Christopher Booker is a scholar who wrote that every story falls into one of seven basic plot structures: Overcoming the Monster, Rags to Riches, the Quest, Voyage and Return, Comedy, Tragedy, and Rebirth. Shmoop explores which of these structures fits this story like Cinderella’s slipper.
Plot Type : The Quest
The Call
The Marquise de Merteuil, like a goddess of revenge (or like Anya the vengeance demon from Buffy), writes to her former lover, the sleazy Vicomte de Valmont, with a proposition. She wants his help embarrassing another one of her former lovers, the Comte de Gercourt. Valmont takes some prodding, but he eventually agrees.
What's the plan? Gercourt wants to marry a modest blonde and has his sights set on a convent girl named Cécile. Valmont is to "educate" the girl so she won't be so modest once Gercourt marries her. Sound devilish? We think so. This quest is undertaken by a villain. And, by the way, Valmont has his own quest of seduction in addition to the one given to him by the Marquise. He wants to ruin a pious married woman named Tourvel.
The Journey
If Valmont provides proof to the Marquise that he has seduced Madame de Tourvel, she'll sleep with him again. So Valmont acts like a libertine-turned-saint before Madame de Tourvel and then, once she's come to trust him, he professes his love.
She runs, as you'd expect. He keeps writing passionate letters and slowly wears her down. Meanwhile, he's also befriended Cécile, helping her to correspond secretly with her music teacher, the Chevalier Danceny, whom she likes very much.
Arrival and Frustration
Just when Valmont believes he's won the heart of Madame de Tourvel, she flees his presence again. She really has fallen for him, however. Valmont has more success with his seduction of Cécile. Using a key to her room, he coerces her into sex. She's horrified, but the Marquise convinces her that she should rejoice at her new freedom from social constraints.
The Final Ordeals
Valmont makes his final move against Madame de Tourvel. Sure of her love that she can't quite bring herself to act upon, he threatens suicide if she won't have him. He takes her. Seeing no other options now, Madame de Tourvel gives her heart and future over to Valmont.
The Goal
Valmont expects a reward for his victory: another night with the Marquise. She refuses, however, and they go to war. In the end, the quest come no nothing but ruin. Cécile, ashamed, returns to the convent. Valmont's killed by Danceny in a duel. The Marquise flees Paris after her correspondence with Valmont is made public and is shown to be the ruthless person she is.