Did She Fall Or Was She Pushed? Dangerous Liaisons Readalong 2024

[BishyBarnyBee]

Following a series of successful Fallen Women readalongs - War and Peace, Anna Karenina, Madame Bovary, Ruth - we continue our exploration of desire, hypocrisy, disgrace and redemption with the earlier (and even more scandalous) Dangerous Liaisons.

Widely adapted in text, film, opera and even ballet, Les Liaisons Dangereuses is an epistolatory novel comprising 175 letters.

Author Chodelos de Laclos "resolved to write a book that would be quite outside the ordinary trend, which would make a sensation and echo over the world after I left it." His book was a succès de scandale on its 1782 publication, reviewed as "diabolique" while becoming an instant bestseller. Marie Antoinette commissioned a blank cover copy for her library, and Virginia Woolf later read it with "great delight".

Readalongs are Mumsnet's best kept secret - a quiet corner of the site where we tackle the books we might not manage alone, sharing our thoughts and reactions, and encouraging each other to keep going when life - or the book - are challenging. It's fine to dip in and out as life permits, very few of us manage to keep up consistently.

We've only heard good things about DL, so do join us for a cracking good read. We start 1st May, 1 letter a day:

1 - 31 May Letters 1 - 31
1 - 30 June Letters 32 - 61
1 - 31 July Letters 62 - 92
1 - 31 August Letters 93 - 123
1- 30 September 124 - 153
1 - 22nd October 154 - 175

There are summaries of each letter at shmoop.com. I'll post them when I can, but anyone is welcome to start us off if you are first here on the day.

Looking forward to it!

Les Liaisons dangereuses (Dangerous Liaisons) Summary

Free summary and analysis of the events in Pierre Ambroise François Choderlos de Laclos's Les Liaisons dangereus...

A few more Shmoop summaries:

Letter 107: Aȥolan to the Vicomte de Valmont

• Valmont's valet (nice alliteration) reports on his progress.
• He's met with Julia, and she has a little information that's new to them.
• Madame de Tourvel has been seen crying and walking with her head covered.
• She's not been eating well and wished to see her confessor.
• She looks sad and distracted.
• As requested, Aȥolan obtained Tourvel's letters and will be sending the interesting ones to Valmont.

Letter 108: The Présidente de Tourvel to Madame de Rosemonde

• Madame de Tourvel is very thankful for Rosemonde's letter.
• She's also received one from "him," Valmont.
• It fills her with emotion and she asks Madame de Rosemonde about his current mood and response to her leaving so suddenly.

Letter 109: Cécile de Volanges to the Marquise de Merteuil

• Cécile tells the Marquise that she returned her letter via Valmont, as she requested.
• Cécile feels a little better about the affair with Valmont after the Marquise's letter.
• She still feels tormented about Danceny, but has to admit that Valmont is pleasant and sometimes makes her forget about Danceny.
• She'll be going to his room from now on.
• A little confused, Cécile asks if she misunderstood the Marquise earlier when, at the opera, she told her that once married she could love no one other. Now, it seems that she's telling her she can have both a husband and a lover.
• Valmont has been telling her bad things about her mother.
• She'll lie to her mother if she has to.

I am about 30’letters behind, but almost finished evening I am reading so am in that mad phase of what to read, when, how to finish etc.

Thanks!

We had a lovely, if hilly, 3 weeks and definitely came back fitter than we went away. Things have been full on since we got back and getting back to the thread became a thing on the to do list and got more daunting the longer I left it. So here I am, not a clue what's going on but will try to catch up and get back in the swing of it ASAP. Thanks everyone for keeping it going, looking forward to reading your thoughts and insights.

Hi @BishyBarnyBee, good to hear from you, hope you enjoy catching up.

I’ve been enjoying the way that pre-internet, MdM’s ability to concentrate on reading is used as a measure of emotional calm.

Hi Bishy! Good to hear from you! Three weeks on a bike...I couldn't do three days!
Also hi to @AgualusasLover Good to hear from you too. Hope you both catch up soon.

I enjoyed Gercourt making an appearance. He sounds rather dull and uninteresting, but also reassuringly boring in the midst of all the deceit and mad antics that are going on in Rosamonde's chateau.

I think I missed that bit Cornish but I really like your observation there. Merteuil* *is the only really calm person, I think. Nothing gets under her skin.

Hello @BishyBarnyBee - we have been keeping things going in your absence but we're a bit behind!

