Literature Companion: Dangerous Liaisons

“Dangerous Liaisons” is sometimes also described as an amoral story.

Since it is an epistolary novel, the entire book is composed of letters which are written by several characters to each other. The most significant are the letters exchanged between Valmont and the Marquise. Through their letters the plot gets momentum.

A scandal appeared right after the publication of the novel. Since the novel presents two depraved individuals who lacked any trace of morals it was also seen as a roman a clef. Some of the descriptions in the novel could be linked to the actual individuals in society. On these grounds, there was a scandal.

In the preface, it is described how the letters were taken from an actual correspondence. The author did not attempt to dispel this belief. Several questions were raised about the authenticity of the novel.