Hypocrisy and Appearance vs. Reality

Where it surfaces

• Advertisement from the Editor

  The editor claims the age is too moral for such corrupt characters, yet the novel itself will reveal deep hypocrisy beneath the surface of polite society.

• Dangerous Liaisons

  The characters present a facade of propriety while engaging in deceitful and immoral schemes, highlighting the gap between public image and private actions.

• Letter 4: The Viscount de Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil

  Valmont feigns piety at mass and prayers to please his aunt, while secretly pursuing his libertine goals, illustrating the gap between appearance and reality.

• Letter 5: The Marchioness de Merteuil, to the Viscount Valmont

  Merteuil dismisses Tourvel as a plain, prudish devotee, yet Valmont sees her as a worthy conquest; Merteuil's own threats to break with Belleroche are a performance of power.

• Letter 6: Viscount de Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil

  Valmont presents himself as a convert to Tourvel's moral lectures while secretly plotting her downfall.

• Letter 8: Presidente de Tourvel to Madame de Volanges

  Tourvel initially judges Valmont by his reputation but finds him agreeable in person, highlighting the gap between public character and private behavior.

• Letter 9: Madame de Volanges to the Presidente de Tourvel

  Madame de Volanges warns that Valmont's charming exterior hides a false and dangerous nature.

• Letter 10: The Marchioness de Merteuil, to Viscount Valmont

  Merteuil presents a facade of illness to conceal her rendezvous, and her letter contrasts her public persona with her private manipulations.

• Letter 11: The Presidente de Tourvel to Madame Volanges

  Tourvel's description of Valmont as 'good-natured' and harmless contrasts sharply with his known reputation as a libertine, highlighting the theme of deceptive appearances.

• Letter 15: Viscount Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil

  Valmont notes the irony that the most virtuous woman (Tourvel) resorts to covert surveillance, a tactic he himself would not dare openly employ.

• Letter 21: From Viscount Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil

  Valmont stages a charitable act to appear virtuous, while his true motive is manipulation and seduction.

• Letter 22: The Presidente de Tourvel to Madame de Volanges

  Tourvel interprets Valmont's charitable act as evidence of virtue, while the reader knows his true manipulative nature, highlighting the gap between appearance and reality.

• Letter 23: The Viscount de Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil

  Valmont feigns vulnerability and moral struggle while secretly plotting Tourvel's downfall, highlighting the gap between appearance and reality.

• Letter 24: Viscount Valmont to the Presidente de Tourvel

  Valmont claims to be reformed and respectful while secretly pursuing seduction, contrasting his words with his true intentions.

• Letter 25: Viscount Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil

  Tourvel feigns illness and indifference while secretly writing to Valmont; Valmont feigns melancholy and concern while plotting revenge.

• Letter 26: The Presidente de Tourvel to Viscount Valmont

  Tourvel insists on her virtue and denies any affection, yet her emotional reaction and detailed explanation suggest inner conflict.

• Letter 32: Madame de Volanges to the Presidente de Tourvel

  Volanges critiques society's inconsistency in accepting Valmont while condemning him, and warns Tourvel that even innocent association can appear compromising.

• Letter 34: Viscount Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil

  Tourvel's public display of outrage (tearing the letter) contrasts with Valmont's belief that her curiosity will lead her to read it privately, highlighting the gap between outward virtue and inner desire.

• Letter 35: Viscount Valmont to the Presidente de Tourvel

  Valmont presents himself as a victim of slander and a devoted lover, while his true intentions are to control and seduce Tourvel.

• Letter 36: Viscount Valmont to the Presidente de Tourvel

  Valmont presents himself as a sincere, suffering lover while his true intentions are strategic and predatory, highlighting the gap between his words and his actual character.

• Letter 37: The Presidente de Tourvel to Madame de Volanges

  Tourvel struggles to reconcile Valmont's charming behavior with the warnings about his true nature, illustrating the theme of deceptive appearances.

