5 reasons to read “The Three Musketeers”
Book review done right.
Warning: My book reviews are quite long. There is no short way to, convincingly, tell the world just how awesome a book really is. Or how useful in real-life.
People need to stop with the “reading books really improves one’s vocabulary” stuff. And the “that’s why we, collectively, should read more”. Not that it doesn’t. It so totally does. Reading improves vocabulary and has all kinds of health and cognitive benefits in the short and long run. For some unknown reasons, reading fiction books prolongs life by 2.5 years regardless of gender, geolocation, or material status. They actually did a 50 years’ long study in this. Mind you, the study specifically states it’s about books. Long form reading. Not articles. Not periodicals.
(Made a video here if you care to learn more with quotes and such: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEy2aORqVUw)
But. That’s not why people should read books. Or not the main ‘why’ people should read books, anyway.
Nobody tells point-blank: “Books are fun! Like incredibly fun. Like you’re in a 7D world where you take part in amazing actions happening to you, and outside you, in the same time.” It’s really THAT cool! It’s the ultimate virtual reality that happens all around you, without realizing it.
And, to quote master George R.R. Martin, while submerged in this incredible alternate reality, “[…] a reader lives a thousand lives”. With a thousand more emotions and thoughts. And actions. And decisions.
I, myself, have lived and won countless battles during my “reading life”. I have also lost countless battles too. Sometimes on the same page of the same battle. I was the main, righteous, character who was being doubled-crossed. And his enemies. And his friends. And myself looking from outside to the whole scene. All in the same time. I think it’s something that taught me (in the real life) to look at any problem from multiple angles to get the bigger picture.
I remember back when I was very small and couldn’t read. And I was seeing my bigger sister reading all the time. She just stared at “some writing” and, frequently, bursted into laughter. Not an illusional and ephemeral smile. She was filling the room with laughter. I was so puzzled by such magic.
That’s when I concluded. Reading must be really fun. Like laughing out loud fun. I must learn how to do it. So, yeah, maybe I was one of the lucky few who got just how entertaining it can be from a very “informal”, but very reliable teacher.
Oh, by the way, by books I mean really long formats. Eventually, but not limited, fiction formats.
Ok. Enough introduction. Maine take-away: reading is really, really, fun. And it takes really good care of your health.
Now, let me try to convince people to have this amazing experience with “The Three Musketeers”. A little background of where this is coming from. Aside from my extremely valid, previously made, points.
Such that it happens, lately, when I ask people if they read this awesome book, a frequent answer I get is: “I only read articles of my [insert field activity here]. I know what that book is all about. I saw the movie. It’s a waste of time for me to read it again. I prefer to read articles that help with my work instead.”
Ugghhhh…ok. But, knowing the plot of a book doesn’t mean knowing a whole book. Now, I have learned that, instead of me telling them precisely that, it’s easier to just make a movie analogy. So I ask which is their favorite movie. To no surprise here, they admit to seeing their favorite movie more than once. Although they knew the plot beforehand.
So, let me try to convince these (alleged) speciality-only-reading-articles types that “The Three Musketeers” can teach some very, extremely valuable real-life lessons. Sufficiently valuable to determine them to read the book. Even though they know its plot. Many times over, eventually.
- d’Artagnan was a real-life person who was indeed a musketeer involved in espionage. And he was kind of a hottie.
Although Alexandre Dumas has a reference to this in the very first pages of the book, few people actually know about the real inspiration for this hero.
In chapter II, the reader is introduced to the rivalry between the King’s musketeers and the Cardinal’s guards. This rivalry was constantly funneled by duel fights. Officially it was forbidden through edicts. Officially both the King and the Cardinal were abiding by the edicts. And punishing any duel between the two camps.
Unofficially though, the Cardinal, the King, the Cardinal’s guards and the musketeers, saw any duel as an occasion of bravery and blade skills. As such, fights among them were frequent and taken in stride.
Needless to say, when musketeers won, the King was very happy and teasing the Cardinal with the loss. And when the guards won, the Cardinal was pleased and teasing the King about it.
Right after this ample introduction, the author goes on like this : “[…] So, at least, say the memoires of a man who participated in some of their defeats and in many of their victories.”
These two lines are referring to the manuscript “Memoirs of Sir d’Artagnan, Lieutenant Captain of the first company of the King’s Musketeers, by Gatien de Courtilz de Sandras” who existed for real and was a main source of inspiration for Dumas.
