The Three Musketeers-- A Timeless Tale (S. Black)

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	• The Three Musketeers (Barnes & Noble Classics) Alexandre Dumas Barnes & Noble Classics, 2004 - 768 pages average customer review:based on 11 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Just excellent! Recommended for any age.

THE THREE MUSKETEERS ranks as one of the ten best books I've ever read. With fast-paced and nonstop action the whole way through, this nearly 800 page book flies by surprisingly quickly. A great story with some of the most memorable characters in all of literature makes for an excellent reading experience. Dumas' style of wit, humor, and drama, and his ability to bring unique individual characters to life through dialogue makes him [IMHO] one of the best writers of the past and present.

This novel is a story of adventure, love, politics, and friendship. It could be considered a historical fiction, with a few real life secondary characters such as Cardinal Richelieu and Anne of Austria playing significant parts in the story and acting in ways that agree with their historical reputation. Still, the book is primarily a character-driven story. The main character, D'Artagnan, is brash and prideful, while still being utterably lovable. His friends Athos, Porthos, and Aramis are each so unique and well-developed that you'll feel like you know them. The antagonists are so deliciously evil as to make their triumphs painful and their defeats glorious. Each character, from King Louis XIII to the musketeer's lackeys, is central to the story.

The straightforward but eloquent style in which the story is told makes it an excellent book for any age. A proliferation of French words and expressions may cause some readers to stumble at first, but they quickly become familiar and add to the flavor of the overall story. The few scenes of a sexual nature are mild PG only and shouldn't concern parents or teachers. The vibrancy and color that Dumas brings to life in this story will delight any reader that is brave enough to give it a chance. Really nothing to complain about in this one. Extremely highly recommended.

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The Three Musketeers-- A Timeless Tale (S. Black)

Alexandre Dumas' The Three Musketeers is a thrilling tale of courage, loyalty and love. Anyone who enjoys a fast-paced, intelligent adventure will be intrigued by this story, centered around a young man from the country, D'Artagnan, on his quest to join the ranks of the king's musketeers and later to win the heart of the woman he loves. The story begins in a small town in France in the 17th century. D'Artagnan leaves his country home with hopes of joining the king's Musketeers in Paris. Here he finds three lifelong friends and companions--Athos, Porthos and Aramis--for which the title of the book was given. Together with D'Artagnan, they help thwart the plans of Cardinal Richelieu, the king's advisor and rival, as he plots against the queen, the king, and the musketeers throughout the book. Undoubtedly, The Three Musketeers comes complete with its heroes, villains, surprises and scandals that will captivate readers throughout the world. Alexandre Dumas uses the theme, characterization, and symbolism to appeal to a broad universal audience.

Alexandre Dumas uses close father-son relationships in The Three Musketeers, between different characters to illustrate the theme of friends are like family. One of the most outstanding father-like roles is played by M. de Treville, the captain of the king's Musketeers. He protects his courageous musketeers by vouching for and advising them. In his own words he teaches D'Artagnan, "A captain is nothing by a father of a family, charged with even a greater responsibility than the father of an ordinary family. Soldiers are big children" (30). M. de Treville cares about his men as if they were his own sons. He maintains a close relationship with them and helps guide them in the way they should go. Readers everywhere can identify with M. Treville's relationship with his men, in that they must look after others as others look after them. "M. de Treville was the father of his soldiers. The lowest of least known of them, as soon as he assumed the uniform of the company, was as sure of his aid and support as if he had been his own brother" (148). The company is described here as being a family, with M. de Treville as the father figure. Not only does he play this role in D'Artagnan's life but also in the lives of the other soldiers he has authority over.

Athos is another of the many father characters in this novel. He is the eldest of his three companions, and rightfully would assume this role. His friends, like children, turn to him for advice. Not only does Athos advise his three companions on the whole, but also individually. This relationship is particularly strong between D'Artagnan and Athos. "D'Artagnan began by making his most splendid toilet, then returned to Athos's, and according to custom, related everything to him. Athos listened to his projects, then shook his head, and recommended prudence to him..." (323). D'Artagnan eventually decides not to follow this advice though he continually asks for Athos' guidance, much as a rebelling child would ask a father for advice and end up shunning it in the end. It is a common part of human existence to rebel against one's parents at some point or another. Although his advice at this point may have been ignored, Athos still had a huge influence in the life of D'Artagnan. Athos' continual wisdom, loyalty and distinguished intellect provide this book with another example of a father figure. Though there are many more links to father-son relationships in this novel, these two are definitely the most prominent. There is an overall theme of friendships bordering on the brink of family in their manner of relationships. This theme provides one of the driving forces for this novel, whether in the beginning between D'Artagnan and his true father, M. de Treville and his Musketeers, Athos and D'Artagnan, the Cardinal and his followers, or several other characters in this novel.

