Les Liaisons dangereuses (Dangerous Liaisons) Manipulation Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Part.Letter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

O fairest of his creation, follow the example of His charity! Think of my cruel sufferings. (1.36.9)

Madame de Tourvel is devoutly and piously religious. Valmont isn't, but he'll use the lingo in order to appeal to Tourvel's Christian sense of justice.

Quote #5

'Monsieur knows better than I do,' he said, 'that to lie with a girl is only to make her do what she likes doing. It's often a far cry from that to making her do what we want her to do.' (1.44.6)

This statement, made by Valmont's valet Maraud, may be one of the most disturbing and despicable sentiments expressed in the novel. Maraud and Valmont assume that women who sleep with them, even under threat, enjoy the experience. They also both use sex to manipulate women. That the novel doesn't explicitly condemn these views added to its controversy.

Quote #6

He was clever enough to avoid humiliating his rivals, and clever enough to persuade them that they might easily have met with the same success as he; clever enough, above all, to make them admit that they would never, any more than he has done, let such an opportunity slip. (2.79.19)

Valmont is referring to a man named Prévan, a successful master manipulator like himself, who successfully seduced three close friends away from their lovers and turned those lovers not against him, but against the women. When Valmont hears that Madame de Merteuil has designs on the man, Valmont claims to fear for her reputation. He's probably just jealous and wants to prove himself the more skilled player.