What happens to a society in which manipulation is a way of life? The novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses takes us into such a world, and what we see isn't pretty. Behind the expensive clothing and dyed wigs are characters bent on having their way over others, sometimes just for the pleasure of bringing other people to ruin. Bored aristocrats play a game of sexual intrigue. For personal glory or vengeance, they plot the corruption of the innocent. And as this novel is comprised of their letters to one another, they tell us all about their exploits, all the while manipulating each other (and, perhaps us) through their written words. Valmont and the Marquise de Merteuil are the masters of manipulation. They're geniuses at reading people and knowing how they'll respond, so they know exactly how to pounce.
Questions About Manipulation
- What states of mind make some of the characters vulnerable to being manipulated?
- How are Danceny's manipulative efforts similar to Valmont's? How are they different?
- Is Madame de Tourvel's attempt to convert Valmont a form of manipulation? Why or why not?
- How does manipulation backfire on the manipulators?
Chew on This
The Vicomte de Valmont is the most skillful manipulator in the novel.
The Marquise de Merteuil is the most skillful manipulator in the novel.