Letter 51: The Marchioness de Merteuil to Viscount Valmont explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Seduction and Manipulation

  Merteuil manipulates Cecilia's religious fears and orchestrates a secret meeting, demonstrating her strategic control over the young lovers.

• Hypocrisy and Appearance vs. Reality

  Merteuil outwardly supports Cecilia's plan to break off with Danceny while secretly arranging their continued affair, highlighting the gap between public morality and private scheming.

Characters to notice

• Marchioness de Merteuil

  Writes to Valmont in frustration, orchestrates a meeting between Cecilia and Danceny, and manipulates Cecilia's religious scruples.

• Viscount de Valmont

  Merteuil's correspondent; she scolds him for being late and asks him to coach Danceny.

• Cecilia Volanges

  Terrified by confession, she wants to break off with Danceny but is manipulated by Merteuil into meeting him instead.

• Chevalier Danceny

  Cecilia's lover; Merteuil criticizes his weak letter and asks Valmont to teach him to be more forceful.

• Madame de Volanges

  Merteuil plans to arrange for her to leave the house so Cecilia can meet Danceny.

Key passages

• “the little girl has been at confession, has told all like a child, and has been since so terrified with the fear of hell, that she is absolutely determined on a rupture.”

  Cecilia confessed everything to her priest and now fears damnation, so she wants to end her relationship with Danceny.

  Merteuil describes Cecilia's religious panic and its effect on the affair.

• “the true method of overcoming scruples, is to leave nothing to lose, to those who are subject to scruples”

  The best way to get rid of someone's moral qualms is to make them feel they have already gone too far to turn back.

  Merteuil's cynical advice to Valmont on how to handle Cecilia's scruples.