However, these lines are coming shortly after the hero recovered from a terrible injury given to him in an unfair battle from the “unknown man” in Meung. Right after his encounter with the beautiful Milady. And his recommendation letter stolen. Immediately after his first-time arrival to Paris to get an audience to Tréville.
Really easy miss. Especially at the first 3 to 5 reads of the book.
2. Dumas makes the reader live in that period
Dumas, like any good writer, finds a way to, cunningly, introduce the “modern” us to a time so far back. A time of intrigues and conspiracies that actually existed. A time that shows us how the “old-school” espionage looked like. And what it took to not get caught and go directly to prison.
For instance, Dumas takes the reader to each and every musketeer’s house. Describing their habits and valets. All of which add personality layers to the characters.
Let’s take Porthos. Porthos changes the name of his valet to a more attention-grabbing one. Quote: “[…] whose pacific name of Boniface had been changed by his master into the infinitely more sonorous and bellicose Mousqueton.”
Porthos is the loud one. The one who likes to make people believe he’s more important and well-connected than he really is. I think, at some point in life, we all met with his type. So, it is natural for him to change his valet’s name.
Athos, who is always quiet and reserved has a valet who he trained not to speak at all. But rather guess from his master’s looks what he is supposed to do. And make it so. Their places also reflect characters traits that will be fully disclosed much later in the book.
Aramis, is the annoying one. You know the type that in the middle of a party, when everybody thinks they are going to enjoy it for a few more hours, breaks the crowd and leaves. So, Aramis makes up ridiculous excuses and leaves parties, ruining people’s mood.
Later in the book, the reasons of these annoyingly ditch-outs are fully revealed. And they are always related to a lady’s name. Very relevant to Aramis past and the reasons of him becoming a musketeer. To those who are acquainted with Aramis, they know his ultimate dream was of becoming a church Cardinal, if not Pope.
I can go on and on about how spectacular it is to live, even for a brief moment in the musketeers’ world. But, I do want to make other points in this article. So, on to the next one.
3. Sexy times explicit: love triangle becomes square
Here’s one to entice people who haven’t payed attention the first read. Or haven’t read it at all. Have you ever wondered about the sexy times people had back then? If you say no, you do not have the legal age to use this website.
So, the fictional d’Artagnan was quite the ladies man. He broke hearts left and right. Although he had a …main!?! love, madam Bonacieux, he would not say no to anything else.
For instance, at a time for him to find and rescue madam Bonaciuex, after being kidnapped a second time, here are his own admissions “[…] as he (d’Artagnan) said, he was ready to go to the world’s end to seek her. But the world has many ends, seeing that it’s round; so that he knew not which way to turn. In the meantime, he would endeavor to find out who Milady was.”
His undying love for Constance ends up like this: “I love dear Constance more than ever […] but I do not know; my researches have proved useless. What can I do? I must divert my mind.”
These consideration are part of a discussion between d’Artagnan and Athos. After listening to this, Athos replays with a remark not at all lacking in detached irony: “Madam Bonacieux is lost; so much worse for her; let her come back again.[..] Do so then with Milady.[..] I wish sincerely that it may amuse you.”
As such he diverts his mind by getting in bed with Milady. With no remorse over his other love. Many nights over, not just once. And, although, he claims he doesn’t love Milady, and that she is only a mean for him to find out more about Constance, he is always extremely attracted by her. And very, very jealous.
Think that’s enough? Not by far. Milady’s maid becomes in love with d’Artagnan. And get this. She falls for him during his night visits to her mistress. So she kind of knows what goes on inside Milady’s room. Eventually, she confesses her love to d’Artagnan. Now, here’s what happens next. For a short while, d’Artagnan has night visits to both women. He starts at Milady and then moves to her maid. The details of how such occurrence happened, I will not divulge here. Who wants to find out has but to read the book.
Oh, and, yeah, Milady also has another lover. Aside from d’Artagnan. One who she actually cares for. And who she wants killed by d’Artagnan. Hey, love is never simple.
So, can you guess how this “ménage à too many” ended?
4. D’Artagnan learns from his mistakes
Bet you didn’t see this one coming. Now, to me, this is still a lesson that I perform very badly at. And, judging by our history, apparently, learning from past mistakes is one tough nut to crack for most humans.
D’Artagnan does it. Repeatedly.
First time he meets Aramis, he almost fights with him in a duel because of a handkerchief he sees Aramis slip from his pocket. Aramis denies leaving it slip and gets really mad about it. D’Artagnan is sure of what he saw with his own eyes. They have an argument about it and decide to duel. Yes, back then, when people had differences they settled it by dueling instead of lawyering up.
