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 in 1812 and is widely regarded as one of the most important early French novels. It is also one of the earliest and most famous examples of a roman à clef, a type of story that uses real people or events but changes names and details. Laclos wrote it as a way to criticize the French aristocracy.

The story follows the Marquise Isabelle de Merteuil and the Vicomte Sébastien de Valmont, two people who do not follow moral rules and become rivals. They enjoy harming others, and in the end, they destroy each other.

The book is often seen as showing the corruption and bad behavior of the French nobility before the French Revolution, even though it was written nearly a decade before the revolution happened. Laclos wanted to write a book that was different from others, that would be noticed, and that would be remembered 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 book 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 is determined to influence the young Cécile de Volanges negatively. Cécile’s 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 infamous Vicomte Sébastien de Valmont aims to charm Madame de Tourvel, a married woman known for her virtue. Madame de Tourvel is staying with Valmont’s aunt while her husband is away on legal business. Cécile develops feelings for the Chevalier Danceny, her music tutor. Merteuil and Valmont pretend to support the secret relationship between Cécile and Danceny to gain their trust and later use them for their own plans.

Merteuil suggests that Valmont seduce Cécile to harm her future husband, but Valmont refuses, claiming the task is 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 Madame de Tourvel by claiming he has changed his reckless behavior and become a virtuous person. However, seducing her proves more difficult than his previous relationships.

Valmont becomes angry when he learns that Cécile’s mother wrote to Madame de Tourvel to warn her about his bad reputation. To retaliate, 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 develop genuine feelings for her. Jealous, Merteuil tricks Valmont into abandoning Madame de Tourvel and breaks her promise to spend the night with him. In response, Valmont reveals that he encouraged Danceny to reunite with Cécile, leaving Merteuil isolated. Merteuil then declares war on Valmont and tells Danceny that Valmont seduced Cécile.

Danceny and Valmont duel, and Valmont is seriously injured. Before dying, Valmont gives Danceny letters proving Merteuil’s involvement in the schemes. 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 well-known for showing how people use charm, revenge, and harmful actions, all written as letters between characters and published by a made-up author. When it was first published, the book was seen as shocking, but the true purpose of the real author, Laclos, is unclear. Some people believe Laclos wanted to write a story that teaches a lesson about the French nobility before the French Revolution. However, this idea has been questioned because Laclos had support from a powerful French aristocrat, Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans. All the characters in the story are members of the nobility, including those who are seen as virtuous, like Madame de Tourvel and Madame de Rosemonde. Many royalist and conservative people, such as Queen Marie Antoinette, liked the book, which suggests that it was not seen as a political work at the time. It only became viewed as political later, after the French Revolution.

In a famous essay on Les Liaisons dangereuses, which is often included in French editions of the novel, André Malraux argues that, even though the book is influenced by stories about immoral behavior, it is more important for introducing a new kind of character in French fiction. Malraux says that the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont are unique because their actions are driven by a clear set of beliefs.

Les Liaisons dangereuses contrasts with the epistolary novel style seen in Richardson’s Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded. In Richardson’s work, letters help readers understand the main character’s true and personal thoughts. In Laclos’s book, the use of letters is different: characters give conflicting views to different people, and it is up to the reader to figure out the story, the characters’ goals, and their true intentions. This method shows how characters can be dishonest and use one face to appear virtuous, which can be seen as a complex way to criticize the popular type of moral epistolary novel that was simple and straightforward.

Adaptations

The novel has been changed into different types of media, with many different names.

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

• In 1994, American composer Conrad Susa created an opera called The Dangerous Liaisons for the San Francisco Opera. The opera was also shown on television in 1994, directed by Gary Halvorson, and starred Frederica von Stade, Thomas Hampson, and Renée Fleming.
• In 1996, Belgian composer Piet Swerts created an opera called Les liaisons dangereuses.
• In 2011, Italian composer Luca Francesconi created an opera called Quartett for La Scala.

• David Nixon, the artistic director of Northern Ballet Theatre in Leeds, created a ballet version of Dangerous Liaisons with music by Vivaldi. It first played at the Hebbel Theatre in Berlin in 1990. He later revised it for BalletMet, with its first showing in the Ohio Theatre on May 2, 1996.
• In 2003, English National Ballet hired Michael Corder and Julian Philips to create a ballet based on Les Liaisons Dangereuses. The project was canceled before it was performed, and the full music has not yet been played. Philips later used part of the ballet in his work Divertissement in 2004.
• In 2008, the Alberta Ballet performed a ballet version of Dangerous Liaisons.
• In 2014, the Czech National Theatre Ballet produced a ballet called Valmont, an adaptation of Dangerous Liaisons by choreographer Libor Vaculík. It used music by Schubert and Pēteris Vasks.
• In 2019, Queensland Ballet premiered a new ballet version of Dangerous Liaisons, choreographed by Liam Scarlett, with music by Camille Saint-Saëns.

• In 1959, Roger Vadim directed a film called Les Liaisons dangereuses, starring Jeanne Moreau, Gérard Philipe, and Annette Vadim. He changed the story to take place in late-1950s France.
• In 1976, Roger Vadim directed a film called Une femme fidèle, a loose retelling of the story set in 1870.
• In 1988, Stephen Frears directed a film called Dangerous Liaisons, starring Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Uma Thurman. It was set in 18th-century Paris and based on Hampton's play. The film won several Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture.
• In 1989, Miloš Forman directed a film called Valmont, an adaptation of *