Les Liaisons dangereuses (French: [le ljɛzɔ̃ dɑ̃ʒ(ə)ʁøz]; English: Dangerous Liaisons) is a French novel written by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos. It was first published in four volumes by Durand Neveu on March 23, 1782. The book was translated into English for the first time in 1812 and is now widely considered one of the most important early French novels. It is also seen as one of the earliest examples of a roman à clef, a type of story that uses real people or events as a hidden basis, written by Laclos to criticize the French aristocracy.

The story follows the Marquise Isabelle de Merteuil and the Vicomte Sébastien de Valmont, two immoral lovers who become rivals. They enjoy ruining others for their own amusement, but in the end, they destroy each other.

The novel is often viewed as showing the corruption and moral decline of the French nobility just before the French Revolution. Though written nearly a decade before the Revolution, it criticizes the old system of government, known as the Ancien Régime. Laclos aimed to write a work that would be different from others, make an impact, and be remembered long after his death.

As an epistolary novel, the book is made up of letters written by the characters to each other. Most of the story comes from the letters between Valmont and the Marquise, as well as those written by Cécile de Volanges and Madame de Tourvel.

The novel has been adapted many times, including a successful play in 1985 and an award-winning film in 1988.

Plot summary

The Marquise Isabelle de Merteuil wants to influence the young Cécile de Volanges, whose mother recently moved her from a convent to prepare her for marriage to Merteuil’s former lover, who treated her poorly. At the same time, the well-known Vicomte Sébastien de Valmont aims to seduce the virtuous and married Madame de Tourvel, who is staying with his aunt while her husband is away on legal business. Cécile falls in love with the Chevalier Danceny, her young music teacher. Merteuil and Valmont pretend to support the secret lovers to gain their trust, so they can later use them for their own plans.

Merteuil suggests Valmont seduce Cécile to harm her future husband, but Valmont refuses, thinking the task too simple. Instead, he focuses on seducing Madame de Tourvel. He promises Merteuil that if he successfully seduces Madame de Tourvel and obtains written proof of their relationship, Merteuil will spend the night with him.

Valmont befriends Tourvel by claiming he has changed his wild behavior and become a virtuous man. However, seducing her proves more difficult than his past relationships.

Valmont becomes angry when he learns Cécile’s mother wrote to Madame de Tourvel to warn her about his bad reputation. To take revenge, Valmont seduces and rapes Cécile, as Merteuil had suggested. Meanwhile, Merteuil begins a romantic relationship with Danceny.

After Valmont successfully seduces Madame de Tourvel, he appears to have fallen in love with her. Jealous, Merteuil tricks Valmont into abandoning Madame de Tourvel and breaks her promise to spend the night with him. In return, Valmont reveals he encouraged Danceny to reunite with Cécile, leaving Merteuil alone again. Merteuil then tells Danceny that Valmont seduced Cécile.

Danceny and Valmont duel, and Valmont is killed. Before dying, Valmont gives Danceny letters proving Merteuil’s involvement in the scheme. These letters damage Merteuil’s reputation, forcing her to flee to the countryside. She later contracts smallpox, which leaves her face permanently scarred and one eye blind. She loses her beauty, reputation, and much of her wealth. Madame de Tourvel, overwhelmed by guilt and sorrow, dies from a fever. Cécile returns to the convent, disgraced.

Literary significance and criticism

Les Liaisons dangereuses is known for its study of themes such as seduction, revenge, and harm, shown through a collection of fictional letters written by a fictional author. When the book was first published, it caused controversy, but the true purpose of the real author, Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, is unclear. Some believe Laclos intended to write a story that teaches a lesson about the behavior of the French nobility during the Ancien Régime. However, this idea has been questioned because Laclos had a close relationship with Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, a powerful French aristocrat. All the characters in the story are aristocrats, including those who are described as virtuous, like Madame de Tourvel and Madame de Rosemonde. Many royalist and conservative people, such as Queen Marie Antoinette, liked the book. This suggests that the book was not seen as a political work at the time, but later, during the French Revolution, it was interpreted that way.

In a famous essay about Les Liaisons dangereuses, which is often included in French editions of the novel, André Malraux argues that, even though the book shares some ideas with earlier works about immoral behavior, it introduces a new kind of character in French literature. Malraux writes that the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont are unique because their actions are driven by a clear set of beliefs or ideas.

Les Liaisons dangereuses offers a different approach compared to the epistolary novel style seen in Samuel Richardson’s Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded. Richardson uses letters to help readers understand the true and personal thoughts of the main character. In contrast, Laclos uses letters to present conflicting perspectives from the same writer to different people. This forces readers to piece together the story, the characters’ intentions, and the truth behind the letters. The way Laclos creates characters who appear virtuous but act dishonestly can be seen as a thoughtful critique of the popular, simple moral stories told through letters in earlier works.

