Dangerous Liaisons

Dangerous Liaisons

The narrative unfolds through a series of letters exchanged among several characters, primarily focusing on the manipulative and seductive games played by two aristocrats, a libertine and a cunning woman. The libertine, Valmont, is tasked with seducing a virtuous woman, Madame de Tourvel, while simultaneously engaging in a scheme to corrupt the innocent young Cecilia, who is about to be married to Count Gercourt. Valmont's friend, the Marchioness de Merteuil, orchestrates the seduction of Cecilia, viewing it as a means of revenge against Gercourt, who had previously wronged her. The letters reveal the characters' intricate plots, their shifting alliances, and the moral decay of the society they inhabit. Valmont's pursuit of Madame de Tourvel becomes a central focus, as he attempts to break down her defenses while grappling with his own feelings of genuine affection for her. Cecilia, initially naive and innocent, becomes embroiled in the manipulations of Valmont and Merteuil, who exploit her emotions and desires. As the story progresses, the consequences of their actions lead to a tragic unraveling of relationships, culminating in betrayal, heartbreak, and moral reckoning. The work explores themes of seduction, manipulation, and the complexities of love and virtue within the context of a corrupt aristocratic society. The characters' interactions reveal the destructive power of desire and the often-painful consequences of their games, ultimately leading to a dramatic and tragic conclusion.

By Pierre Choderlos de Laclos · First published 1782 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Epistolary Novel, Drama · 60 chapters · 156,874 words

First lines

You see, my dear friend, I keep my word, and that dress does not totally take up all my time; I shall ever have some left for you. In this single day I have seen more finery of attire, than in the four years we have spent together; and I believe the haughty Tanville1 will be more mortified at my first visit, when I shall certainly desire to see her, than she used to be every time she came to see us in fiochi. Mamma advises with me in everything; she behaves to me no longer as a boarder in a convent. I have a chambermaid to myself; a chamber and a closet of my own, and a very pretty scrutoire, of which I keep the key, and where I can lock up everything. My Mamma has told me, I must be with her every morning at her levee; that it would be sufficient to have my head dressed by dinner, because we should always be alone, and that then she would each day tell me what time I should come to her apartment in the evening. The remainder of my time is at my own disposal; I have my harpsichord, my drawings, and books, just as in the convent, only that the mother abbess is not here to scold. And I may always be idle, if I please: but as I have not my dear Sophy to chat and laugh with, I am as well pleased with some occupation. It is not yet five, and I am not to go to Mamma till seven: what a deal of time, if I had anything to tell you! but nothing has been yet mentioned to me of any consequence: and if it were not for the preparations I see making, and the number of women employed for me, I should be apt to think they have no notion of my nuptials, and that it was one of old Josephine's2 tales. Yet Mamma having so often told me, that a young lady should remain in a convent, until she was on the point of marriage, and having now brought me home, I am apt to think Josephine right.

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Dangerous Liaisons is listed on Textopian as a novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, dated 1782 CE.

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Epic · Romance · Satire · Social Commentary · Philosophical · Psychological Insight · Morality Play · Deception · Manipulation · Power Dynamics · Class Struggle · Love Triangle

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