What Marquis de Sade’s Literary Critique Can Teach Us about Entrepreneurship

No writer has captured the reader’s imagination as vividly as the Marquis de Sade. Per his usual ramblings, he espouses evil via excruciatingly detailed sexual exploits; but, in later writings he is vehemently critical of those who engage in corrosive behavior. In Reflections on the Novel, de Sade provides step-by-step instructions to create repelling, enthralling, and memorable fictional narratives, then stratifies “what not to do” in order to avoid situations that may lead to irreparable physical, mental, and emotional damage in real life. In this same pamphlet, he advocates authenticity in writing and ways to empower the budding Sadist. Moreover, he is unique in this discourse because he deviates from previous writings and speaks directly to the audience. This article deconstructs Reflections on the Novel and it provides unique writing tenets as suggested by de Sade. These precepts are revolutionary because they provide new avenues of research in entrepreneurship.