Letter 110: The Vicomte de Valmont to the Marquise de Merteuil

• Valmont's letters have been refused and Tourvel has changed her confidant from Volanges to Rosemonde.
• He's thought about just "taking" Tourvel, but he's much prefer that she give herself to him willingly.
• He's had more success with Cécile, lying to her about her mother and convincing her that her noisiness when they're together requires that they meet in his room instead.
• Turning her against her mother seemed to make her even more eager for his sexual advances.
• He's convinced that if a girl respects her mother, then she'll respect herself.
• And he can't have that.
• He's teaching the girl sexual jargon and technicalities that will, they assume, scandalize Gercourt after the two are wed.
• She knows almost everything that Valmont knows.

Letter 111: The Comte de Gercourt to Madame de Volanges

• Cécile's future husband would like to travel a little with his cousin before he marries.
• He asks Madame de Volanges to let him know if this is a problem.

Letter 112: Madame de Rosemonde to the Présidente de Tourvel (dictated)

• Madame de Rosemonde has a bad attack of rheumatism.
• She promises to pend time with the Presidente once she's feeling better.
• Her nephew Valmont seems a little tired and unwell too.
• As does Cécile, who is falling asleep every afternoon for some strange reason.
• Coincidence.

Letter 14. It's ironic that La Présidente is worrying herself sick over Valmont while he is up all night with Cécile and sleeping by day.

I feel sorry for her in this letter. There is something fatalistic about the line about being born to suffer and that she feels something awful could be about to happen to her.

Much of the time I feel frustrated about the correspondence between Valmont and Tourvel and I wish she could just shake him off, but this is taking a very sad turn. He lives in her head.

Letter 114!

I'm way behind but making a serious effort to catch up and really enjoying it again. I am struck anew by the power of the writing and the whole outrageous premise of the relationships. The letter where Prevan bets he can have Merteuil highlights the sheer brazeness of a society where rich aristocrats have nothing better to do than to find increasingly outageous ways to outdo each other. But as I read on, I thought it was all too plausible.

All Merteuil and Valmont are doing is drawing attention to the horrible ways some men prey on women. Everything he says about how he will manipulate Cecile and La Presidente rings absolutely true. I have no trouble at all believing that some men treated - and still do treat - women like this. The only shocking thing is that in this case, a man and a woman are competing to pull the strings. I almost feel that De Laclos was doing 18th Century women a favour by warning them to keep their wits about them and remember that romantic gestures and extravagant professions of love may not be what they seem!

More Shmoop.

Letter 113: The Marquise de Merteuil to the Vicomte de Valmont

• Perhaps worried that Valmont is close to realizing his goal, the Marquise warns him that his absence from Paris is affecting his reputation.
• People are starting to suspect he's in unhappy love with someone in the country, and everyone that dislikes him is enjoying that news.
• She warns him that once people hear that he's no longer irresistible, they'll lose their respect for him.
• She's not worried that Tourvel has taken Madame de Rosemonde as a confidant, because she feels that older women can be very lenient in these matters.
• She's satisfied with the progress with Cécile and assumes, given the girl's letters, that she'll remain more devoted to Danceny than Valmont despite her sexual adventures with Valmont.
• Personally, she's getting tired of Cécile and thinks she's a waste of Valmont's time.
• Meanwhile, the Marquise is looking for something to keep her from dying of boredom.
• Merteuil has grown irritated at Belleroche, her current lover. He's getting too entitled.
• She has a successor for him in mind.
• Danceny!
• His youth and his liveliness are a turn-on for her. And he can be discreet. (Foreshadowing alert.)
• She's become his confidante and she's confident she can make him into more.
• She asks Valmont to keep him away from Cécile.
• To accomplish this, she'll need to convince him she's pure and virtuous.

Letter 114: The Présidente de Tourvel to Madame de Rosemonde

• Despite hearing that Valmont is in no danger, Madame de Tourvel worries about his health.
• She asks Madame de Rosemonde to consult a doctor.
• She's especially worried about Valmont's silence. He hasn't written to her in four days.
• Even though she still refuses to read his letters, she admits that she misses getting them.

Letter 115: The Vicomte de Valmont to the Marquise de Merteuil
Valmont's not worried about the rumors about hmi in Paris. He's sure he'll come out smelling like a rose and more awesome than ever.
He takes offense that the Marquise belittles his conquest of Cécile.
After all, he's managed to steal her away from her beloved in one day and taught her to act like a prostitute, all without her really understanding it. He's totally possessed her.
He promises that once he's slept with the Presidente de Tourvel, he will leave her and she'll never take another lover.
To punish the Marquise for not giving him credit for conquering Cécile, he won't tell her how he plans to conquer Tourvel.
He disapproves of Merteuil's choice of Danceny. He thinks the children should be left to each other.
He lets on that he's pretty sure he's gotten Cécile pregnant.
An unfaithful Danceny would just make the story less interesting. Anyway, he himself is available if the Marquise needs a lover, so why bother with Danceny?
He's so sure that he should have the say about the young couple's fate that he'll be taking charge of writing Cécile's letters. He'll make them more passionate so Danceny will think he can get lucky.
He tells the Marquise he has to rescue Danceny from her clutches.

