excess into political ranting, blurring lines between sex and ideology. It’s exhausting, infuriating, and weirdly brilliant. Not for the faint of heart, but impossible to ignore.
2026-02-23 05:30:08
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Addison
Addison
Favorite read: Rebirth Of The Mistress
Plot Detective Pharmacist
Sade’s endings are uncompromising. 'Justine' dies abandoned by God; 'Juliette' thrives in corruption. No lessons, no growth—just relentless darkness. It’s polarizing, but that’s Sade. You either hate it or can’t look away. I fall into the latter camp. There’s something perversely fascinating about how he refuses to cater to hope. The endings stick with you, like a stain you can’t scrub out.
2026-02-25 14:05:46
1
Story Finder Office Worker
The ending of 'The Complete Marquis de Sade' is a whirlwind of philosophical extremes and raw human nature. Sade’s works, especially 'Justine' and 'Juliette,' culminate in brutal, almost nihilistic conclusions where virtue is punished and vice triumphs. 'Justine' ends with the titular character struck by lightning after enduring relentless suffering, while 'Juliette' sees her thrive through debauchery. It’s less about traditional narrative closure and more about Sade hammering home his worldview—society’s morals are hypocritical, and nature rewards cruelty. The sheer audacity of it all leaves you reeling, questioning whether it’s satire, manifesto, or just unflinching provocation.

What fascinates me is how modern interpretations swing between seeing Sade as a misogynist monster or a radical critic of power. The ending forces you to sit with that discomfort. Personally, I walked away feeling like it’s a Rorschach test—what you see says more about you than Sade. The man didn’t do 'happy endings,' but he sure made endings you’ll never forget.
2026-02-26 12:55:59
6
Longtime Reader Lawyer
If you’re expecting redemption arcs or poetic justice in Sade’s work, think again. His endings are brutal, cynical affairs. 'Justine' gets the worst of it—her unwavering virtue leads to rape, betrayal, and finally, a lightning bolt. Meanwhile, Juliette, her amoral sister, climbs over corpses to luxury. It’s like Sade took every fairy-tale moral and set it on fire. The message? Morality is a joke, and the universe is indifferent.

What’s wild is how these endings still spark debates. Some argue they’re satire; others see sincere misanthropy. I lean toward performance art—Sade pushing boundaries to see how far readers will follow. The endings don’t resolve; they escalate. After finishing, I needed a week to decompress. It’s less 'reading' and more 'enduring,' but that’s the point. Sade doesn’t want you comfortable; he wants you questioning everything.
2026-02-27 07:58:28
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