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| d'Artagnon and his three chums…. |
Alexandre Dumas is the author whose book 'The Three Musketeers' subverts the reputation of the historical cardinal-duc de Richelieu. Dumas' famous fizzing narrative needs a pantomime villain to serve the story and the cardinal-duc's portrayal fits right into this purpose. And so popular is the book that few consider if his machiavellian and cynical portrayal was really deserved. Another picture emerges if one reads any balanced historical text: the real Richelieu was machiavellian sometimes, but on other occasions quite visionary for his time and the turbulent context of the early 17th century.
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| Alexandre Dumas in 1855 author of The Three Musketeers |
Dumas has, of course, done a great favour to the little town of Richelieu, even if he links its creation the that 'literary stinker', the devious Armand-Jean du Plessis.
Better some publicity and reputation than none!
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| The Dumas memorial by Gustave Doré |
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| d'Artagnan in a Van Dyke pose... limbs akimbo, 'to occupy space' |
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| A first edition of Les Trois Mousquetaires of 1844 at auction |
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