Aline and Valcour
Encyclopedia
Aline et Valcour; ou, Le Roman philosophique is an epistolary novel
by the Marquis de Sade
. It contrasts a brutal African kingdom with a utopian socialist South Pacific
island paradise known as Tamoé and led by the philosopher-king
Zamé.
Sade wrote the book while incarcerated in the Bastille
in the 1780s. Published in 1795, it was the first of Sade's books published under his true name.
Epistolary novel
An epistolary novel is a novel written as a series of documents. The usual form is letters, although diary entries, newspaper clippings and other documents are sometimes used. Recently, electronic "documents" such as recordings and radio, blogs, and e-mails have also come into use...
by the Marquis de Sade
Marquis de Sade
Donatien Alphonse François, Marquis de Sade was a French aristocrat, revolutionary politician, philosopher, and writer famous for his libertine sexuality and lifestyle...
. It contrasts a brutal African kingdom with a utopian socialist South Pacific
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
island paradise known as Tamoé and led by the philosopher-king
Philosopher king
Philosopher kings are the rulers, or Guardians, of Plato's Utopian Kallipolis. If his ideal city-state is to ever come into being, "philosophers [must] become kings…or those now called kings [must]…genuinely and adequately philosophize" .-In Book VI of The Republic:Plato defined a philosopher...
Zamé.
Sade wrote the book while incarcerated in the Bastille
Bastille
The Bastille was a fortress in Paris, known formally as the Bastille Saint-Antoine. It played an important role in the internal conflicts of France and for most of its history was used as a state prison by the kings of France. The Bastille was built in response to the English threat to the city of...
in the 1780s. Published in 1795, it was the first of Sade's books published under his true name.
External links
- Aline et Valcour, tome 1 (in French) from Project GutenbergProject GutenbergProject Gutenberg is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks". Founded in 1971 by Michael S. Hart, it is the oldest digital library. Most of the items in its collection are the full texts of public domain books...
- Aline et Valcour, tome 2 (in French) from Project Gutenberg