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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.
Short Answer Questions
1. In letter 15, what does Valmont call Merteuil about her attentions to her current lover?
2. What euphemism does Merteuil use to refer to her lover?
3. What advice does Cécile's friend offer regarding Danceny's letter?
4. What does Merteuil do to get herself in the mood for sex with her lover?
5. How does Danceny give his first note to Cécile?
Short Essay Questions
1. What causes Cécile to become worried and sad about her upcoming marriage?
2. What does the author of the Introduction say about potential political messages of social commentary in Laclos' novel?
3. What serious warning does Valmont give Merteuil?
4. What is the content of Danceny's letters to Cécile?
5. What were Laclos' general views on politics and gender relations?
6. What was Choderlos de Laclos' position in society? Describe his family life.
7. How does Madame de Tourvel respond to Valmont's first love letter?
8. What was the general response to _Les Liaisons Dangereuses_ in the 20th century?
9. How does Cécile describe Danceny to her friend Sophie?
10. How does Madame de Tourvel respond to Madame de Volanges' warning about Valmont?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Discuss the theme of innocence in the novel. How does the author describe "innocence" or "ignorance" and what connotations are attached to these words or ideas? In the novel, is innocence automatically ignorance? Who is impressionable in the novel?How do other characters take advantage of this? Which characters act innocent or ignorant in the novel? Are Madame de Volanges, Madame de Tourvel, and/or Madame de Rosemonde "innocents," in any way? What becomes of Cécile and Danceny's innocence? How are innocence and experience opposed in the novel?
Essay Topic 2
Compare and contrast the Publisher's Note and Editor's Preface. What is their significance to the work? What messages are they each trying to get across? What is the tone of each? How do they try to influence the readers of the novel? In which ways do they define the work? Why does Laclos include them both? After reading the novel, do you read them or understand them in a different way? How do they compare to typical prefatory material in other works? Is the Publisher's Note after the last letter related in any way to Laclos' introductions?
Essay Topic 3
Consider the theme of women's sexuality in _Les Liaisons Dangereuses_. How is desire, in particular, expressed in the female characters? How do Cécile's, Merteuil's, and Madame de Tourvel's different experiences with sex, rape, seduction, courtship, initiation, and betrayal affect their character development, their roles in the plot of the novel, and their interactions with other male and female characters? What connections to contemporary French ideas of morality and gender roles do the sexuality of the female characters have? How is feminine sexual awareness or sexual activity opposed to masculine sexual awareness or sexual activity? How do other characters, or contemporary French high society, view women who are sexually experienced? Can you apply modern feminist critical theory to this discussion?
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This section contains 1,044 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
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