Discussion Questions
Use our LitLovers Book Club Resources; they can help with discussions for any book:
• How to Discuss a Book (helpful discussion tips)
• Generic Discussion Questions—Fiction and Nonfiction
• Read-Think-Talk (a guided reading chart)
Also consider these LitLovers talking points to help get a discussion started for Dangerous Liaisons:
1. How would you describe the characters of the Vicomte de Valmont and the Marquise de Merteuil (in fact, how does she define herself)? What inspires their games of sexual predation?
2. Describe Cecile Volange and Presidente de Tourvel. Why are they each selected as the objects of Valmont's conquests?
3. How does the Marquise view romantic love? Does she see it as a genuine, selfless emotion...a weakness, a competition... or what?
4. Talk about Valmont's view of love? Is he as immune to sincere feelings as he believes himself to be?
5. How does Valmont manipulate language in his letters to Presidente de Tourvel? In what ways does he play upon, even pervert, her religious beliefs?
6. Madame de Rosemonde claims a difference exists between the ways in which men and women experience happiness. How does she explain the difference...and do you agree with her assessment?
7. Discuss the role of older women in this work, particularly in helping to educate younger women into the ways of society. In fact, how is the term "education" used in this work? Does education refer to scholarly knowledge, tests or trials, loss of innocence...or what?
8. Discuss the distinctions among the classes—the servant class, aristocracy, and the bourgeoisie (the upcoming middle class). How, for instance does Merteuil treat her servant, Victoire.
9. Talk about the ways in which desire and battle are intermingled thematically in this work.
10. What is the role of opera in society and, thematically, in this work itself? For instance, how is the staging of an opera like life? What might de Laclos be saying about artifice or sincerity in the social interactions of his characters?
11. What are Valmont's feelings for Presidente? Why does he decide to abandon her? And why does he agree to sacrifice himself...both through the duel and giving the letters to Danceny?
12. What do you feel about Danceny's abandonment of Cecile at the end? Is he justified or did he betray his own profession of being true and faithful?
13. In this work, how do physical maladies reflect characters' spiritual state?
14. What is with these people? Really.
(Questions by LitLovers. Please feel free to use them, online or off, with attribution. Thanks.)
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