This is the first new translation in over forty years of Sade's novel
Justine. It is also the first ever critical edition, based on the
original 1791 version of the story, which is the most accessible and
artistically successful of the three versions. The novel tells the story
of the beautiful and devout Justine, whose steadfast faith and naive
trust destine her from the outset for sexual exploitation and martyrdom.
The unending catalog of disasters that befall her, during which she is
subject to any number of perverse practices, illustrate Sade's belief in
the primacy of Nature over civilization. Virtue is no match for vice,
and as criminality and violence triumph, Justine is doomed to suffer.
Indeed, the novel mounts a ferocious physical and intellectual assault
on absolute notions of good and evil.
John Phillips's lively translation conveys the tone of Sade's original
text and his introduction situates Sade's narrative in its historical,
literary, and philosophical background, discussing such major themes as
attitudes to women, the church, the justice system, and the world of
finance, the sadistic and masochistic elements, and the novel's
reception. The extensive notes shed light on religious and philosophical
ideas and explain allusions to topical events.
About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has
made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the
globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to
scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other
valuable features, including expert introductions by leading
authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date
bibliographies for further study, and much more.
