The 1700-1939 Book Club! discussion
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Les Liaisons dangereuses
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Dangerous Liaisons by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos (Part Three)
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Jamie
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Mar 09, 2012 01:44AM
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I have to say I was quite shocked by what seems to be Valmont essentially raping Cecile. At first I had presumed that their intentions were to encourage/manipulate Danceny into a complete seduction of Cecilia and use him to spoil her reputation and than publicize their affair. But I had no idea that they had far more devious and wicked intentions in mind.
Valmont and Merteuil are very cruel characters. I remembered this scene from the movie so I wasn't shocked by it. I'm actually most shocked by Marteuil's cruelty - both towards that man (I forget his name) she had put in jail. Yes, his intentions were cruel as well, but she ruined his life! And her reaction when Cecile told her about the rape was just horrible. And now she plans to seduce Dancency! She has no sympathetic qualities whatsoever!
I must admit though that I cannot help but to be amused by how much Marteuil has everyone fooled. Being we have all the inside information, I chuckle a bit seeing others refer to her as being virtuous. I know it is wrong but a part of me does admirer her cleverness and the brilliant way in which she manipulates.
Yes, she's great as a character! Very entertaining. I'm just amazed by two people who can care so little about other people and still know so much about human nature and emotions to be able to fool them like that - they know just which buttons to push.
Often times it is having too sharp a perception of human nature that results in one not caring much about other people.
Really? I've never heard that before. I wonder why... Is it not caring that make them understand better, perhaps?
Yes I think if you can remove yourself from the situation and detach yourself you can have a much less biased view and see things for more truly what they are. But I also think that if one does understand human nature too well than they see the hypocrisy within it, so their own behavior could become a mirror reflecting back their perceptions of human kind.
