Type “Julien de Saint Jean Merteuil” into a search bar and the web splinters into unrelated results. There is no widely documented public figure with that exact full name in reputable references. Most roads instead lead to the razor sharp Marquise de Merteuil, a central character in Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’s novel “Les Liaisons dangereuses”, first published in 1782 by Durand in Paris.
That is the key. The query often mixes a contemporary sounding French name with “Merteuil”, the iconic schemer from an 18th century bestseller. Understanding this shortcut saves time and sends readers straight to the right sources about the character, the book, and the screen adaptations that built the legend.
Marquise de Merteuil in Laclos’s 1782 classic: the essential facts
Published in 1782, “Les Liaisons dangereuses” unfolds as an epistolary novel composed of 175 letters between characters, including the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont. The letter count can be checked in scholarly editions and the French Bibliothèque nationale records.
Pierre Choderlos de Laclos designed the Marquise de Merteuil as a strategist of reputation, power, and desire. The novel’s structure lets readers see her plans in her own words. Encyclopaedia Britannica provides a concise overview of the book’s publication context and impact, while the original French text and early editions are cataloged by the Bibliothèque nationale de France and available via Gallica.
English translations are accessible through public domain libraries and university presses, with prefaces detailing the historical reception. Those notes help trace how the character grew from literary figure to cultural reference.
Why “Julien de Saint Jean Merteuil” appears in searches
The string looks like a composite. “Julien de Saint Jean” reads like a French personal name, while “Merteuil” clearly points to the fictional Marquise. Search engines sometimes accomodate blended queries and surface partial matches, so readers land on results for “Merteuil” even if the full phrase does not match any single person.
In practice this leads to two paths. Either users genuinely want the Marquise de Merteuil and her adaptations, or they are looking for a contemporary profile and added “Merteuil” by mistake. Because authoritative databases do not present an exact-match identity, reliable literary references are the safer click.
A quick test helps. Open a reputable source about Laclos or the novel, check the character index, and verify dates. If that aligns with the search need, proceed with those materials. If not, refine the name to the exact person being sought and remove “Merteuil”.
Screen adaptations that amplified the Merteuil myth
The most influential adaptation is Stephen Frears’s “Dangerous Liaisons” released in 1988. According to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the film received 7 Oscar nominations and won 3 awards for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Costume Design, and Best Production Design. Box Office Mojo reports a domestic gross of approximately 34.7 million dollars.
A modern teen reimagining arrived with “Cruel Intentions” in 1999. Box Office Mojo lists worldwide grosses around 76 million dollars, a commercial success that introduced the dynamic between the Merteuil archetype and a Valmont figure to a new audience.
Further stage and international screen versions exist, including French theatre staples and contemporary reinterpretations documented in production notes and festival programs. Each version shifts the spotlight, yet the core remains the same. A calculating woman who writes her own rules in a world that punishes women for doing so.
How to find reliable information fast about Merteuil and the novel
For quick, verifiable answers, go straight to primary catalogues, established encyclopedias, and audited databases. Here are direct, time saving options to bookmark and use when refining that mixed query:
- Bibliothèque nationale de France Gallica : digitized French editions and records of “Les Liaisons dangereuses” with 1782 publication data
- Encyclopaedia Britannica : overview of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos and the novel’s themes and structure
- Project Gutenberg or Internet Archive : public domain English translations with prefaces and letter counts
- Box Office Mojo : verified grosses for “Dangerous Liaisons” 1988 and “Cruel Intentions” 1999
- Academy Awards database : official tally of nominations and wins for “Dangerous Liaisons”
If the original intent was not literary, adjust the search to the exact person needed and remove “Merteuil”. If the aim is the character, keep “Marquise de Merteuil” or “Les Liaisons dangereuses 1782” and add “Choderlos de Laclos”. The right combination narrows results and surfaces authoritative entries within seconds.