# Letter 110: Viscount de Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil explained — Dangerous Liaisons

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

## What happens

Valmont writes to Merteuil, describing his simultaneous happiness and misery. He laments that Madame de Tourvel has returned his letters unopened and changed her confidant from Madame de Volanges to Madame de Rosemonde. He details his ongoing seduction of Cecilia Volanges, whom he has been meeting secretly at night, and his efforts to corrupt her by teaching her scandalous language and undermining her respect for her mother. He also discusses his feigned illness to avoid social obligations and to potentially manipulate Tourvel's sympathy.

## Themes in this chapter

### Seduction and Manipulation

Valmont details his calculated seduction of Cecilia and his ongoing manipulation of Tourvel, including his feigned illness to elicit sympathy.

### Hypocrisy and Appearance vs. Reality

Valmont feigns illness and spleen to avoid social obligations and manipulate others, while secretly engaging in debauchery with Cecilia.

### Innocence and Experience

Valmont corrupts Cecilia's innocence by teaching her scandalous language and undermining her respect for her mother, accelerating her 'education' in vice.

## Character check-ins

### Viscount de Valmont

Narrator of the letter; describes his dual state of happiness and misery, his frustration with Tourvel's resistance, and his successful seduction of Cecilia.

### Marchioness de Merteuil

Recipient of the letter; Valmont shares his schemes and progress with her, including his plans for Cecilia and Tourvel.

### Madame de Tourvel

Valmont's 'ungrateful devotee' who has returned his letters unopened and changed her confidant to Madame de Rosemonde.

### Cecilia Volanges

Valmont's pupil; he has been meeting her at night, teaching her scandalous language, and corrupting her by undermining her respect for her mother.

### Madame de Rosemonde

Tourvel's new confidant; Valmont speculates that she will be more severe than Madame de Volanges.

### Madame de Volanges

Cecilia's mother; Valmont uses her as a subject of scandalous stories to corrupt Cecilia's respect for her.

## Key lines

> Ye heavenly powers! I have a soul formed for sorrow; grant me one for bliss.

Valmont invokes a romantic line from Rousseau's 'Julie, or the New Heloise', expressing his desire for happiness amidst his sorrow.

_Valmont uses this quote to frame his emotional state, showing his literary pretensions and self-dramatization._

> I have always observed, that if this method was not always necessary for the seduction of a young girl, it is indispensable, even the most efficacious, to vitiate her; for she who has no respect for her mother, will never have any for herself

Valmont believes that destroying a girl's respect for her mother is the most effective way to corrupt her morally.

_This reveals Valmont's cynical philosophy of seduction and his systematic approach to corrupting Cecilia._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/dangerous_liaisons_se/chapters/letter-110-viscount-de-valmont-to-the-marchioness-de-merteuil
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/dangerous_liaisons_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/dangerous_liaisons_se/chapters