Adaptations

The novel has been adapted into various forms of media, often with different titles.

• In 1981, German playwright Heiner Müller adapted the story and called it Quartet.
• In 1985, Christopher Hampton created an adaptation titled Les Liaisons Dangereuses, which opened in London's West End. In 1987, it moved to Broadway, with Alan Rickman playing the Vicomte de Valmont, Lindsay Duncan as the Marquise de Merteuil, and Juliet Stevenson as Madame de Tourvel. In 2012, the Sydney Theatre Company staged Hampton's version again, with Hugo Weaving as the Vicomte and Pamela Rabe as the Marquise.
• In 2012, John Malkovich directed a version of the play at Paris' Théâtre de l'Atelier.
• A musical adaptation titled Las Relaciones Peligrosas, written by Marcelo Caballero and Steban Ghorghor, premiered in 2012 at El Cubo Theatre in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
• In 2015, Josie Rourke directed a revival of Hampton's version at London's Donmar Warehouse. Dominic West played the Vicomte and Janet McTeer played the Marquise. The production was shown on National Theatre Live and later moved to Broadway, where Liev Schreiber took over the role of the Vicomte.
• Cruel Intentions: The '90s Musical, a musical based on the 1999 film, premiered in 2015 in Los Feliz. It later opened off-Broadway in 2017 and toured globally, including an off-West End production in 2024.

• The Dangerous Liaisons (1994), an opera by American composer Conrad Susa, was commissioned by the San Francisco Opera. It was also broadcast on television in 1994, with Frederica von Stade, Thomas Hampson, and Renée Fleming in leading roles.
• Les liaisons dangereuses (1996), an opera by Belgian composer Piet Swerts.
• Quartett (2011), an opera by Italian composer Luca Francesconi, commissioned by La Scala.

• David Nixon, artistic director of Northern Ballet Theatre, choreographed a ballet version of Dangerous Liaisons with music by Vivaldi. It premiered in 1990 at Berlin's Hebbel Theatre and was later performed by BalletMet in 1996.
• In 2003, English National Ballet planned a new ballet based on Les Liaisons Dangereuses with music by Julian Philips. The project was canceled before it began, but Philips later used part of the score in his work Divertissement (2004).
• In 2008, the Alberta Ballet performed a ballet version of Dangerous Liaisons.
• In 2014, the Czech National Theatre Ballet produced Valmont, a ballet adaptation of Dangerous Liaisons with music by Schubert and Pēteris Vasks.
• In 2019, Queensland Ballet premiered a new production of Dangerous Liaisons, choreographed by Liam Scarlett, with music by Camille Saint-Saëns.

• Les Liaisons dangereuses (1959), a film directed by Roger Vadim, starring Jeanne Moreau, Gérard Philipe, and Annette Vadim. This version updated the story to the late 1950s.
• Une femme fidèle (1976), a film also directed by Roger Vadim, set in 1870.
• Dangerous Liaisons (1988), a film directed by Stephen Frears, starring Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Uma Thurman. It was set in 18th-century Paris and won Academy Award nominations.
• Valmont (1989), a film directed by Miloš Forman, starring Annette Bening, Colin Firth, and Meg Tilly.
• Cruel Intentions (1999), a film directed by Roger Kumble, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Selma Blair, and Reese Witherspoon. It moved the story to modern-day New York and inspired a film franchise.
• Untold Scandal (2003), a film directed by E J-yong, set in 18th-century Korea.
• Dangerous Liaisons (2012), a film directed by Hur Jin-ho, set in 1930s China.
• Dangerous Liaisons (2022), a film directed by Rachel Suissa, set in Biarritz.

• A Factory of Cunning (2005), a novel by Philippa Stockley, which tells a fictional story about the Marquise de Merteuil faking her death.
• Dangerous Tweets (2013), a version of the novel adapted into tweets, one per letter.
• Unforgivable Love (2017), a novel by Sophfronia Scott, retelling the story in 1940s Harlem with an African-American cast.
• Where the Vile Things Are (2021), a novel by Marcus James, which modernizes the story using emails, DMs, and letters, and addresses themes like homophobia and privilege.

• Les Liaisons dangereuses (1980), a French television film directed by Claude Barma.
• Nebezpečné známosti (1980), a Slovak television film directed by Miloslav Luther.
• Perro amor (1998), a Colombian television series.
• Les Liaisons dangereuses (2003), a French television miniseries directed by Josée Dayan, set in the 1960s.
• In 2012, a musical version titled Liaisons appeared on the TV show Smash, with songs written by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.
• Ligações Perigosas (2016), a Brazilian television miniseries set in the 1920s.
• Cruel Intentions (2016), a planned NBC series, a sequel to the 1999 film.
• Tempted (2018), a South Korean television series set in the 2010s.
• Dangerous Liaisons (2022), an American television series.
• Cruel Intentions (2022), a television