[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_120days.png]]
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Written by the Creator/MarquisDeSade while he was in prison and then lost for more than a century until being found again in 1905. It is one of Sade's most infamous works, and deservedly so despite being only partially completed. The plot concerns four corrupt libertine noblemen (the Duc, the Bishop, The President, and the Durcet) who spend 120 sex-filled days with their four wives/daughters, sixteen kidnapped children, four aged prostitutes, four hideous maids, and eight [[BiggerIsBetterInBed well-endowed young men]]. It all basically plays out like an extended [[TheAristocrats Aristocrats]] joke with no punchline.

See ''Film/SaloOrThe120DaysOfSodom'' for the film adaptation.

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!!Provides examples of:

* AbusiveParents: The Libertines. Curval stands out for hospitalizing his daughter after she saved a little girl from being forced to please Curval.
* AssholeVictim: The libertines end up torturing the evil old women who they have been collaborating with. When one of them thwarts a girl's escape attempt to save her own ass, Blangis tortures her anyway and laughs off her screaming that it is unjust. Normally this would be cruel, except the four women are monsters themselves who have gleefully helped torture innocent people. Now they are essentially getting their just deserts.
* AuthorAppeal: It's sometimes hard to tell what parts are Sade's fetishes and what parts are him just including every fetish he could think of. It's pretty clear he has an ass-fetish, though.
* AuthorFilibuster: Or CharacterFilibuster, depending on how much you believe Sade agreed with his characters
%%* TheCaligula: All four of the Libertines.
* CardCarryingVillain: The Libertines are all well-aware of their shaky moral status.
%%* DepravedBisexual
%%* DirtyOldMonk: The monks in Duclos' past.
%%* EvilFeelsGood: All four of the libertines firmly believe this.
%%* EvilOldFolks: Curval and a few of the maids
* ForTheEvulz: Blangis actually tells one of his victims "If it were just it would fail to give us an erection."
%%* GallowsHumor
* {{Gorn}}: This is probably the goriest of all of Sade's work, particularly toward the end.
* HollywoodAtheist: All four of the libertines are atheists, and have tremendous amounts of scorn towards religion and the very concept of God and a benevolent universe. Yes, even the Bishop.
* TheIngenue: The kidnapped children and three out of four of the wives. Julie, the President's wife is a bit more libertine. [[spoiler: Which is why she survives]]
* KarmaHoudini: The villains walk away free.
* MeaningfulName: Bum Cleaver. Three guesses as to why he's called that, and the first two don't count.
%%* NightmareFetishist: The narrator, except when he remembers that he's supposed to be horrified by the goings-on.
* ParentalIncest: Every one of the libertines has had sex with his daughters.
%%* VillainProtagonist: The libertines.
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