"Heart and Pride" by Rayn M

                                             

            The Three Musketeers is a classic piece, written in 1844 by french author Alexandre Dumas. The story was originally published by Le Siècle, but is now public domain for everyone to access.

The story follows d’Artagnan, a young, hot headed man in the provinces of France eager to make a name for himself. With the advice and gifts given to him by his parents, d’Artagnan begins his way to Paris in order to join the ranks of the musketeers— An elite group of soldiers that act directly in accordance with the king and queen's safety. On the way there, his easily irritable nature gets the best of him and he loses the letter of recommendation his father provided him. Still full of heart, the journey onwards was smooth sailing until his arrival at Paris. There he gets his first encounters of musketeers, before meeting inside to meet the man in charge— M. De Treville.The interview begins, with it being cut short upon the arrival of some of our most important characters and the namesake of the book— The Three Musketeers Athos, Porthos and Aramis. With his interview botched, he soon after quarrels with all the musketeers separately to find them all amused and embarrassed by the coincidence and sparking the start of their companionship as they let bygones be bygones.

Romanticism is commonly imbued within the writing of Dumas throughout the book through various means. Characters are very passionate and emotional, and with characters such as d’Artagnan, it tends to cloud their reason and brings about new issues to address. This extends into the brotherhood developed between d’Artagnan and the three musketeers, best defined by their iconic quote, “All for one, one for all.” Loyalty to one another as they embrace hardships shows their devotion and shows vulnerability that transcends time.

Another principle of romanticism implemented is the idea of honor and heroism. The three musketeers and d’Artagnan are prideful, and nearly immediately upon meeting did they all challenge each other to a duel in order to preserve their dignity. Although these duels were eventually dropped, honor is still pursued, though whether or not it is preserved in the end of the book is up to interpretation.

The main character serves as a typical representative of the romantic genre. d’Artagnan is a hero full of passion and honor, but finds himself going in the wrong direction as his priorities get mixed up. The contrast between his initial goal and the conclusion of the novel creates a slight sense of tragedy, since many of the efforts at first seem to have been for no reason at all. This moral fall from grace creates a sense of intrigue in the young Gaston as he is followed throughout the book. The development of d’Artagnan feels natural throughout, as while he still holds his principles  dearly, he has to shed some of that idealism as he comes to terms with what he wants and what he must do in order to earn it, keeping the story relatively grounded.

Dumas writing throughout the book holds many elements of romanticism, with events of grandeur and emotional moments but still keeps the story feeling grounded and believable through the development of the characters and the grounded setting. The mixture of romanticism and believability add to the allure of reading as it gives the reader a sense of greater drama than what exists in reality while still maintaining it’s historical integrity. This is most present in his characters, as they best try to embody their honor and pride and find themselves conflicted when their desires contrast their integrity and goals. Dumas’ effectiveness in representing this turmoil as they continue through their journey helps to make the story as captivating and interesting as it is.
            For my personal opinion of the book, I think it is a great read for anyone who loves a fast paced and action packed journey. The thing that would scare anyone away the most would be the sheer amount of length the passage has, and that was especially daunting when I first picked it up. I believe that it’s earned its right as a classic, though in some terms do I think it’s lacking. Personally, the lack of symbolism within the story takes away from me since it doesn’t leave a lot to think about when you put the book down. The symbolism of brotherhood has become rather common within pieces of literature I have read, so it has become jaded as a concept whenever it is a central theme within a piece. Disregarding my own perspective though, it has appeal for literary technique and thought along with simple rules of cool that’ll keep you drawn in as you read through the book, and would definitely recommend this to anyone who is willing to put in the commitment.