The Marquise de Merteuil is a fictional character from the novel "Les Liaisons Dangereuses," written by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos in 1782. She is portrayed as a cunning and manipulative woman who uses her intelligence and charm to control others. The Marquise engages in a series of schemes to seduce and ruin her targets, showcasing her strategic mind and social prowess. As a member of the French aristocracy, the Marquise embodies the complexities of gender and power in her society. Her character serves as a critique of the moral decay and hypocrisy of the 18th-century French nobility, highlighting themes of seduction, revenge, and the consequences of manipulation.