Letter 116: The Chevalier Danceny to Cécile de Volanges

• Danceny writes of his friendship for Madame de Merteuil.
• He's clearly swept away by her.
• He asks to see Cécile and begs her not to put up any more obstacles to their getting together.
• And of course, he's suffering and only she can end it.
• Why are we not surprised?

Letter 117: Cécile de Volanges to the Chevalier Danceny (dictated by Valmont)

• Cécile (really Valmont) writes that she suffers as Danceny does.
• The reason she's been holding back is because she heard that men don't love their wives as much if the wives have been too loving before their marriage.
• More importantly, she promises to be his, before and during her marriage to Gercourt if that has to happen.

Thanks Tarahumara! The plot thickens!
That bit about men not loving their wives as much if the wives have been too loving before their marriage is a load of poppycock and sounds exactly like the kind of waffle that Valmont comes out with!

As you say - the plot thickens! I wasn't expecting Merteuil and Danceny!

No, me neither! That was a surprise.

He's a bit annoying the way he's had his head turned by Merteuil. He doesn't seem to have any conception of Cécile's life and the constraints she has to live by.
If there was an award for 'most annoying person', I think I would have to give it to Danceny.

Thanks @Tarahumara

It feels wrong, doesn't it - like a snake mating with a baby rabbit. She's going to eat him alive!

More Shmoop:

Letter 118: The Chevalier Danceny to the Marquise de Merteuil

• Danceny now chides the Marquise, giving her a hard time for her absence.
• He's says he's thinking about her all the time, and lays on the flattery pretty thick.
• He admits that his feelings for her are overshadowing his love for Cécile for the moment.
• He's having a hard time getting along without the Marquise, who's obviously been doing a great job of reeling him in.

Letter 119: Madame de Rosemonde to the Présidente de Tourvel

• Valmont has sent a messenger to inquire after Madame de Rosemonde, but has not come himself.
• She tells Tourvel that Valmont's been going regularly to Mass. She assumes that it's because of Tourvel's influence.

Letter 120: The Vicomte de Valmont to Father Anselme

• Valmont writes to Madame de Tourvel's priest to ask him to arrange a meeting wherein he can apologize for his errors.
• He claims to have some documents that concern her but he can't reveal the contents.
• He tells the priest that he is a penitent who longs for forgiveness, and that it's Madame de Tourvel who's inspired him to repent.
• He encourages the priest to share these letters with Madame de Tourvel. He knows that the way to her heart is through expressing religious faith and he's using that to weaken her.

Bishy 😅 Poor lad!

Letter 121. Danceny gets a slap on the wrist.
I quite enjoyed the telling-off he got over his flowery language. Good to know that Merteuil finds him annoying too.

Edited for wrong letter number (again).

Letter 121: Marquise de Merteuil to the Chevalier Danceny

• Chiding Danceny for his flattery, Merteuil tells him he shall have no more letters from her if he continues with such writing.
• She says it's wrong to write this way unless it's an expression of love.
• She compares his writing to style to what you'd find in a romance novel.
• She wants him to be honest about what he's thinking and feeling.
• On one hand, she's encouraging him and Cécile. On the other, she's using a lot of flattery herself

Letter 122: Madame de Rosemonde to the Présidente de Tourvel

• Rosemonde sees that Valmont has become sad and downcast. He's sitting around in his room, half-dressed, writing letters.
• She's glad Tourvel didn't see this; she would have given in to him out of pity.
• His few words imply that he feels terribly guilty about something—or many things.
• He asks her for her forgiveness and speaks vaguely of returning to Paris on the most important concern of his life.
• It sounds a lot like he's planning to kill himself.
• This is all done for show, of course.

Letter 123: Father Anselme to the Vicomte de Valmont

• Madame de Tourvel agrees to the meeting on the condition that it's the last.
• Father Anselme asks Valmont not to delay, because God's mercy can turn to vengeance.
• He offers his services if they are wanted and hopes that religion can give Valmont the peace he seeks.

I have caught back up!