• Letter 38: The Marchioness de Merteuil to Viscount Valmont

  Merteuil presents herself as a model of virtue and severity to Cecilia, while secretly orchestrating the affair and planning revenge, highlighting the gap between appearance and reality.

• Letter 40: The Viscount de Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil

  Tourvel feigns a headache and ill humor to conceal her emotional turmoil, while Valmont pretends to comply with her wishes to further his own agenda.

• Letter 41: The Presidente de Tourvel to Viscount Valmont

  Tourvel contrasts Valmont's professed promises with his actual behavior, highlighting the gap between his words and his actions.

• Letter 42: Viscount de Valmont to the Presidente de Tourvel

  Valmont presents himself as a suffering, obedient lover while actually scheming to maintain control and prolong his seduction, revealing the gap between his words and his true motives.

• Sequel to the Fortieth Letter

  Valmont feigns a nosebleed to search Tourvel's bureau, and later pretends illness to elicit her sympathy, highlighting the gap between appearance and reality.

• Letter 43: The Presidente de Tourvel to the Viscount de Valmont

  Tourvel acknowledges that what would be 'candour with anyone else, becomes imprudence with you,' highlighting the double standard and the need to conceal her actions to maintain her virtuous appearance.

• Letter 44: Viscount de Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil

  Valmont feigns melancholy and softness while secretly plotting, and Tourvel's outward piety conceals her passionate attachment.

• Letter 45: The Presidente de Tourvel to Madame de Volanges

  Tourvel presents herself as dutiful and regretful, yet her letter reveals inner turmoil and a possible attachment to Valmont, contrasting her outward compliance.

• Letter 47: The Viscount de Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil

  Valmont presents himself as a devoted suitor to Tourvel while engaging in debauchery, highlighting the gap between his public persona and private actions.

• Letter 48: The Viscount de Valmont to the Presidente de Tourvel

  Valmont claims his passion is 'respectful' and 'such as the strictest virtue would have no reason to dread,' yet his true intent is seduction, revealing the gap between his words and his actual designs.

• Letter 49: Cecilia Volanges to the Chevalier Danceny

  Cecilia claims to embrace religious sacrifice while secretly hoping Danceny will not forget her, revealing a gap between her stated piety and her true feelings.

• Letter 51: The Marchioness de Merteuil to Viscount Valmont

  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.

• Letter 52: Viscount de Valmont to the Presidente de Tourvel

  Valmont presents himself as a reformed, sincere lover while his true intentions are to conquer and seduce; he uses the appearance of virtue to mask his libertine agenda.

• Letter 58: Viscount de Valmont to the Presidente de Tourvel

  Valmont presents himself as a respectful, suffering lover while his true intent is to gain power over Tourvel.

• Letter 59: Viscount de Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil

  Valmont feigns concern for Danceny while actually seeking to manipulate the situation for his own amusement and advantage.

• Letter 61: Cecilia Volanges to Sophia Carnay

  Cecilia's cheerful demeanor at supper with Madame de Merteuil masks the secret affair that is about to be exposed.

• Letter 62: Madame de Volanges to Chevalier Danceny

  Madame de Volanges prioritizes public reputation over genuine understanding, demanding secrecy to avoid scandal rather than addressing the emotional harm.

• Letter 63: Marchioness de Merteuil to Viscount de Valmont

  Merteuil presents herself as a virtuous friend to Madame de Volanges while secretly plotting to corrupt Cecilia and undermine her authority.

• Letter 66: The Viscount de Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil

  Valmont criticizes Danceny's scruples about promising to renounce his love while planning seduction, highlighting the hypocrisy of moral appearances.

• Letter 70: Viscount de Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil

  Valmont speaks well of Merteuil publicly while privately plotting; Prevan's challenge exposes the gap between public virtue and private scheming.

• Letter 71: Viscount de Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil

  The elaborate ruse of a false robbery and the pretense of reconciliation mask the true nature of the characters' actions and desires.

