Laclos was born to an upper class family and raised in Aimens, a French commune. Here he attended a prestigious school where he trained in artillery and studied construction of garrisons. As a young lieutenant he served during The Seven Years War, known today as the first global conflict in history; a battle between France and Great Britain for world supremacy. Following the war, he taught combat engineering and once had Napoleon as a student.
Even though he was a successful soldier, his love for literature inspired him to trade sword for pen. He was known for wanting to "write a work which departed from the ordinary, which made a noise, and which would remain on earth after his death."
The letters in Laclos’s novel are written by several different characters and provide readers with conflicting views, depending on who they are addressed too. Primarily you could say the story revolves around two very immoral and manipulative characters who employ games of seduction, using malice as a means to take revenge. To understand the history behind these scandalous letters, it helps to know that Marquise de Merteuil is angry and hurt by a former lover who is planning to marry the young, virginal Cécile. She recruits Vicomte de Valmont to ruin the future bride’s innocence, and offers to repay him by giving herself to satisfy his pleasure in a consensual way. The Vicomte de Valmont has a liaison of his own in the works, as he tries to seduce a married woman who is staying with his aunt while her husband is away on business. The story becomes even more involved when Cécile falls for Chevalier Danceny, her music teacher. Danceny at the same time is enticed into an affair by Merteuil to cause jealousy in hopes of winning back her lover. (Merteuil doesn’t intend to cater to Valmont.) Meanwhile, Valmont has now used trickery to dishonor Cécile, while at the same time convinced the businessman’s wife of his undying love . . . causing her to break the sacred vows of matrimony.
The whole collection of letters becomes very soap operatic, revealing the moral dangers behind secret liaisons. At the time this novel was written, it seemed to be based on risky behaviors of real-life political charismas, providing justification for challenging its publication. Dangerous Liaisons is certainly addictive to readers, who will easily find themselves unable to turn away from more than one obvious train wreck in the works. In an effort not create explicit spoilers for future readers, all I can say is be warned of tragic endings. Also if so inclined, there is an excellent film version (1988) starring Glenn Close, John Malkovich, and Michelle Pfeiffer that in my opinion, enhances the book all the more.
Another noteworthy achievement of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos was his leadership in numbering the streets of Paris. In 1800 Laclos rejoined the French Army and served as Brigadier General in the Battle of Biberach. He advanced in rank as the commander-in-chief of Italy’s Reserve Artillery in 1803 and soon after died of dysentery.
Other ‘must read’ authors born on October 18 include: Elena Ferrante, Nadezhda Mandelstam, Juan Valera, and Heinrich von Kleist.