Pierre Choderlos de Laclos
Pierre Choderlos de Laclos
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Pierre Choderlos de Laclos was a French writer, novelist, and military officer best known for his epistolary novel _Les Liaisons dangereuses_ (Dangerous Liaisons). His full name is Pierre-Ambroise-François Choderlos de Laclos.
Birth and Death Dates
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Pierre Choderlos de Laclos was born on September 18, 1741, in Amiens, France. He died on November 5, 1803, in Paris, France.
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Laclos was a French national of noble birth. His profession as a writer is well-documented; however, he also served as an officer in the French army during the Seven Years' War and later became involved in military administration.
Early Life and Background
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Laclos's family belonged to the minor nobility. He was born into a family of modest means but one that valued education and culture. His father, Pierre-Guillaume Choderlos de Laclos, was a lawyer and an army officer who fought for King Louis XV during the War of the Austrian Succession.
Growing up in Amiens, Laclos received a solid education that emphasized literature, philosophy, and mathematics. He showed great promise as a writer from an early age and began writing his own plays and stories while still a teenager. His love for writing was encouraged by his parents, who recognized its potential to bring him social status and financial security.
Major Accomplishments
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Laclos's major accomplishments include the completion of _Les Liaisons dangereuses_ in 1782. This epistolary novel tells the story of two former lovers who engage in a series of manipulative games with their peers, exposing the darker aspects of life among the French nobility.
Notable Works or Actions
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In addition to _Les Liaisons dangereuses_, Laclos wrote several other works that demonstrate his mastery of epistolary writing. These include _Mémoires de deux citoyens_, a satirical work on the excesses of the French Revolution, and several plays.
Laclos's involvement in military administration after leaving active duty as an officer likely influenced his interest in the inner workings of society and politics. His experiences within the military may have also informed his cynical views of human nature as expressed in _Les Liaisons dangereuses_.
Impact and Legacy
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The impact of Laclos's work can be seen in its influence on literature and popular culture. _Les Liaisons dangereuses_, for instance, has been translated into numerous languages, adapted into several films and stage productions, and even inspired modern adaptations such as the 1988 film _Dangerous Liaisons_.
Laclos's novel is widely regarded as a landmark of French literature, offering a scathing critique of the social conventions and moral codes of his time. Its influence can also be seen in contemporary works that explore themes of power, manipulation, and human relationships.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Pierre Choderlos de Laclos is widely quoted and remembered due to his insightful commentary on human nature and society. His writing masterfully exposes the darker aspects of life among the French nobility during the late 18th century, revealing the complexities and flaws that exist beneath the surface of seemingly perfect social relationships.
Laclos's _Les Liaisons dangereuses_ remains a timeless classic in world literature, offering readers a thought-provoking commentary on human nature that continues to resonate with audiences today.
Quotes by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos
Pierre Choderlos de Laclos's insights on:
Have you forgotten that love, like medicine, is simply the art of aiding nature?
I need only to be shown my mistakes and I never rest until I have retrieved them.
Who can wish for happiness that is bought at the price of reason, whose fleeting pleasures are at least followed by regret, if not remorse?
Indeed, if first loves appear in general more virtuous and, as they say, more chaste; if they are at least slower in their progress; it is not, as people think, from delicacy or timidity, but because the heart, surprised by an unknown sentiment, hesitates as it were at every step to enjoy the charm it feels, and because this charm is so powerful upon a fresh heart that it forgets every other pleasure.
Love, hatred, you have only to choose; they all sleep under the same roof; you can double your existence, caress with one hand and strike with the other.
Now I mention neglect, you resemble those who send regularly to inquire of the state of health of their sick friends, and who never concern themselves about the answer.
I had to flatter them the whole evening to appease them; for old women must not be angered – they make young women’s reputations.
My thoughts were my own, and I was exasperated to have them either surprised or drawn from me against my will.