• Letter 73: Viscount de Valmont to Cecilia Volanges

  Valmont advises Cecilia to feign childish indifference in public to hide their covert correspondence, highlighting the gap between appearance and reality.

• Letter 74: Marchioness de Merteuil to Viscount de Valmont

  Merteuil presents herself as a 'simple modest creature' while plotting seduction, and she values public reputation as a tool for social destruction.

• Letter 76: Viscount de Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil

  Valmont feigns concern for Tourvel's health while secretly orchestrating his seduction; the contrast between public decorum and private schemes is central.

• Letter 77: Viscount de Valmont to the Presidente de Tourvel

  Valmont presents himself as a sincere, obedient friend while his true intentions are seduction; Tourvel's avoidance suggests she sees through his performance, yet he accuses her of being unjust.

• Letter 78: The Presidente de Tourvel to the Viscount de Valmont

  Tourvel contrasts Valmont's initial favorable behavior with his later disrespect, and she defends her own conduct against his accusations of being unjust or fantastical.

• Letter 79: The Viscount de Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil

  The inseparable women's public facade of perfect friendship and constancy is revealed as hollow when Prevan exposes their secret affairs, leading to their social ruin.

• Letter 81: The Marchioness de Merteuil to the Viscount de Valmont

  Merteuil details her lifelong practice of dissembling emotions and adopting different personas to control how others perceive her, highlighting the gap between appearance and truth.

• Letter 83: Viscount de Valmont, to the Presidente de Tourvel

  Valmont presents himself as reformed and devoted to virtue, while his true intent is seduction, highlighting the gap between appearance and reality.

• Letter 84: Viscount de Valmont to Cecilia Volanges

  Valmont claims to hate deceit while meticulously planning a deception; he presents himself as a virtuous friend while orchestrating a secret plot.

• Letter 85: Marchioness de Merteuil to Viscount de Valmont

  Merteuil presents herself as a virtuous victim while actively engineering the scandal, highlighting the gap between public reputation and private action.

• Letter 86: The Marechale de ⸻ to the Marchioness de Merteuil

  The Marechale expresses outrage at Prevan's behavior, yet her concern for social propriety and reputation underscores the gap between public condemnation and private maneuvering.

• Letter 87: The Marchioness de Merteuil to Madame de Volanges

  Merteuil presents herself as a virtuous woman wronged, yet her manipulative nature and the orchestrated nature of the scandal (as revealed in other letters) underscore the gap between appearance and reality.

• Letter 89: The Viscount de Valmont to the Chevalier Danceny

  Valmont presents himself as a helpful friend, but his true motives are self-serving, revealing the gap between appearance and reality.

• Letter 91: Viscount de Valmont to the Presidente de Tourvel

  Valmont presents himself as a respectful, suffering lover while his true intent is to manipulate and seduce Tourvel.

• Letter 99: Viscount de Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil

  Tourvel's outward virtue clashes with her inner desires; Valmont presents himself as a friend while plotting her ruin.

• Letter 103: Madame de Rosemonde to the Presidente de Tourvel

  Tourvel's letter conceals the name of her beloved, illustrating the gap between public propriety and private emotion.

• Letter 104: The Marchioness de Merteuil to Madame de Volanges

  Merteuil warns that Danceny's apparent discretion may be a result of poverty rather than virtue, and that love blinds individuals to the true character of their beloved.

• Letter 105: The Marchioness de Merteuil to Cecilia Volanges

  Merteuil instructs Cecilia to feign virtue and submission to her mother while secretly continuing her affairs, emphasizing the gap between public appearance and private reality.

• Letter 106: The Marchioness de Merteuil to the Viscount de Valmont

  Merteuil boasts of her 'austerity of morals' while plotting to destroy others, highlighting the gap between public virtue and private vice.