I liked the idea upthread that the book was written to warn the innocent - easier to read it with that in mind rather than as a slo-mo car crash.

Why is Valmont so convinced Cécile is up the duff? She’s not left a double-lined test lying around? And do these characters not know about STDs?

Letter 124: The Présidente de Tourvel to Madame de Rosemonde

• Madame de Tourvel believes that Valmont wants only to make amends and return her letters.
• She expects to hear that he's free of his passion for her.
• She wonders why she's been put through all this torment if God intended him to repent, and she blames her own weakness.
• She's pleased that she played a part in his conversion.
• Once the business with Valmont is concluded, she would like to return to Madame de Rosemonde's home for consolation.

Letter 125: The Vicomte de Valmont to the Marquise de Merteuil

• In the very long and detailed letter, Valmont declares victory over Madame de Tourvel, even though he has to admit he felt a bit conquered by passion himself. He feels he was carried away for the first time in his life.
• He's never had a woman give herself to him as completely as Madame de Tourvel did.
• He wants to think of his feelings as only glory about his conquest. Otherwise, he'd be humiliated to think that he allowed a woman to have control over his pleasure.
• Not that he wouldn't be able to give her up anytime he wants…he's sure of that. Still.
• Anyway, here's how he describes it to the Marquise.
• He arrives at Madame de Tourvel's home at six in the evening.
• She tries to stand when he walks in but has to sit back down because she's trembling.
• He studies the room, noticing an ottoman and a portrait of her husband. He thinks the ottoman would be just the place for his plan and hopes she's not paying too much attention to her husband's portrait.
• Instead of asking for forgiveness, Valmont tells her she's treated him with contempt.
• He insists on either justifying himself in her eyes or apologizing for his offenses.
• She speaks of her first duty, but can't even finish the sentence.
• Tenderly, Valmont asks if she fled because of him.
• She says yes.
• He asks if they must part forever.
• Yes.
• He responds that he'll either possess her or die—implying that he'll kill himself.
• He repeats this thinly veiled threat.
• He starts to leave but she calls out to him. She throws herself in a faint into his arms.
• He carries her to the ottoman and does the deed; seems the Presidente is still in a faint during most of it.
• Valmont's very satisfied with the result of all his strategic planning.
• When Madame de Tourvel comes to, she spaces out, sobs and convulses.
• But then she relaxes, promises her complete and lifelong devotion to his happiness, and gives herself to him again.
• He admits he was completely intoxicated with passion and is still thinking about the whole episode.
• Valmont now insists that the Marquise occupy herself exclusively with him.
• In a P.S., he informs the Marquise that Prévan has been obliged to leave his regiment.

So he's had his wicked way. Do we like his chances of persuading MdM back into bed with the 'I've had Cécile and MdT, now I'm on my way to you' line?

Mme de Merteuil is having none of it!
'I am not part of a sérail. I am the sérail.' (approximately). I do admire the woman sometimes. (Letter 127).

Letter 125 in which Valmont 'conquers' La Présidente. The poor woman. He manipulated her from beginning to end. This was a long, tense letter. Laclos builds up the tension in a long preamble where Valmont sets out his position to let it be seen that he has the upper hand.

For a minute I thought Prévan had died, that 'quitter son corps' was a fancy way of saying he departed this life, not his regiment!

Letter 126. Thanks a bunch, Rosamonde!
If you had actually said this about Valmont earlier on, that would have been useful! I think this is a failure of friendship. Poor Présidente, not to have good, timely advice from a friend. It might have saved her.

Oh, I'm really feeing the frustration of being so far behind now. Tempted to just read the Schmoop so I'm caught up but I know that's far from the same experience. I just need to settle down and plough through - and I'm sure I'll enjoy it if I do. Thanks everyone for keeping it moving while I am in full on slacker mode.

I hope you can curl up with some treats and the book and catch up soon Bishy!

I enjoyed MdM telling him where to go, too, Fuzzy! As you say, Rosemonde’s letter is badly timed, comically so after that last letter. Do we believe the bad arm excuse for not writing sooner? It’s almost as though she’s given Valmont a head start before raising the red flag.

Yes, Cornish! I'm annoyed because I think Rosamonde indulged Tourvel in her earlier correspondence. She could have been honest about Valmont's character but instead talked about love in a fluffy, abstract way and she seemed to encourage her, in my view. The timing of the last letter is ironic. The bad arm played a part, no doubt about it, but the warning came so late in the day that it's nearly funny.

I agree, Fuzzy - in letter 103 she very much encourages her not to feel bad if she does happen to ‘succumb’. Poor MdT has not been fortunate in her friends.