When authors refer to other great works, people, and events, it’s usually not accidental. Put on your super-sleuth hat and figure out why.
Literary and Philosophical References
- Héloïse (1.33.4)
- Émile by Jean-Jacques Rousseau (2.58.5)
- Le Méchant by Jean-Baptiste-Louis Gresset (2.62.7)
- Britannicus by Jean-Baptiste Racine (2.71.10)
- Samson and Delilah (2.81.36)
- Achilles (2.99.4)
- Clarissa (3.107.7)
- Tragedy of the Siege of Calais by Pierre-Laurent Buirette de Belloy (4.133.10)
- Don Juan (4.155.1)
Historical References
- Alexander (1.15.2)
- Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, Marquise de Sévigné (3.104.7)
- Alcibiades (4.146.4)
- Socrates (4.146.4)
Pop Culture References
- Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, Anna Wintour, and Donald Trump. Just kidding, but you know that the Marquise and Valmont would be all over these folks if they lived today.