diseases and behaviour

Posted by Marie-Bernadette on April 30, 1998 at 01:27:51:

In response to Henry VIII, written by P. Bingham on April 29, 1998 at 13:55:50

I think that you are right; a lot of the bizarre behaviour exhibited by such people in the past was the result of syphillis as well as other diseases. I think that the Marquis de Sade must surely have had some sort of disease, probably syphillis as it does eventually cause insanity. From the little I have read about Monsieur Le Marquis, he started out all right, had some very progressive ideas, was an egalitarian and believed in certain rights for women; however, later in his life his writings become less philosophical and more perverse. One can almost track the progression of his illness by the degeneration of his writings. I think he was probably always arrogant and, uh, shall we say, highly amourous, but these qualities were later taken to extremes. His most hideous and offensive writings were written near the end of his life when,if he did have syphillis, it would have been in its advanced stages. I have not seen much of his earlier writings but the little I have seen was not nearly so bad as his most repulsive later works. It is a shame, really, because he had some good ideas (the non-perverted ones, that is) and I wonder what brilliant things he could have written had his mind not been so afflicted.

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REPLIES:

• regarding de Sade: P. Bingham 02:34:10 4/30/98 (6)
  • detractors Marie-Bernadette 14:02:26 4/30/98 (5)
    • ahem... P. Bingham 15:50:58 4/30/98 (4)
      • No excuses Marie-Bernadette 23:32:31 5/10/98 (3)
        • I was just kidding! P. Bingham 00:08:27 5/18/98 (2)
          • How do you always get tucked down here in corner, Patricia?;-)nfm Marie-Bernadette 16:40:47 5/19/98 (1)
            • As you must know by now... P. Bingham 00:08:04 5/21/98 (0)

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