Alexandre Dumas

Alexandre Dumas (24 July 1802 – 5 December 1870)简介Dumas' paternal grandparents were Marquis Alexandre-Antoine Davy de la Pailleterie, a French nobleman Their son, Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, married Marie-Louise Élisabeth Labouret, the daughter of an innkeeper. Thomas-Alexandre, then a general in Napoleon's army, fell out of favor and the family was impoverished when Dumas was born.Thomas-Alexandre died in 1806. His widow was unable to provide her son with much of an education, but Dumas read everything he could obtain. His mother's stories of his father's bravery during the years of Napoleon I of France inspired Dumas' vivid imagination for adventure. Although poor, the family had their father's distinguished reputation and aristocratic position. In 1822, 20-year old Alexandre Dumas moved to Paris, where he worked at the Palais Royal in the office of Louis Philippe, Duke of Orleans.事业Although best known now as a novelist, Dumas first earned fame as a dramatist. While in Paris, Dumas began writing for magazines and plays for the theater. His first play was the first of the great Romantic historical dramas produced on the Paris stage, Henry III and His Courts, was produced in 1829, and was met with acclaim. The next year his second play, Christine, was equally popular, and he was financially able to write full-time. After writing more successful plays, he turned his efforts to novels. These two novels were known best for people, the Count of Monte Cristo and the Three Musketeers,as well as to several of Dumas' other novels.He is absorbed in creating works, before he finished the musketeers, one day a friend visited his home, at that moment, Dumas was crying by himself, the friend didn’t know why he was crying? 45 minutes passed away, he couldn’t bear waiting. So he interrupted Dumas and asked him why, with the development of story, one of these musketeers must be died, he didn’t want to see his favorite musketeers killed by his own pen.奢侈的品性和混乱的私生活( the character of luxury and private life )（奢侈）Dumas' writing earned him a great deal of money, but Dumas was frequently insolvent as a result of spending lavishly on women and sumptuous living. The large Château de Monte-Cristo that he built wasoften filled with strangers and acquaintances taking advantage of his generosity.埋葬管家的故事：a friend came to his home and needed 50 franc to bury his one butler, dumas gave him 100 francs and said: to bury two butlers.Personal life.On 1 February 1840 he married actress Ida Ferrier but continued with his numerous liaisons with other women, fathering at least four illegitimate children. One of those children, a son named after him, whose mother was Marie-Laure-Catherine (1794—1868), a dressmaker, would follow in his footsteps, also becoming a successful novelist and playwright. Because of their same name and occupation, the father is often referred to as Alexandre Dumas, père, and the son as Alexandre Dumas, fils.Despite Alexandre Dumas' success and aristocratic background, his being of mixed race affected him all his life. In 1843 he wrote a short novel, Georges, that addressed some of the issues of race and the effects of colonialism. He once remarked to a man who insulted him about his mixed-race background: there is an interesting conversation between Balzac and Dumas.Balzac: when I used up my talents, I would begin writing drama.Dumas : now you can begin.Balzac: what about your family?Dumas :"My father was a mulatto, my grandfather was a Negro, and my great-grandfather a monkey. You see, Sir, my family starts where yours ends."One more thing dumas like eating, so he looks very fat.三个火枪手The Three Musketeers first serialized in March–July 1844. Set in the 17th century, it recounts the adventures of a young man named d'Artagnan after he leaves home to travel to Paris, to join the Musketeers of the Guard. D'Artagnan is not one of the musketeers of the title; those are his friends Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, inseparable friends who live by the motto "all forone, one for all" . The story of d'Artagnan is continued in Twenty Years After and The Vicomte of Bragelonne: Ten Years Later. Thosethree novels by Dumas are together known as the d'Artagnan Romances.The poor d'Artagnan travels to Paris to join the Musketeers. Hesuffers misadventure and is challenged to a duel by each of threemusketeers (Athos, Aramis and Porthos). Attacked by theCardinal's guards, the four unite and escape.The French queen give a particular piece of jewelry to herparamour, the Duke of Buckingham. The Cardinal learns of thisand coaxes the French king to hold a ball where the queen mustwear the jewelry; its absence will reveal her infidelity. Thefour companions retrieve the jewelry from England.The Cardinal kidnaps Constance(克莱蔓婷) who is later rescued by the queen. D'Artagnan meets Milady and discovers she is a felon, the ex-wife of Athos and the widow of Count de Winter. The Cardinal recruits Milady to kill Buckingham, also granting her a hand-written pardon for the future killing of d'Artagnan. Athos learns of this, takes the pardon but is unable to warn Buckingham. He sends word to Lord de Winter that Milady is arriving; Lord de Winter arrests her on suspicion of killing Count de Winter, his brother.She seduces her guard, who then assassinates Lord Buckingham, and escapes to the monastery in France where the queen secreted Constance. Milady kills Constance. The four companions arrive and Athos identifies her as a multiple murderess. She is tried and beheaded.On the road, d'Artagnan is arrested. Taken before the Cardinal, d'Artagnan relates recent events and gets the Cardinal's pardon. Impressed, the Cardinal offers him a blank musketeer officer's commission. D'Artagnan's friends refuse the commission, each retiring to a new life, telling himto take it himself, and so he takes it and later on he becomes a well known lieutenant.小仲马At the early time of writing, it’s hard for Alexandre Dumas Fils to achieve other’s appreciating. His father once said: if you want to become better, you just do one thing, writing down this sentence when you contributes to the publishing house—my father is Alexandre Dumas. La Traviata"茶花女But Alexandre Dumas Fils answered in a serious voice: I don’t want to pick apples sitting on your shoulders, it doesn’t taste well. So at the end, Alexandre Dumas use this sentence to describe how he appreciates his son, the works I most proud is Alexandre Dumas Fils in all my life.From the relationship between Alexandre Dumas Fils and Alexandre Dumas we can learn a important lesson, whatever we are poor or rich, we should rely on our own hands. God help those who help themselves. Nowadays, if the rich second generation can learn this lesson from Alexandre Dumas Fils , our society will be better.至理名言：All human wisdom is summed up in these two words, -- `Waitand hope.From the Count of Monte Cristo.。