Not long after, when he first meets her and saves her from her abductors, d’Artagnan sees the same handkerchief fall from Constance pocket. This time he learns his lesson. Like so: “[…] he discovers on the floor a fine cambric pocket handkerchief, which he picked up according to his wont, and on the corner of which he recognized the same cipher, which had nearly introduced Aramis and himself to cut each other’s throats. From that time he has been suspicious of all such handkerchiefs; so without saying anything he put it back into the pocket of Madame Bonacieux.”
Even more wise than this one, is the mistake d’Artagnan fixes with regard to Cardinal Richelieu’s appointment. Which brings us to our next point.
5. D’Artagnan knows how to refuse the most powerful man in France, without upsetting him
It’s kind of a given, for all characters in the book, that Cardinal Richelieu is the most powerful man in France. And the smartest. To have a point of reference, the King was but a puppet by comparison.
So, at some point, his eminence asks d’Artagnan to come to his palace and talk. D’Artagnan refuses because, well, the Cardinal! Shortly after, his first love, Constance, is abducted.
Follow a new set of adventures and d’Artagnan gets another letter from his eminence. Athos, Porthos and Aramis advise him, again, not to go. Because Cardinal Richelieu! Back then, such a meeting could have meant going in through the front door, and go out through the back door straight to Bastille prison. Never to be heard again. Hence repeated advices to not go.
To which, d’Artganan says to their friends: “Gentlemen,” replied d’Artagnan, “I had already received, through M. Cavois, a similar invitation from his eminence. I neglected to attend to it, and the next day a great misfortune befell me. Whatever may ensue from it, I will go.” The great misfortune is Constance’s disappearing.
So, this time around, he goes. And, fancy that! The Cardinal, instead of throwing him into the brig, proposes a JOB for d’Artagnan. Because, as mentioned in the beginning of this article, there was this rivalry between the Cardinal guards and the King’s musketeers. This constant competition meant having the best swordsmen in your team. And, by this point, d’Atganan did so many worthy fights, that the Cardinal is well aware of his skills.
Now. Here’s the catch. d’Artagnan wants to say yes. Because Cardinal Richelieu imposes respect and fear. But he does not want to leave and sort of betray his friends Athos, Porthos and Aramis.
So, how do you say no to Richelieu without his anger follow you everywhere? To be noted that, during this visit, his eminence proved to d’Artaganan that he knows each and every move he made since he arrived to Paris. And each and every enemy he made since he arrived to Paris. He offers his protection in return of him joining his service.
So, here is how d’Artagnan refuses such a powerful man:
“Your eminence is hundred times too good toward me, and I, in the contrary, think I have not yet done enough to be worthy of such goodness. The siege of la Rochelle is about to commence, monseigneur; I shall there serve under the eyes of your eminence, and should I have the happiness to conduct myself during the siege in a manner to deserve your notice, well then, I should at least have performed a service which would warrant the favor with which your eminence desires to honor me. Everything should be done at its proper time. Perhaps, hereafter, I may have the right to give my services, but now it would have the appearance of my having sold them.”
Although, afterwards, Athos says to d’Artagnan point blank that he shouldn’t have said no to the Cardinal, this answer, along with the whole conversation, is still a mastery of diplomacy. Because it’s not really a “No”. It’s a “Yes!” with the right timing. And a “Thank you for such amazing offer!”.
D’Artagnan manages to get out, safe, through the front door. And with the promise of another offer from his eminence, should he prove worthy enough during the siege.
Article finale
Please forgive any give aways from the book. I really tried my best to reveal as little as possible as to not spoil any first time reads. But, I had to give some bits and pieces to make my points. Again, apologies for such unholy reveals.
Still, you should know that, although, my article/review seems long and there are a few points mede here, I barely scratched the surface of how entertaining the whole book really is. For instance, I haven’t even mentioned how savory the dialogues are. All of them. See, for instance, the chapter where Richelieu interrogates Constance’s husband. Or the one where Athos gambles his valet. Divided in 10 equal parts. Or d’Artagnan first encounter with Porthos.
Lastly, I would like to conclude with asking my alleged article-type readers a few (rhetorical, of course!) questions:
- Have they seen, in any movie ever made on the topic, any of the details I presented throughout this article?
- Why do they think there are so many movies done after this book?
- And why, each movie is so different from one another?
Happy reading!
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All quotes are from an online version of the book found here: https://books.google.co.uk
