Cruel Intentions vs. Dangerous Liaisons essays

Cruel Intentions vs. Dangerous Liaisons essays Separated by age and vastly different times, both Dangerous Liaisons and Cruel Intentions relay a social prejudice towards women that are identical despite contrasting setting details. In each time period, a preconception of a "real" lady's character drives the female characters to wear "masks" of conformity. This, they feel, society mandates, and is, along with other factors, an evident source of the character's rebellion. The characters of Kathryn Merteuil and Marquise de Merteuil each have scenes in which they define their separate but nearly identical urges to be released from this certain social order that confines them to hide their true identities. Each movie includes this scene to delve into the preconceived role in society that directly factors in Kathryn Merteuil and Marquise de Merteuil's reaction to the confined views of her time. Power is of the utmost importance to these caged women. The role of Merteuil revolves around deceit and manipulation while also requiring her to assume the role of a lady for public viewing. In the first scene she appears in, she is being treated like a very respectable lady by Cecille's mom. In both movies, she receives the highest esteem because of her obvious scheming. Kathryn in Cruel Intentions is the class president and apparently has a very high status in her prep school. In accordance, the Marquise de Merteuil in Dangerous Liaisons receives great respect and the utmost courtesy from other wealthy people. Both characters drop their facades occasionally throughout the movies, but this is only when with Valmont. The character uses the mask of a proper lady when she can attain something in return or protect her reputation and she has no need to hide her true self to Valmont because of their similar motives. Cruel Intentions and Dangerous Liaisons give the character of Merteuil a chance to further define the driving force of the woman by including a certain vital scene to her characte...