# Letter 108: The Presidente de Tourvel to Madame de Rosemonde explained — Dangerous Liaisons

> Chapter companion for Dangerous Liaisons by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos.

## What happens

Madame de Tourvel writes to Madame de Rosemonde, expressing her deep anguish and gratitude for the comfort received from her letter. She describes the torment of being separated from Valmont forever, the pain of her own sacrifices, and her struggle to resist opening a letter from him. She asks Madame de Rosemonde to help delay Valmont's return to Paris and to continue providing support.

## Themes in this chapter

### Love, Virtue, and Corruption

Tourvel's internal conflict between her love for Valmont and her moral duty to resist him is central, as she struggles with the pain of separation and the guilt of her feelings.

### Innocence and Experience

Tourvel's naive hope that absence would strengthen her resolve is shattered by the harsh reality of her emotional suffering, marking a loss of innocence.

## Character check-ins

### Madame de Tourvel

Writes in deep distress, confessing her love and the agony of separation from Valmont, and her reliance on Madame de Rosemonde's guidance.

### Madame de Rosemonde

Addressed as the recipient; Tourvel expresses gratitude for her comforting letter and seeks her continued support.

### Viscount de Valmont

The object of Tourvel's love and torment; she mentions his letter and his apparent distress at her departure.

## Key lines

> I imagined I had experienced the pangs of love; but the most excruciating, which must be felt to have any idea of it, is to be separated from the beloved object, forever separated!

I thought I knew the pains of love, but the worst pain, which you must feel to understand, is being separated from the one you love forever.

_Tourvel articulates the unique agony of permanent separation from Valmont._

> To be the cause of one’s own misery; to tear one’s heart with their own hands; and during those insupportable torments, to know one can put a period to them with a word, and that word to be criminal!

To be the source of your own suffering, to rip your own heart out, and while enduring unbearable pain, to know you could end it with a single word—but that word would be sinful.

_Tourvel reflects on the self-inflicted nature of her torment and the moral prohibition against yielding to her love._

## Links

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