The period drama fictionalizes the last years of 18th century’s infamous French writer Marquis de Sade who was imprisoned at Charenton Insane Asylum for titillating writing. Banished from writing, he takes help of laundress Madeline who smuggles his stories to printer. As his sexually explicit books continue getting published, a severely conformist doctor, known for tormenting punishments, is appointed to treat Marquis.