• Letter 110: Viscount de Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil

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

• Letter 112: Madame de Rosemonde to the Presidente de Tourvel

  Madame de Rosemonde's cheerful and affectionate tone masks the underlying tensions at the chateau, including Valmont's withdrawal and Cecilia's boredom.

• Letter 113: Marchioness de Merteuil to the Viscount de Valmont

  Merteuil advises Valmont to return to Paris to maintain his reputation, while she herself plans to feign affection for Belleroche to discard him.

• Letter 115: The Viscount de Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil

  Valmont presents himself as a friend and confidant to Danceny while secretly being his rival and seducing his beloved.

• Letter 119: Madame de Rosemonde to the Presidente de Tourvel

  Valmont's sudden piety at mass contrasts with his known manipulative and libertine nature, suggesting a discrepancy between appearance and reality.

• Letter 120: Viscount de Valmont to Father Anselmus

  Valmont presents himself as a repentant sinner seeking virtue, while his true intentions are likely deceptive, highlighting the gap between appearance and reality.

• Letter 121: The Marchioness de Merteuil to Chevalier Danceny

  Merteuil condemns the fashionable but empty language of love, advocating for sincerity while herself engaging in manipulation.

• Letter 122: Madame de Rosemonde to the Presidente de Tourvel

  Valmont's outward appearance of illness and melancholy contrasts with his usual gay and lively demeanor, suggesting a hidden reality beneath the surface.

• Letter 123: Father Anselmus to the Viscount de Valmont

  Valmont's purported conversion is a strategic pretense to gain access to Tourvel, highlighting the gap between religious appearance and manipulative intent.

• Letter 124: The Presidente de Tourvel to Madame de Rosemonde

  Tourvel suspects Valmont's reformation may be a facade, and she herself struggles to appear composed while hiding her emotional turmoil.

• Letter 125: Viscount de Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil

  Valmont feigns repentance and despair to manipulate Tourvel, while his true intentions are predatory.

• Letter 126: Madame de Rosemonde to the Presidente de Tourvel

  Rosemonde praises Valmont's apparent reformation, but the reader knows his true character, highlighting the gap between appearance and reality.

• Letter 128: The Presidente de Tourvel to Madame de Rosemonde

  Tourvel rejects hypocrisy by confessing her true state to Madame de Rosemonde, preferring candor over maintaining a virtuous appearance.

• Letter 135: The Presidente de Tourvel to Madame de Rosemonde

  Tourvel's initial belief in Valmont's love contrasts sharply with the reality of his betrayal, highlighting the gap between appearance and truth.

• Letter 136: The Presidente de Tourvel to the Viscount de Valmont

  Tourvel contrasts the public's judgment of the weak versus the depraved, highlighting the gap between her inner virtue and Valmont's outward charm.

• Letter 137: Viscount de Valmont to the Presidente de Tourvel

  Valmont's letter is a masterclass in hypocrisy, as he presents himself as a victim of circumstance while concealing his true intentions and past actions.

• Letter 138: Viscount de Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil

  Valmont maintains the appearance of a lover while secretly testing his own indifference, and Tourvel's severe letter masks her continued attachment.

• Letter 139: The Presidente de Tourvel to Madame de Rosemonde

  Tourvel's justification that 'infidelity is not inconstancy' among men reveals a double standard that allows her to maintain the appearance of a virtuous love while excusing Valmont's betrayal.

• Letter 140: The Viscount de Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil

  The cover-up of Cecilia's pregnancy as a common illness underscores the theme of maintaining appearances despite underlying reality.

• Letter 143: The Presidente de Tourvel to Madame de Rosemonde

  The 'veil' that concealed her happiness is rent, revealing the hypocrisy of her former belief in virtue and love.

• Letter 144: Viscount de Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil

  Valmont presents himself as a conqueror while Tourvel's piety masks her emotional devastation; Danceny's joy is based on a false reality.

