The Princesse de Clèves characters

Also known as Mademoiselle de Chartres

Appears from the start

A wealthy young noblewoman brought to the court of Henri II after an unusually secluded upbringing. Her mother has trained her to recognize the dangers of vanity and illicit passion. Admired for her beauty and reserve, she marries the Prince de Clèves without loving him and is then shaken by a powerful attraction to the Duc de Nemours.

Also known as Monsieur de Clèves

Appears from the start

A respected prince who falls in love with Mademoiselle de Chartres almost as soon as he sees her. He marries her knowing that she esteems him but does not return his passion, and hopes that affection will grow within their marriage.

Also known as Monsieur de Nemours

Appears from the start

A celebrated nobleman known throughout the court for charm, elegance, athletic skill, and romantic success. He and the newly married Princesse de Clèves recognize an immediate attraction at a royal ball, confronting him with a passion more serious than his former affairs.

Appears from the start

The princess's widowed mother and moral guide. Having educated her daughter away from court, she accompanies her into society, negotiates her marriage, and quickly perceives the mutual attraction between her and Nemours.

Also known as Mary Stuart

Appears from the start

The young Dauphine of France and a leading figure in the court's intimate circles. She takes pleasure in confidences and intrigues and treats the Princesse de Clèves with marked friendship.

Appears from the start

The Princesse de Clèves's uncle and a sophisticated courtier closely trusted by the queen. His romantic involvements and political obligations make him vulnerable to the court's constant circulation of letters and secrets.

Also known as Henri II

Appears from the start

The king of France, around whose favor, ceremonies, marriages, and military ambitions the court revolves. His public devotion to the Duchesse de Valentinois shapes the balance of influence around the royal family.

Also known as Catherine de' Medici

Appears from the start

Henri II's queen. Although she occupies the highest female rank at court, the king's attachment to the Duchesse de Valentinois limits her personal influence and gives her reason to guard her own alliances carefully.

Also known as Diane de Poitiers, Madame de Valentinois

Appears from the start

The king's powerful longtime favorite. Her influence over Henri II makes her a central political force and an enduring example of how private attachment governs public life at court.

First appears in chapter 2

A courtier who loved Madame de Tournon and believed that she would marry him after a period of secrecy. Her death confronts him with evidence that her apparent fidelity concealed another engagement.

First appears in chapter 2

A recently widowed court lady whose conduct becomes the subject of a cautionary story told by the Prince de Clèves. She maintained a reputation for restraint while privately making incompatible promises to two men.

First appears in chapter 3

A woman whose intimate letter is lost at court and mistakenly connected with Nemours. The letter's uncertain ownership exposes several overlapping loyalties and provokes the Princesse de Clèves's first unmistakable jealousy.