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"DANGEROUS LIAISONS."
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Essay Subject:
Discusses Choderlos de Laclos' novel of 1782.... More...
3 Pages / 675 Words
1 sources, 2 Citations, APA Format
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Paper Abstract:
Discusses Choderlos de Laclos' novel of 1782. Its form as an epistolary novel. Main theme of corruption of innonence and virtue, and the power of evil. Elegance of the book's language and finely structured plot. Character of Valmont; his personality traits; his parasitical relationships. His inability to form meaningful relationships.

Paper Introduction:
Choderlos de Laclos’s Les liaisons dangereuses – translated sometimes as Dangerous Acquaintances but more accurately titled in English with the cognate Dangerous Liaisons is an epistolary novel (published in 1782) that takes as its main theme the corruption of innocence and virtue by the libertine Valmont and his mistress, the vicious and immoral Madame de Mertueil simply for their own amusement. The book’s great virtues are the elegance of its language and its finely structured plot along with Laclos’s ability to examine in such an unflinching way the fascination and power of evil. The battle of the sexes – which is also at the center of the book – is portrayed with deadly seriousness (the only real lack in the book is perhaps a touch of irony and humor). All frivolity and sentimentality have been banished from this book, which depicts a world that is deeply frivo

Text of the Paper:
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There is no sense in thisnovel that the unseen narrator behind this collection of letters everintends to stop the evil he sees unfolding, or even that he would want toif he could. 169). By refusing to respond appropriately tosituations, he forces others to respond and so draw attention and disfavoronto themselves. (P. Laclos presents us with two characterswho are both brilliant, and he gives us a picture of the evil that theycreate that sparkles for its lucidity and precision, and that is almostinhuman - even diabolical - in its impassivity. The book's great virtues are theelegance of its language and its finely structured plot along with Laclos'sability to examine in such an unflinching way the fascination and power ofevil. One might even speculate (for Laclos does not spell thisout for us) that the reason that Valmont flourishes in the parasiticalrelationships that he crafts is simply that he is incapable of forming noother kind of human bond. He places women in a position from which to escape publicnotice and therefore public censure they must accede to him. You despite friendship and in your intoxicated folly, setting shame and misfortune at naught, you look for nothing but pleasure and the victims to sacrifice to it (Laclos, 1961, p. He is certainly not the most evil of characters to appear inthe fiction of his time, but he manages nevertheless to accomplish a greatdeal of harm. All frivolity and sentimentality havebeen banished from this book, which depicts a world that is deeplyfrivolous and even more sentimental. 168). This implacability, this ability of Valmont's seemingly to beunaffected by the opinions of others, is one of his most effectivepersonality traits, and it is also one of the things that makes him mostdespicable as a character. The battle of the sexes - which is also at the center of the book -is portrayed with deadly seriousness (the only real lack in the book isperhaps a touch of irony and humor). References De Laclos, C. Usually, allthat a good person must to do continue being good is to proceed along thepath that they have been taking. His ability to do so much damage when (at least against the women inthe novel) he uses little if any physical coercion is based on his absolutesteadfastness in his goals to disrupt relationships and sully honor. One of thefascinating aspects of Valmont as a character is precisely thisimplacability. Stone, trans.) Les liaisonsdangereuses. Having been denied - for reasons that we are notgiven - the ability to form meaningful relationships, he settles inside forpleasure alone, with the inevitable terrible consequences. Letter 78 is one of those moments in the novel when the true nature ofValmont's intention and implacability are made most clear. Madame de Tourvel in this letter also underscores another essentialaspect of Valmont's nature - and of the evil that he is capable ofperforming in the world. Madame de Tourvel describes this tormenting implacability in thefollowing passage: Having compelled me thus to immobility and silence, you were no less unrelenting in your pursuit; I was unable to raise my eyes without meeting yours. (1961). Choderlos de Laclos's Les liaisons dangereuses - translated sometimesas Dangerous Acquaintances but more accurately titled in English with thecognate Dangerous Liaisons is an epistolary novel (published in 1782) thattakes as its main theme the corruption of innocence and virtue by thelibertine Valmont and his mistress, the vicious and immoral Madame deMertueil simply for their own amusement. This is an essential part of Valmont's character, his inability tomake friendships. I had perpetually to turn away from you, with the quite incredible consequence that you made me the cynosure of all eyes at a moment when I could have wished to be deprived of my own (Laclos, 1961, p. London: Penguin. He hasalmost the force and sense of a natural phenomenon; he is as little likelyto be turned aside as a hurricane. Inertia is thus on Valmont'sside, and he uses the disinclination of people to make changes in theirlives to his own ends. Valmont changes this equation for thewomen that he pursues: In order to remain being good they must swerve fromtheir original path to another direction.

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