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Libertine has come to mean one devoid of any restraints, especially one who ignores or even spurns religious norms, accepted morals, and forms of behaviour sanctioned by the larger society.






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John Wilmot2
Sade (van Loo)
Libertine has come to mean one devoid of any restraints, especially one who ignores or even spurns religious norms, accepted morals, and forms of behaviour sanctioned by the larger society. The philosophy gained new-found adherents in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, particularly in France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
 and Britain
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
. Notable among these were John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester was an English libertine, a friend of King Charles II of England, and the writer of much satire and bawdy poetry....
, and the Marquis de Sade
Marquis de Sade

Donatien Alphonse Fran?ois de Sade, Marquis de Sade was a France aristocrat, revolutionary and novelist. His novels were philosophical novel and sadomasochistic, exploring such controversial subjects as rape, bestiality and necrophilia....
. "Libertine", like many words, is an evolving one, defined today as "a dissolute person; usually a person who is morally unrestrained". Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand wrote that Joseph Bonaparte
Joseph Bonaparte

Joseph-Napol?on Bonaparte, King of Kingdom of Naples and Kingdom of Sicily, King of Spain and the Spanish West Indies, Comte de Survilliers was the elder brother of French Emperor Napoleon I of France, who made him King of Naples and King of Sicily and later King of Spain....
 "sought only life's pleasures and easy access to libertinism," while on the throne of Naples. In modern times, libertinism has been associated with nihilism
Nihilism

Nihilism is the philosophy position that value_theory do not exist but rather are falsely invented. Most commonly, nihilism is presented in the form of Nihilism#Existential_nihilism which argues that life is without meaning, purpose or intrinsic value ....
, sadomasochism and free love
Free love

The term free love has been used since at least the nineteenth century to describe a social movement that rejects marriage, which is seen as a form of social bondage, especially for women....
.

Libertine was originally a negative term, derived by John Calvin
John Calvin

John Calvin was an influential French people theology and pastor during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of Christian theology later called Calvinism....
, for opponents of his policies in Geneva, Switzerland. This group, led by Ami Perrin
Ami Perrin

Ami Perrin was a Swiss Libertine and one of the most powerful figures in Geneva in the 16th century as chief opponent of religious reformer John Calvin's rule of the city....
, argued against Calvin's "insistence that church discipline should be enforced uniformly against all members of Genevan society". Perrin and his allies were elected to the town council in 1548, and "broadened their support base in Geneva
Geneva

Geneva is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie . Situated where the Rh?ne River exits Lake Geneva , it is the capital of the Canton of Geneva....
 by stirring up resentment among the older inhabitants against the increasing number of religious refugees who were fleeing France in even greater numbers". By 1555, Calvinists were firmly in place on the Genevan town council, so the Libertines, led by Perrin, responded with an "attempted coup against the government and called for the massacre of the French ... This was the last great political challenge Calvin had to face in Geneva."

Les Liaisons dangereuses
Les Liaisons dangereuses

Les Liaisons dangereuses is a France epistolary novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, first published in four volumes by Durand Neveu from March 23 1782....
 (Dangerous Liaisons, 1782), an epistolary novel
Epistolary novel

An epistolary novel is a novel written as a series of documents. The usual form is Letter s, although diary, newspaper clippings and other documents are sometimes used....
 by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos
Pierre Choderlos de Laclos

Pierre Ambroise Fran?ois Choderlos de Laclos was a French novelist, official and army general, best known for writing the epistolary novel Les Liaisons dangereuses....
, is a trenchant description of sexual libertinism. Wayland Young
Wayland Young

Wayland Hilton Young, 2nd Baron Kennet is a United Kingdom writer and Social Democratic Party and Labour Party politician....
 argues that "…the mere analysis of libertinism… carried out by a novelist with such a prodigious command of his medium… was enough to condemn it and play a large part in its destruction." (Young, 1966, 246)

Famous Libertines

  • Ami Perrin
    Ami Perrin

    Ami Perrin was a Swiss Libertine and one of the most powerful figures in Geneva in the 16th century as chief opponent of religious reformer John Calvin's rule of the city....
  • John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
    John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester

    John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester was an English libertine, a friend of King Charles II of England, and the writer of much satire and bawdy poetry....
  • Marquis De Sade
    Marquis de Sade

    Donatien Alphonse Fran?ois de Sade, Marquis de Sade was a France aristocrat, revolutionary and novelist. His novels were philosophical novel and sadomasochistic, exploring such controversial subjects as rape, bestiality and necrophilia....
  • Giacomo Casanova
    Giacomo Casanova

    Giacomo Girolamo Casanova de Seingalt was a Republic of Venice adventurer and author. His main book Histoire de ma vie , part autobiography and part memoir, is regarded as one of the most authentic sources of the customs and norms of European social life during the 18th century....
  • Lord Byron
  • Arthur Rimbaud
    Arthur Rimbaud

    Jean Nicolas Arthur Rimbaud was a French people poet, born in Charleville-M?zi?res. As part of the decadent movement, his influence on modern literature, music and art has been enduring and pervasive....
  • Jim Morrison
    Jim Morrison

    James Douglas Morrison was an United States singer, songwriter, poet, writer and film maker. He is best known as the lead singer and lyricist of The Doors and is widely considered to be one of the most charismatic Lead singers in rock music history....


See also

  • Hedonism
    Hedonism

    Hedonism is a school of philosophy which argues that pleasure has an intrinsic value and is the most important pursuit of humanity....
  • Rake
    Rake (character)

    A rake is defined as a man that is habituated to immoral conduct. Rakes are frequently stock characters in novels. Often a rake is a man who wastes his fortune on wine, women and song, incurring lavish debts in the process....
     — A libertine-like stage character.
  • Libertine novel
    Libertine novel

    The libertine novel was an 18th century in literature of which the roots lay in the European but mainly French libertine tradition. The genre effectively ended with the French Revolution....
  • The Libertines
    The Libertines

    The Libertines were an English rock music band. Formed in London in 1997 by frontmen Carl Bar?t and Pete Doherty , the band also included John Hassall and Gary Powell for most of its recording career....
  • Libertine (song)
    Libertine (song)

    "Libertine" is a 1986 song recorded by the France artist Myl?ne Farmer. Third Single from her first studio album Cendres de Lune, the song was released on April 1 1986....
     by Mylène Farmer