There exist two meanings with the word libertine (of Latin libertinus , slave who has just been released. libertinus means freed):

• in its version of origin, the libertine is that which calls into question the Dogme S established, it is a free thinker insofar as it is freed, in particular, of metaphysics and ethics nuns;
• the direction which prevails nowadays refers to the libertine of manners , i.e. that which is devoted to the carnal pleasures with a freedom which exceeds the limits of conventional morals and the normal middle-class sensuality, but also, with a certain cultivated refinement.

(It would be desirable not to confuse the “libertinism”, as a current philosophical and literary, with “libertinage”, which would rather indicate a style of concerning behavior the direction #2 of the term “libertine”.)

Intellectual Libertinism

Second reading of the theories of the Greek philosopher Épicure, the libertinism is current of thought born with, developed in Italy (Cardan, Paracelse, Machiavel) and which will lead with to the concept of reason critical of the philosophers.

Materialists, the libertines consider that all in the universe concerns the matter, which imposes, only, its laws. They thus estimate that the comprehension of the world concerns the only reason, disavowing, for much, the concept of creator.

Whereas the French Monarchie rests on a divine legitimacy, one easily includes/understands the threat which could represent of the individuals wanting to be independent of any imposed rule of the outside by morals or the religion, established by the Église, the State or the Tradition. This the more so as the libertines called their wishes the appearance of a company resting on the merit (and not the privileges), in a spirit of justice and social agreement.

If one retains today readily only the sensual and vaguely immoral aspect of the libertinism, this rejection of a Morale founded on the Vertu is finally only the consequence of their Philosophie: the absence of God legitimates the desire for enjoying its terrestrial life and this search, which will not be done nevertheless with the contempt of others, is the ultimate goal.

Parallel to this movement a school of the doubt develops: a current of thought born in Italy calls in question science resting about Aristote and solidified by the religious dogmas (Thomisme). A reflection is born on the relationship between the Foi and the Raison. The geographical discoveries shake the dogma of the Christian universe in the center of the world. The redécouverte of the pagan masterpieces show that art and the beauty can exist apart from any Christian reference. The scientific discoveries put in contradiction the scientific fact and the religious dogma. The political disturbances and the religious conflicts weaken the confidence which one can have towards religious leaders.

Initially developed at the great day with writings like those of Pierre Gassendi (1647) rehabilitating the philosophy of Épicure and opening the way with libertinage of manners, these ideas are done more discrete after the judgment of certain libertines to dead (the philosopher Jules César Vanini perishes on the Bûcher in 1619), to the imprisonment or the exile.

Libertinage of manners

Engulfing itself in the breach opened by the libertines of thought, some are not satisfied to be released from all forced imposed by the tradition to think but also to act with their own way by limiting the moral brakes. It is libertinage of manners.

The libertines of manners claim same philosophical current as the libertines of thought but the excess of some contributed to discredit the first movement (profanation of holy places, blasphemy, sexual vice…). One could think that for modern libertines, all is good to satisfy their desires. They practice without remorse cynicism and hypocrisy, the standard even developed by Molière in its part Dom Juan. There are several modern libertinages, well far from the definition first. But one often finds in these libertines a common value: vision of the cell of the couple. This cell, for a libertine, does not have moral obligation like fidelity. It is not rare to see couples libertines practicing the echangism while respecting the individual and the couple him even. Modern libertinage places the individual in the center of his sexuality, contrary to the morals which it, places the couple there. It is on the latter point that one joined the definition first because the application of libertinage of manners is in opposition to the religion and the concept of the single love and eternal of a couple. One can say that there is rejection of morals and the religion concerning the aspect of the love.

Theorists of the libertinism

Towards 1615, a group of atheistic poets (Boisrobert, Tristan the Hermit, Saint-Lover and Theophilus de Viau) form a secret society. They are regarded as “Antéchrist S” and diffuse anonymous works defending their theses.

One at the time regards them as wizards.

• Gassendi, Of vita and moribus Epicuri , 1647.

• Gabriel Naudé, Apology for the large characters suspected of magic , 1625.
• Mothe Vayer,
• Speech , 1654.
• Treated , 1662.
• Dialogs , 1669.

The novel libertine of

Difficult to speak about writing libertine without evoking the authors of Romance libertines like Crébillon, Sade or Laclos, as many authors belonging to the century known as “of the Lights”. However authors considered as “libertines” seem to make known themselves as of, but less for their works that for the critical spirit that they instilled into it. Thus, with the historians Humaniste S were taxed with “libertinage” from their work which called into question the often obliging Histoire official towards the Monarchie and its most influential representatives.

It is thus well with the writing libertine strictly speaking takes very an other dimension. It puts in scene, through the novel, a freedom to think and act which is generally characterized by a moral depravity, an egoistic search of the pleasure. Major works like the dangerous Connections of Laclos or Mislayings of the heart and the spirit of Crébillon wire, introduced new codes, a new way of thinking, to write and describe libertinage. The life in society is presented as a play of easily deceived whose libertines control to perfection the codes and stakes. The seduction is there a complex art which one undertakes by challenge, desire or Amour-propre. The woman is identified like a prey “to undertake”, which ends more or less quickly up yielding in front of its “hunter”. One very often finds, lavished by a libertine, an initiation with sexual, morals, the behavior to be adopted in company, intended for that or that which will have to succeed to him in its precepts. The selected expression fine, is refined, often allusive, slicing with a Littérature known as licentious.

External bonds

• '' Internet and training of the networks libertines '', Anne Staquet
• “Libertinage, freethinking, irreligion, atheism Bibliography (nonexhaustive!) work of historiography and criticism” Under the responsibility of Jean-Pierre Cavaillé
• “Libertinage, irreligion, unbelief, atheism in Europe of the first modernity ({{sp-|XVI|E|XVII|E|}}) an approach criticizes current trends of research (1998-2002)” by Jean-Pierre Cavaillé

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