Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Masterplots II: Drama, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Christopher Hampton
- First Published: 1985
- Type of Plot: Social realism
- Time of Work: The 1780’s
- Setting: Mansions and châteaus in and around Paris and the Bois de Vincennes
- Principal Characters: Marquise de Merteuil, Madame de Volanges, Cécile de Volanges, Vicomte de Valmont, Azolan, Madame de Rosemonde, Madame de Tourvel, Émilie, Chevalier Danceny
- Genres: Social realism, Drama, History play
- Subjects: Tricks, France or French people, Love or romance, Sex or sexuality, Betrayal, Virginity or virgins, Paris, Jealousy, envy, or resentment, Eighteenth century, Upper classes, Adultery, Good and evil, Corruption, Aristocracy or aristocrats, Cruelty, Morality or morals
- Locales: Paris, France
The Play
The opening dialogue among Marquise de Merteuil, her cousin Madame de Volanges, and her cousin’s daughter Cécile in the marquise’s luxurious salon on a warm August evening establishes the marquise’s spotless reputation and Cécile’s naïveté. With Valmont’s arrival and the Volanges’ departure, the play begins its alternation between the conspiratorial encounters of the two libertines, Valmont and the marquise, and scenes of their reprehensible manipulation of those they victimize.
Scene 1 introduces a double intrigue: The marquise wishes to revenge...
[The entire page is 2330 words long]
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