The characterizations in this novel are also strong. Though some can be classified as heroes and others as villains, all have their moments of triumph and blunder. One example of this is the main character, D'Artagnan. Although he is a hero in this novel, he is a deeply complex individual with faults and weaknesses as well as strengths. He offends and challenges his future friends Athos, Porthos, and Aramis directly upon his arrival in Paris because of his headstrong discourtesy. This character trait is shown implicitly through his actions and speech when he comes in contact with others. Another multifaceted character is Athos. He is a melancholy man because of the past he attempts to hide from his companions. By far the most distinguished of all the musketeers, he guides them in wisdom. This characterization is shown directly through the way his companions speak of him. " `My dear Athos,' said Aramis, `you speak like Nestor, who was, as everyone knows, the wisest among the Greeks' " (467). In comparing Athos to Nestor, he is directly assisting in the characterization of Athos.

Finally, the main characters are symbols of courage and loyalty. Through the actions of D'Artagnan, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, the reader gains a sense of their undying loyalty to the queen, the king, and each other. They show their loyalty to the queen by helping save her reputation. She secretly gives away a few diamond studs to the English Duke of Buckingham (who is in love with her), and the Cardinal finds out. He plots to ruin her by persuading the king to order her to wear them at an upcoming ball. The musketeers find out about this plot and ride quickly to England facing many dangers along the way to retrieve the two diamond studs. Their efforts effectively show their loyalty and courage. Another example of the musketeers being symbols of loyalty occurs on one of their missions; one by one each of the musketeers falls behind, except D'Artagnan. Once the task is completed, he goes back and searches for his companions, not stopping until they are all reunited. In this and other instances, the musketeers are shown as symbols of loyalty and courage.

The Three Musketeers, a brilliant action-filled novel, is an excellent read. The action and suspense provide the driving force of the novel, while the underlying relationships provide multifaceted characters who are easily identify with, as fantastic and extraordinary as their lives may be. As Dumas wove theme, characterization, and symbolism into his thrilling story, it became a treasure to last for generations. Truly this novel is a timeless attestation of the human experience that readers can relate to throughout the world.

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Not your teacher's "classic"

After reading this book in elementary school (on my own) I had the urge to read it again, this time with the eyes of an adult. The book did not disappoint, and I further understood why it is a classic. Dumas is a master of invention, if he'd live today he'd be making shows like "24", but he's not ... and he didn't. Instead he gave us a timeless, serial classic peppered with a good deal of humor, romance and even some swordplay.

If you've seen the movies, do yourself a favor and read the book, if you haven't then you have an advantage.

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No kidding, this was great!

I think most people are wary of "classics", either because the writing style is hard to read, or they're "school reading", or just boring. I won't lie, to some extent these are true...I still despise Dickens or any book about life in a boarding school. However, this is far from one of those. I'll assume if you're reading this that you're not afraid of books, and also that you're somewhat familiar with the story already. So here's what you should know: this is a fast paced book, so don't worry about the page count. There's a little genre in it for everyone: some romance, some spy-novel intrigue, historical politics, and plenty of action. It was written in the 1800s, not the 17th century, so the writing's not tricky and there are plenty of footnotes about the context. All of that aside, I liked this as much as any modern novel I've read lately. If you're considering this, don't hesitate; it's cheap and it's good.

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Super Reader

One stupid rookie farmboy with a nice sword, 3 veterans, evil religious villains and wenches, enough beer and good swords means an outstanding good time, especially with the dry wit of Dumas. Crazy swashbuckling superskilled heroes, an evil controlling supervillain, crazy henchmen, a black widow, stupidity, sarcasm, and anything else you could want. Classic adventure.

reviews: page 1, 2, 3

The Three Musketeers, by Alexandre Dumas, is part of the Barnes & Noble Classics series, which offers quality editions at affordable prices to the student and the general reader, including new scholarship, thoughtful design, and pages of carefully crafted extras. Here are some of the remarkable features of Barnes & Noble Classics: New introductions commissioned from today's top writers and scholars Biographies of the authors Chronologies of contemporary historical, biographical, and cultural events Footnotes and endnotes Selective discussions of imitations, parodies, poems, books, plays, paintings, operas, statuary, and films inspired by the work Comments by other famous authors Study questions to challenge the reader's viewpoints and expectations Bibliographies for further reading Indices & Glossaries, when appropriateAll editions are beautifully designed and are printed to superior specifications; some include illustrations of historical interest. Barnes & Noble Classics pulls together a constellation of influences?biographical, historical, and literary?to enrich each reader's understanding of these enduring works.
Mixing a bit of seventeenth-century French history with a great deal of invention, Alexandre Dumas tells the tale of young D?Artagnan and his musketeer comrades, Porthos, Athos and Aramis. Together they fight to foil the schemes of the brilliant, dangerous Cardinal Richelieu, who pretends to support the king while plotting to advance his own power. Bursting with swirling swordplay, swooning romance, and unforgettable figures such as the seductively beautiful but deadly femme fatale, Milady, and D?Artagnan?s equally beautiful love, Madame Bonacieux, The Three Musketeers continues, after a century and a half of continuous publication, to define the genre of swashbuckling romance and historical adventure.

Barbara T. Cooper is Professor of French at the University of New Hampshire. She is a member of the editorial boards of Nineteenth-Century French Studies and the Cahiers Alexandre Dumas and specializes in nineteenth-century French drama and works by Dumas.

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