Uma Ligação Perigosa, Cartas de Valmont

by Hella S. Haasse

No final de As Ligações Perigosas, a Marquesa de Merteuil, essa mulher que jogava com o amor de uma forma exclusivamente reservada aos homens, banida em consequência das múltiplas torpezas, toma - escreve Laclos - o caminho da Holanda. É aí que Hella Haasse retoma habilmente o fio da história. Refugiada numa quinta a que chamou Valmont, a marquesa escreve cartas, como no romance de onde saiu. A destinatária dessas cartas é uma neerlandesa sem nome a quem adivinhamos Hella Haasse. Assim nasce uma surpreendente troca epistolar entre duas mulheres que tudo separa - o físico, o modo de viver, a época -, excepto a qualidade da inteligência. Duas mulheres, a dois séculos de distância, inspiradas pela mesma necessidade, apaixonadas por uma problemática idêntica, desenvolvem ideias paralelas sobre a condição feminina e a guerra dos sexos

Genres: Dutch Literature, Fiction

204 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Hella S. Haasse (1918 - 2011) was born in Batavia, modern-day Jakarta. She moved to the Netherlands after secondary school. In 1945 she debuted with a collection of poems, entitled Stroomversnelling (Momentum). She made her name three years later with the novella given out to mark the Dutch Book Week, Oeroeg (The Black Lake, 1948). As with much of her work, this tale of the friendship between a Dutch and an Indonesian boy has gained the status of a classic in the Netherlands. Titles such as Het woud der verwachting (In a Dark Wood Wandering, 1949), Een nieuwer testament (Threshold of Fire, 1966) and Mevrouw Bentinck of Onverenigbaarheid van karakter (Mrs Bentinck or Irreconcilable in Character, 1978) have been greatly enjoyed by several generations.

Reviews

[Christine Bonheure · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ik houd van Hella S. Haase. Heb al veel mooie romans van haar gelezen zoals De Ingewijden, Heren van de Thee, Woud der Verwachting. Maar deze brievenroman aan Markiezin de Merteuil, die na haar beschamende ondergang in de Franse adellijke kringen naar een villa in Nederland zou zijn gevlucht, kan me echt niet overtuigen. Ten eerste is er de heel overladen stijl. Nu gaat het om een brievenroman tussen twee geleerde mensen. Hella S. Haase is sowieso zeer intelligent en belezen en ook de Merteuil stamt uit een tijd waarin adellijke dames een hoogstaande opvoeding genoten en hun klassiekers kenden. Veel van de brieven gaan over de positie van de vrouw doorheen de geschiedenis en de literatuur. Maar vooral in haar eigen brieven verwoordt Haase alles op een enorm erudiete manier, alsof ze wil stoefen met wat ze allemaal weet. Het boek lijkt wel één lang en saai essay. En dat is niet wat ik ervan verwachtte.

[Marc Lamot · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a kind of sequel to "Liaisons dangereuses", the famous epistolary novel by Choderlos de Laclos, 1782. Marquise de Merteuil has established herself in the Hague (Netherlands), after her flight from Paris. Ingenious idea, nicely worked out, especially on the problem of the female condition. Written by one of the most famous Dutch female authors of the 20th century.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘A dangerous affair or Daal-en-Bergish letters’ (1976) seems to be an epistolary novel. It is not. As the author, Hella S. Haasse, has pointed out herself. “On second thoughts it is an essay, in a somewhat playful form, about the image of the criminal woman in literature. Truth and fiction blend into one another, the narrator gets strangled in made-up facts and the marchioness ‘emancipates herself away’ from the novel text. The historical elements in the story are literature, toys for the imagination.’
Haasse offers us an erudite critical analysis of the position of the woman in different cultures, with examples from real life as well as the world literature, such as Medea and lady McBeth, in comparison to the one she has a virtual correspondence with, la marquise de Merteuil, main character of the novel ‘Liaisons dangereuses’ by Choderlos de Laclos (1782). JM

[Kees · Rating 3 out of 5]

bla die bla test

[Boris · Rating 3 out of 5]

S’attaquer aux liaisons est un exercice périlleux et il faut avoir une sacrée prétention pour prétendre en écrire une continuation. Plus étonnant encore venant d’une autrice hollandaise.

Forcément ma curiosité fut piquée en découvrant ce livre et ce que cela pouvait donner. Et le résultat est étrange. D’abord l’impression que le choix de la forme (une continuation dans un échange épistolaire entre l’autrice et Merteuil) est un prétexte jamais totalement exploité. Au contraire l’on a l’impression d’une forme de dialogue de sourd ou le réel destinataire est le lecteur cachant ainsi très mal ce qui aurait du être tout simplement un essai sur un interpretation possible des liaisons.

Mais une fois ce soucis de forme mis de côté une vision intéressante. D’abord par un future imaginé pour Merteuil après sa fuite en hollande et surtout une relecture féministe de la relation Merteuil/Valmont. Rien de révolutionnaire mais une belle occasion de se reconfronter à sa propre interprétation des liaisons.

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

c 1976, leeskring 2003

[Judi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drie en half ☆
Het begon sterk, maar eindigde wat langdradig.