Alexandre Dumas

Alexandre Dumas[1†]

Alexandre Dumas, also known as Alexandre Dumas père, was a French novelist and playwright, born as Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie on July 24, 1802[1†][2†]. He is one of the most widely read French authors, with his works having been translated into many languages[1†]. His historical novels of adventure, including “The Three Musketeers” and “The Count of Monte Cristo”, were originally published as serials[1†]. Since the early 20th century, his novels have been adapted into nearly 200 films[1†].

Dumas began his career by writing plays, which were successfully produced from the first[1†][2†]. He wrote numerous magazine articles and travel books; his published works totalled 100,000 pages[1†]. In the 1840s, Dumas founded the Théâtre Historique in Paris[1†].

His father, General Thomas-Alexandre Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie, was born in the French colony of Saint-Domingue (present-day Haiti) to Alexandre Antoine Davy de la Pailleterie, a French nobleman, and Marie-Cessette Dumas, an African slave[1†][3†]. At age 14, Thomas-Alexandre was taken by his father to France, where he was educated in a military academy and entered the military for what became an illustrious career[1†].

Alexandre Dumas passed away on December 5, 1870[1†][2†]. His legacy continues to live on through his prolific works and the impact they have had on literature[1†][2†].

Early Years and Education

Alexandre Dumas was born as Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie on July 24, 1802[4†][2†]. He was the son of Marie-Louise and Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, a French Army General who served in the French Revolutionary Wars[4†][2†]. His father, born out of wedlock to the Marquis de La Pailleterie and Marie Cessette Dumas, a black slave of Santo Domingo, assumed the name Dumas in 1786[4†][2†]. He later became a general in Napoleon’s army[4†][2†]. However, the family fell on hard times after General Dumas’s death in 1806[4†][2†].

Dumas’s father died of cancer when Alexandre was only four years old[4†][5†]. His mother, unable to afford an elite education for her son, could not send him to school[4†][5†]. Despite this, the young Dumas was a voracious reader and taught himself Spanish[4†]. His profound interest in historical events was kindled by the stories his mother told of his father’s bravery during the French Wars[4†].

At the age of 20, Dumas moved to Paris and managed to obtain a post in the household of the Duke d’Orléans, the future King Louis-Philippe[4†][2†][1†]. During this time, he also began writing articles and plays[4†].

Career Development and Achievements

Alexandre Dumas began his career by writing plays, which were successfully produced from the first[1†]. His plays, when judged from a modern viewpoint, are crude, brash, and melodramatic, but they were received with rapture in the late 1820s and early 1830s[1†][2†]. His play “Henri III et sa cour” (1829) portrayed the French Renaissance in garish colours[1†][2†]. “Napoléon Bonaparte” (1831) played its part in making a legend of the recently dead emperor[1†][2†]. In “Antony” (1831), Dumas brought a contemporary drama of adultery and honour to the stage[1†][2†].

Dumas then turned his attention to the historical novel, often working with collaborators, especially Auguste Maquet[1†][2†]. Many of his historical novels of adventure were originally published as serials, including “The Count of Monte Cristo”, “The Three Musketeers”, “Twenty Years After” and "The Vicomte of Bragelonne: Ten Years Later"[1†]. Since the early 20th century, his novels have been adapted into nearly 200 films[1†].

In the 1840s, Dumas founded the Théâtre Historique in Paris[1†]. He wrote numerous magazine articles and travel books; his published works totalled 100,000 pages[1†]. Decades later, after the election of Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte in 1851, Dumas fell from favour and left France for Belgium, where he stayed for several years[1†]. He moved to Russia for a few years and then to Italy[1†]. In 1861, he founded and published the newspaper L’Indépendent, which supported Italian unification[1†]. He returned to Paris in 1864[1†].

First Publication of His Main Works

Alexandre Dumas’s first novel, “La Comtesse de Salisbury”, was published serially from July to September 1836 and later as a single volume in 1839[6†]. However, he is best known for his historical novels of adventure, many of which were originally published as serials[6†][1†]. Here are some of his main works:

• “The Three Musketeers” (1844)[6†][7†]: This is one of Dumas’s most famous and enduring works. It tells the story of d’Artagnan, a young man who travels to Paris to join the Musketeers of the Guard, and his three friends: Athos, Porthos, and Aramis.
• “The Red Sphinx” (1844)[6†][7†]: Also known as “The Comte de Moret”, it is a sequel to “The Three Musketeers”. The novel explores the political and social events in France during the reign of Louis XIII.
• “Twenty Years After” (1845)[6†][7†]: This is a sequel to “The Three Musketeers” and follows the adventures of the four friends twenty years after the events of the original novel.
• “Louise de La Vallière” (1845)[6†][7†]: This novel is part of the Marie Antoinette romances and focuses on the life of Louise de La Vallière, a mistress of Louis XIV.
• “The Vicomte de Bragelonne” (1847)[6†][7†]: Often divided into three parts, this novel covers the final adventures of the Musketeers. The last part is commonly known as “The Man in the Iron Mask”.
• “The Man in the Iron Mask” (1850)[6†][7†]: This novel concludes the adventures of the four Musketeers and reveals the secret of the man in the iron mask.

