Manon Lescaut

At first, it is very easy to portrait Manon as a cruel heartless villain who takes advantage from the devoted Chevalier Des Grieux. In more than one occasion, she betrays him and, as seen by Tiberge and Des Grieux’s father, she represents vice and perversion, by taking the nobleman from his virtuous path to clergy, to an unholy way which leads him into disgrace. Chevalier is supposed to be the other pole: a talented, honest and naïve young man who is about to become a priest and is protected by a wealthy family. 

Nevertheless, it is important to remember that this is a narrative from the perspective of Des Grieux. Therefore, we are only allowed to know the IMAGE that he creates about her and himself. We do not have any awareness of her real personality or values. In addition, even though through the entire narrative he tries to defend himself, inadvertently his façade melts. Because he blames others or even The Providence for his worsts mistakes, in order to justify his actions. For example, when he is about to escape from St. Lazare, a servant hears his attempt and manages to recapture him. Des Grieux shots him accusing the St. Lazare’s governor and even Lescaut for the crime (one allegedly made too much noise and the other brought a loaded pistol). Without any confession, by his own report, we discover how he is unwilling to recognize his mistakes.

Manon, on the other hand, is portrayed at the same time in an idyllically way (the beautiful and pleasant lover) and as a vicious creature (a manipulative vamp who leads Chevalier into his own doom). Des Grieux uses the second description in his speech, whenever he ventures to show his benevolence, and the first one, when he wants to convince his interlocutor (his father, Tiberge, M. de T., the readers) why he remained chasing her in spite of all she had done to him.

Nonetheless, in the end, it is Manon who loses everything to be with her love. She resigns many opportunities to have a wealthy life with a rich man; she loses her brother and even her own life to be with Des Grieux while the chevalier only decides to marry her when he is away from his homeland. Why didn’t he marry her as soon as he realized he was in love?  What was the real reason for not asking his father to release her from Le Chatelet?

Perhaps the explanation was that even though he wanted to own not only her love, but also to own HER (body and soul); Des Grieux never sought to ruin his name forever by associating his family’s with Manon, and despite showing himself as a brave man willing to do everything to be with his lover, he was terrified of confronting his father or any other powerful figure (M. de G., the New Orleans governor and others), and when he does it, he always endeavor to retreat or to yield.