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Three
Musketeers
Exceptionally famous and inspiring not only two
sequels but Hollywood and television adaptations, Dumas’
novel The Three Musketeers - published 1844-5 - remains extremely
popular and influential to this day. It is the story of a young
Gascon gentleman, D’Artagnan, who sets out to Paris with
only an old horse, his father’s letter of recommendation
to the head of the King’s Musketeers and a recipe for a miracle
wound-healing salve. Although D’Artagnan loses the letter
and sells the horse he is allowed entrance into the Musketeers
but must wait an interminably long time to join in full. During
this time he tactlessly insults three of the musketeers who challenge
him to duels at hourly intervals the next day which he attends
showing great courage. When they are warned by the Cardinal’s
Guards of a law against duelling the musketeers and D’Artagnan
join together and easily defeat their provocateurs. The youth
is accepted into Athos, Porthos and Aramis’ ranks and they
become inseparable friends despite the three musketeers’
faults of melancholy, pride and religious hypocrisy respectively.
We learn of the rivalry between the king, Louis XIII and Cardinal
Richelieu - the strongest man in the kingdom. The story follows
the four friends’ heroism even in saving an Englishman (Buckingham)
and acting valiantly at every opportunity until we learn whether
or not D’Artagnan will become a true musketeer.
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