Analysis and Evaluation

Alexandre Dumas, père, wrote a large number of historical novels, achieving great fame in 1844 with the publication of “The Three Musketeers” and the beginning episodes of the serialized "The Count of Monte-Cristo"[8†]. His novels grew out of his great interest in the history of France[8†]. Throughout his career, he published historical accounts, including two larger historical compilations, “Gaule et France” in 1833 and the important “Chroniques de France”, which began in 1836[8†].

Dumas’s dramatic career was meteoric[8†]. While still in his twenties, he wrote two plays that helped to revolutionize the drama of Paris, and within a few more years, he produced some of the most popular plays of the entire century[8†]. Before he wrote “Henry III and His Court” in 1829, Dumas was virtually unknown; within hours of the final curtain of this historical drama, he was the sensation of Paris and was being lauded as the champion of the French Romantics[8†].

Two years later, Dumas duplicated his previous success and inspired new controversy with “Antony”, the first modern drama[8†]. In this story of adulterous passions, period costuming was replaced by modern dress, and the setting, language, and characterization were all contemporary[8†]. “Antony” was a dramatic triumph for Dumas, but its attack on the social values of the age caused furious controversy that lasted for years[8†].

Dumas’s works, especially “The Count of Monte Cristo” and “The Three Musketeers”, are known for their love, adventure, vengeance, and exotic locales[8†][9†]. These works are his most lasting contributions to literature[8†][9†].

Personal Life

Alexandre Dumas was known for his vibrant personal life as much as his literary work[6†][10†]. He married Ida Ferrier in 1840[6†][11†]. Despite his marriage, Dumas had numerous love affairs and fathered several children[6†][10†][11†]. His extravagant lifestyle often led him into financial troubles[6†][10†].

Historians believe that Dumas had nearly 40 mistresses and fathered anywhere from four to seven children in his lifetime[6†][11†]. However, Dumas only acknowledged one son, also named Alexandre Dumas, who became a celebrated author in his own right[6†][11†].

Despite his immense success, Dumas faced discrimination because of his African heritage[6†][10†]. As a man of mixed race in a predominantly white country, he was subjected to racism throughout his life[6†]. Due to France’s political upheavals during his lifetime, he even went into voluntary exile for a time[6†].

Conclusion and Legacy

Alexandre Dumas, despite facing racial discrimination throughout his life, left an indelible mark on French and world literature[6†]. His works, particularly “The Three Musketeers” and “The Count of Monte Cristo”, have been translated into many languages and adapted into nearly 200 films[6†]. His stories of adventure, love, and vengeance continue to captivate readers around the world[6†][12†].

Dumas’s life was as vibrant and eventful as his novels[6†]. He was known for his extravagant lifestyle, which often led him into financial troubles[6†]. Despite these challenges, Dumas maintained a prodigious output of literary works[6†].

His works have been regarded as a component of the French patrimony, helping to crystallize a distinct national identity[6†][13†]. Dumas’s “Drama of France”, which sought to depict French history from the early modern period to his era as climaxing in a destined republic, is particularly noteworthy[6†][13†].

Upon his death, Dumas left behind his wife Ida Ferrier and four known children from four women who were among his 40 mistresses at the time[6†][14†]. Despite his personal trials and tribulations, Dumas’s legacy lives on in many ways besides his contribution to literature and film[6†][14†].

Dumas died after suffering from a stroke in 1870[6†][11†]. It is believed that he may have contracted syphilis at some point in his life, and that the disease may have contributed to his death[6†][11†]. Despite these challenges, Dumas’s works have endured long after loftier works have faded into obscurity[6†][11†].

Key Information

• Also Known As: Alexandre Dumas père[2†][1†]
• Born: July 24, 1802, Villers-Cotterêts, Aisne, France[2†][1†]
• Died: December 5, 1870, Puys, near Dieppe[2†][1†]
• Nationality: French[2†][1†]
• Occupation: Novelist, playwright[2†][1†]
• Notable Works: “The Three Musketeers” (1844), “The Count of Monte Cristo” (1844–1845)[2†][1†]
• Notable Achievements: Dumas’s works have been translated into many languages and he is one of the most widely read French authors[2†][1†]. His novels have been adapted into nearly 200 films[2†][1†].

References and Citations:

1. Wikipedia (English) - Alexandre Dumas [website] - link
2. Britannica - Alexandre Dumas, père: French author [1802–1870] [website] - link
3. Britannica - Thomas-Alexandre Dumas: French general [1762–1806] [website] - link
4. The Famous People - Alexandre Dumas Biography [website] - link
5. Britannica Kids - Alexandre Dumas [website] - link
6. The Collector - Alexandre Dumas: The Life & Legacy of a Great Novelist [website] - link
7. Book Series - Alexandre Dumas Books In Publication & Chronological Order [website] - link
8. eNotes - Alexandre Dumas Analysis [website] - link
9. LitCharts - The Count of Monte Cristo Study Guide [website] - link
10. Victorian Era - Alexandre Dumas Biography [website] - link
11. ThoughtCo - The Life of Alexandre Dumas, Classic Adventure Writer [website] - link
12. Britannica - The Count of Monte Cristo: novel by Dumas [website] - link
13. Cambridge Scholars Publishing - Alexandre Dumas as a French Symbol since 1870: All for One and One for All in a Global France [website] - link
14. Face2Face Africa - The rise and fall of Alexandre Dumas, the black author who ruled European literature in the 1800s [website] - link