• Letter 147: Madame de Volanges to Madame de Rosemonde

  Tourvel's composed exterior at the convent contrasts sharply with her inner turmoil and violent madness, underscoring the gap between appearance and reality.

• Letter 149: Madame de Volanges to Madame de Rosemonde

  The calm appearance of Tourvel's lucid moments contrasts with the inner turmoil and eventual violent frenzy caused by Valmont's correspondence.

• Letter 154: Madame de Volanges to Madame de Rosemonde

  Madame de Volanges questions whether Valmont's distraction is genuine or a final act of deception, highlighting the theme of appearance versus reality.

• Letter 155: The Viscount de Valmont to the Chevalier Danceny

  Valmont presents himself as a friend while secretly orchestrating Danceny's romantic dilemmas, revealing the gap between outward friendship and hidden motives.

• Letter 157: The Chevalier Danceny to the Viscount de Valmont

  Danceny plans to hide his fault from Cecilia to avoid afflicting her, revealing a gap between his outward devotion and his actual actions.

• Letter 158: The Viscount de Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil

  Valmont presents himself as a friend while secretly manipulating events, and Danceny's apparent constancy is revealed as easily swayed.

• Letter 159: The Marchioness de Merteuil to the Viscount de Valmont

  Merteuil's warning about Valmont's self-congratulation underscores the gap between perceived success and actual outcome.

• Letter 160: Madame de Volanges to Madame de Rosemonde

  Madame de Volanges's intrusion into Tourvel's private letter underscores the gap between outward propriety and the hidden chaos of Tourvel's mind.

• Letter 162: Chevalier Danceny to the Viscount de Valmont

  Danceny's blind confidence in Valmont is shattered, revealing the deceptive nature of their relationship and the contrast between appearance and reality.

• Letter 163: M. Bertrand to Madame de Rosemonde

  Valmont's final act of embracing Danceny and calling him friend contrasts with the violent enmity that led to the duel, highlighting the gap between public appearance and private reality.

• Letter 164: Madame de Rosemonde to M. Bertrand

  She claims to forgive but immediately orders prosecution, highlighting the tension between Christian forgiveness and societal expectations of honor.

• Letter 165: Madame de Volanges to Madame de Rosemonde

  The serene resignation of Tourvel at death contrasts with the violent emotions and ruin that preceded it, underscoring the gap between outward piety and inner turmoil.

• Letter 166: M. Bertrand to Madame de Rosemonde

  The magistrate advises suppressing legal action to protect Valmont's public honor, prioritizing reputation over justice or truth.

• Letter 167: Anonymous to the Chevalier Danceny

  The anonymous letter highlights the tension between public tolerance of duels and the formal legal consequences, as well as the writer's hidden identity and motives.

• Letter 168: Madame de Volanges to Madame de Rosemonde

  Madame de Volanges struggles to reconcile the shocking rumors with her perception of Merteuil's public persona, highlighting the gap between appearance and truth.

• Letter 171: Madame de Rosemonde to the Chevalier Danceny

  Madame de Rosemonde urges Danceny to conceal the truth to protect appearances, highlighting the tension between public reputation and private morality.

• Letter 172: Madame de Rosemonde to Madame de Volanges

  Madame de Merteuil's hidden depravity is contrasted with her public reputation, revealing the theme of deception and false appearances.

• Letter 173: Madame de Volanges to Madame de Rosemonde

  Madame de Volanges grapples with the gap between her daughter's apparent piety and the possible reality of her seduction; Merteuil's public shaming reveals the collapse of her carefully maintained facade.

• Letter 174: The Chevalier Danceny to Madame de Rosemonde

  Danceny contrasts Cecilia's apparent candor with her perfidiousness, and condemns Merteuil's hidden malevolence.

• Letter 175: Madame de Volanges to Madame de Rosemonde

  Merteuil's outward beauty and social standing are destroyed by disease and scandal, revealing her inner corruption; the Marquis's remark that 'her disorder had turned her inside out' underscores the theme.