The Forgotten Fourth Musketeer: Why D’Artagnan Deserves More Recognition

Ranuka Dharmaratne
4 min readSep 1, 2023
(Dreamstime, 2022)

The Three Musketeers, written by Alexandre Dumas, is a classic tale of adventure, friendship, and loyalty set in 17th century France. The story follows the lives of four young men — Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and less famous D’Artagnan — as they fight for justice and defend the honor of the queen. While these three musketeers are well-known and popular characters, the fourth musketeer — D’Artagnan — is often overlooked and considered to be less important or significant than the other three.

However, this is a great injustice to D’Artagnan, who is a brave, loyal, and skilled musketeer in his own right. He is the main protagonist of the story, and it is through his actions and decisions that the events of the novel unfold. He is also a skilled swordsman and fighter, and proves himself to be a valuable ally to the other musketeers on many occasions.

In addition, D’Artagnan is a complex and well-rounded character, with his own goals, motivations, and personal struggles. He is not simply a sidekick or a supporting character, but an integral part of the story and the bond of friendship between the four musketeers.

Another reason that D’Artagnan may be seen as less popular or important than the other three musketeers is because he is the youngest and least experienced of the…

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Ranuka Dharmaratne

I'm a writer, dreamer, and adventurer, always seeking out new experiences and stories to share. Follow me as I explore the world and discover new perspectives