Marquis de Sade, through his literature, presents a variety of incarceration institutions where his heroes experience imprisonment either as victims or as perpetrators. From his “educational” units one can observe the common characteristics that restrictive settings have (discipline, punishment, coercion, abuse etc.).

 The present paper aims to detect the similarities of Sadean literature with the real world incarceration units and in particular with prison. More specifically, the way that imprisonment affects the individuals who experience it shall be explored. The relationship that exists between the actual meanings of discipline, sentence, body, incarceration and the ways in which they have been applied in prisons will also be investigated. Furthermore, it is interesting to examine the kind of power that is developed in the two situations (Sadean literature and real prison), the ways in which this power is expressed and the different behaviours that the power creates (differences between victim – perpetrator). The present study will also attempt to define supervision in incarceration institutions; the way that it manifests and its limitations. Finally, the physical and psychological conditions that develop inside these restrictive institutions (i.e. limitless – imprisoned / reasonable - insane / healthy – ill) shall be examined. The comparison will be based on extracts taken from a variety of Sade’s work and from the scientific bibliography of M. Foucault, who is specialised in restrictive institutions and in particular in prisons.

 Sade’s allegorical technique and the studies of M. Foucault, A. Carter and T. Airaksinen regarding the incarceration institutes and the interpretation of Sadean situations, were of valuable help in our investigation.