06-18-2018, 11:49 AM | #61 | |
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06-18-2018, 11:55 AM | #62 | |
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06-18-2018, 02:36 PM | #63 |
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Earlier, someone made a comparison between Dickens and Dumas as serial writers. I get the impression that Dumas was writing "on the fly", that is, each instalment as it was due; whereas Dickens would write a novel in instalment form. That would explain the rapidly shifting tone and changing characters (much like a television series does nowadays).
Perhaps it is only me, but I had the impression that Milady's breakdown at the end is partly from pure exhaustion--most of her exploits were thoroughly thought through. Her capture and seduction of the supposedly unbreakable lieutenant shows her cunning in this aspect. But then she is caught again---D'Artagnan and company show too early, and she finds all her plans unravelling. I read this last part as pure panic. She has decided that her exceptional luck has run out, and though she made some feeble attempts, she knew these men were proof against her talents--her brother-in-law, her former husband, D'Artagnan who was very susceptible but still played her (she didn't know exactly how well she had played him)... (sorry for the unintentional alliteration there) |
06-19-2018, 01:47 AM | #64 | |
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Then I read that Dumas had worked for the Duke of Orleans, who became King Louis-Philippe, a more liberal monarch replacing Charles X who seemed to be more of a "divine right of kings" sort of monarch, and was forced to abdicate. (I don't know much about French history, so please excuse this rather simplistic summary!) So it would seem that Dumas did dislike the almost god-like status of rulers like Louis XIII, and politicians with the vast power of someone like Cardinal Richelieu. He wouldn't have cared too much for Napoleon either, given the way in which Napoleon's regime treated Dumas' father, leaving him to rot in jail for two years after he was captured. This probably explains why Louis XIII is pretty well a nonentity in the book, and why Richelieu is depicted as being someone to fear because of his sweeping powers. |
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06-19-2018, 07:32 AM | #65 | |
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06-19-2018, 11:11 AM | #66 | |
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On the subject of that quote from Richard Pevear's introduction:
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That Dumas had a prolific talent is not in dispute (it seems to have been a talent for being prolific, which is something distinct), but it's possible that this talent overshadowed others that may have bloomed if not in his shadow ... or not; there's no way to know now. Given the odds and difficulties in earning an income at this work, it is easy to understand that Maquet might be content to ride on the coattails of Dumas rather than risk obscurity on his own. Success breeds success is a truism of long standing (it may have something to do with luck), so it was probably a good choice on Maquet's part. |
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06-19-2018, 01:19 PM | #67 | ||
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Women as maiden/mother/crone (or whore) just destroyed this whole story for me. And as this was my second Dumas of the year, I must say, that the picture is much starker than it was in the Count of Monte Cristo. I am also appalled by the post indicating that this meandering soap-operatic mess was plotted out in advance of its serialization. One of my goals for 2018 was to re-read the newest translation of War and Peace in its entirety. As a novel of massive scale, Dumas is suffering horribly by comparison. The language is poor, and almost lazy. The characters (or caricatures) are wholly unloveable. And, of course, the only smart woman in the novel is the prime villain. So disappointing. Last edited by astrangerhere; 06-19-2018 at 01:37 PM. |
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06-19-2018, 06:06 PM | #68 | |
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06-19-2018, 06:43 PM | #69 | |
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06-19-2018, 07:25 PM | #70 |
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06-19-2018, 07:52 PM | #71 |
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It might have mattered in the practical sense, signaling his loyalty to the Citizen King. My sense is that the French had long memories for that sort of thing.
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06-19-2018, 08:36 PM | #72 |
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Yes, like orlok, I wondered why Richelieu's portrayal changed, and that link makes sense. Thanks for that titbit, issybird.
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06-19-2018, 09:56 PM | #73 |
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The most likely plotter to try to undermine the reputations of Louis XIII and his queen would have been Monsieur (Gaston, 9th Duc d'Orleans). He was constantly trying to supplant Louis. I suppose that is why Dumas cast Richelieu as the plotter in the affair of the diamonds; he would not have wanted to offend his patron, Louis-Philippe. In the novel, Monsieur is only mentioned in the context of the siege of La Rochelle, where he is depicted somewhat sympathetically. Given Gaston was off-limits, that left Richelieu as a logical target.
Aside from Dumas' novel, Richelieu actually has a fairly good reputation in French history. He was the founder of the Academie francaise. The biggest French warships ever built were the Richelieu-class battleships Richelieu and Jean Bart, built prior to WW2. In Quebec, the biggest southern tributary of the St.Lawrence is named after him (Rivière Richelieu). It would not have been patriotic to slag him too much in the novel. |
06-19-2018, 11:38 PM | #74 | |
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I went back to Google to see if I could find out more. It seems the Palais Cardinal reverted to the crown on the death of Richelieu, becoming the Palais Royal and subsequently the home of the next Duc d'Orleans, Philippe the younger brother of Louis XIV, ie the younger son of Louis XIII and Anne of Austria.
So I think Richelieu apparently becoming one of the good guys may have been because of his general reputation as you say, bfisher, and perhaps a bit of encouragement by the church as well? (I don't know whether Dumas would pay any attention to that or not.) Right back at the beginning, D'Artagnan's father says to him: Quote:
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06-20-2018, 07:19 AM | #75 | |||
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