For Bob: My swashbuckling dear friend, and bestest supporter...merci pour tout!
One of the highest rated books of the Parisian Niche book club to date has been "The Three Musketeers" by Alexandre Dumas. Together, we discovered his takes on the themes of friendship and loyalty, honor, class and power, past secrets, seduction, and romance - all paired with riveting sword fighting and swashbuckler swag. It was an absolutely un-put-downable read. Let's take a P'Niche peek to learn more about this most gifted story teller...
Alexandre Dumas' lineage is complex and rich. His father, Thomas-Alexandre Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie, was the son of Marquis Alexandre Antoine Davy de la Pailleterie, of French nobility. His mother, Marie-Cessette Dumas, was an enslaved woman of African descent. Born into slavery, Dumas' father took him to France (where slavery was already abolished) for his education and military service. His path to France warrants its own telling, so do subscribe to Parisian Niche and we will share this history soon...
Our Thomas-Alexandre Dumas fought diligently in the French Revolution and was the first black man to be elevated to the role of colonel in Europe. Soon after, at the age of 30, he married Marie-Louise Labouret. Several sisters were born before Alexandre's birth in 1802.
With ancestral ties in the French nobility, young Alexandre was able to secure work first with Louis Philippe, Duc d'Orléans.
It was during this time that Dumas took to writing articles for news journals and magazines as well as theatrical plays. His first play, published when Dumas was 27 years old, was called "Henry III and His Court." It received much acclaim, as did his second play, "Christine." With these two "hits" he was able to work full time on his writing and story telling.
He married Ida Ferrier in 1840. Hold that thought...
What came next was a string of the finest writing of novels ever composed. In fact, even for their time, Dumas' works were mostly considered historical fiction - still a most popular genre of books today.
Often times working with others, such as August Maquet, storied scenes were written in melodramatic tones, sometimes lacking in their historical accuracy, with a heavier focus on the complex psychology and humanity of the characters therein.
Dumas' concentration was set on creating an exciting tale, one that could capture our imaginations and take us to (typically) 16th and 17th century France.
Both "The Three Musketeers" and "The Count of Monte Cristo" (P'Niche's fave!) were released in 1844, to glorious reviews. All for one...
One of Dumas' most known, but also lesser known works, was published in 1844 - "The Tale of the Nutcracker."
"Now wait a minute, silly P'Niche," I hear you cry!
Of course P'Niche is aware that "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" was originally written by Prussian author, Theodore Amadeus Hoffmann, in 1816.
However, Dumas' adaptation is what we recognize today. Translated from Dumas' French into English, it gained momentum, and in 1890s, the story was adapted into a ballet, which debuted at the St Petersburg Imperial theatre in 1892, with the incredibly famous orchestral score by Tchaikovsky. Now you know!
What does one do with all the bank one makes from these glorious tales? One buys a castle, names it Le Château de Monte Cristo, and parties hard. Hard.
Oui, you can visit this château, just outside of Paris. Psst - more on that very soon!
Part of those partying ways included...well, we did tell you he loved to talk about love and seduction...
While Dumas did remain married to Ida Ferrier until her passing in 1859, he had mistresses... and lots of them.
In fact, one scholar, Claude Schopp, counts as many as 40 mistresses! I mean, with his way of words and a château, P'Niche would prolly be swept off her feet as well.
With at least 4 illegitimate children to claim, perhaps the most well known is Alexandre Dumas fils (meaning son), who was born to Marie-Laure-Catherine Labay. He became a successful novelist and playwright to his own credit.
Spending tons of money on women, lavish parties, and yes, smoking up with friends like Victor Hugo, Charles Baudelaire, Gerard de Nerval, Eugène Delacroix and Honoré de Balzac (all members of the Club des Hashischins), Dumas had a ball.
Can you even imagine the conversations these rivals and friends had?!
Sadly, Dumas' partying lifestyle caught up him, and so did the debt collectors. Bills had to be cleared and so, the château was stripped of its lush glories.
For his part, Victor Hugo was exiled from France, and Dumas placed himself in Brussels. Talk about Les Miserables!
Three years later, Dumas retuned to Paris and launched a new journal called Le Mousquetaire, which was met with great acclaim, but not much revenue.
Not learning much from his previous experience, Dumas began his bohemian outlook on life and love again. He really began to let himself go, but tried to hide this fact and his lifestyle from his son.
Dumas' next novel, about the Prussian takeover of Frankfurt in 1866 was considered a failure.
Perhaps eating his way through some sadness, Dumas saw the silver lining and creating a new path for himself - as a cook.
His extensive global travels and his sampling of the food in all of the countries he had visited gave him credibility in the kitchen and he was able to successfully cook anything - even creating a Dictionary of Cuisine.
His posh banquets became legendary again, but left him exhausted in the winter of his years. Living from day to day, he would often repeat “tout passe, tout lasse, tout casse!” meaning: everything passes, everything bores, everything breaks.
The end of Dumas' life saw his passing in 1870 at his son's home in Puys, France. In 2002, he was moved to the Panthéon in Paris, with French President Chirac stating "Alexandre Dumas will finally take his place beside Victor Hugo and Émile Zola, his brothers in literature."
His final and unfinished work was found, finished, and published by Claude Schopp in 2005 and is called "The Knight of Sainte-Hermine." What an absolute treasure!
Heading to Paris and want some more Dumas? Great!
Aside from his château, you can see a great statue to Dumas' honor. Make sure to walk all around it, 360 degrees, so you see D'Artagnan forever guarding his creative friend.
Pl. du Général Catroux, 75017
Métro: Malsherbes
In addition to his tomb in le Panthéon,
Pl. du Panthéon, 75005
Métro: Cardinal Lemoine,
You can also see this gorgeous Art Nouveau (by Hector Guimard) métro station dedicated to Alexandre Dumas on the #2 Line at the intersection of the rue de Chaconne with the rue de Bagnolet.
Still planning your Parisian adventures? Why not check out:
Hôtel Monte Cristo
20-22 Rue Pascal, 75005
Métro: Les Gobelins
This property is a 4 star homage to what the great writer's home might look like if he were still alive, writing (and partying) today. The hotel has a great bar, too!
What do you think, P'Nicher? Ready to dust off those Dumas books you have in your "to read pile" and collection, or ready to visit some of his Parisian haunts? Let us know in the comments below et à bientôt!
Holy Chats. I did not know he wrote the Nutcracker that we all know and love. You are quite a scholar, Chrissy, and you make learning fun! Merci beaucoup!
Debra
I officially want to visit the Château de Monte-Cristo!