Les Liaisons Dangereuses :: essays research papers

Les Liaisons Dangereuses is a complex and disturbing portrayal of the noble year in pre-revolutionary France. Set in the late eighteenth century during the latter(prenominal) part of the Ancien Regime, Les Liaisons weaves a web of cold, calculated betrayal of the most unchaste kind. The story unfolds in the form of letters written between the maven characters, giving it a unique literary texture. By using this style, de Laclos is qualified to give the reader a shockingly intimate look at these people as they divulge their most intimate secrets and bring to actualisation their sinister plans.The protagonists, The marchioness de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont, consider it their lifes ambition to sadistically check out and dominate those around them through sexual intrigue. These two villains are and then locked in psychological combat to see who can actually out-do the some another(prenominal) in stalking, capturing and destroying the souls of others. Taking absolute ple asure in ripping either virtue from the hearts of their prey, Merteuil and Valmont wave their accomplishments in front of each other like spoils of war. The less the chance of surrender, the more relentless is the pursuit. The story begins with the Marquise de Merteuil corresponding with Vicomte de Valmont regarding a luscious new act of revenge, as she describes it, against the Comte de Gercourt. The young Cecile de Volanges has just come home from the convent and her marriage to Gercourt has been arranged. However, before he can wed the innocent child, Merteuil proposes Valmont educate her, thus spoiling Gercourts fancy for untarnished convent girls. Valmont is un filled in such an easy seduction and is far more aroused by the thought of lulling The Presidente de Tourvel, the very ikon of virtue, into submission. And so the tale unfolds. Valmont eventually beds the virgin Cecile in order to brainpower Merteuil, however, the conquest of Madam de Tourvel is his passion and he in dulges in this pursuit until he reaches the intended conclusion.Although, it would be a mistake to depict Valmont as anything besides the monster that he is, there seems to be a small judge of actual affection for Tourvel, however short-lived. Once Valmont shares this strange and unexpected interest in Madame de Tourvel, The Marquise de Merteuil is enraged, considering it an appalling sign of weakness. In order to pull round face, Valmont returns to his ruthless ways, thus completing the destruction of Madame de Tourvel, who had ultimately fallen fiendishly in love with Valmont.