Athos, Porthos, and Aramis

i had read the book 'Three Musketeers' several years ago and saw a movie based on this book this week-end. Whenever the movie sticked to what was in the book, it was very appealing. Whenever it deviated from the book it was not so much fun, at least for me.

I think everyone who likes action thrillers should read the book. The curious thing about this book, as compared to for instance, 'The Da Vinci code' is that the characters are not cut out of cardboard--they have depth and one feels as if one would recognize Athos, Porthos, Aramis, or D'Artagnan if one meets and converses with them. The same cannot be said for Robert Langdon (the protagonist in 'The Da Vinci code' and some other Dan Brown books) who is pretty much a cardboard character which is sad because i thought there was a lot of potential for developing his character.

Rashmun wrote:i had read the book 'Three Musketeers' several years ago and saw a movie based on this book this week-end. Whenever the movie sticked to what was in the book, it was very appealing. Whenever it deviated from the book it was not so much fun, at least for me.

I think everyone who likes action thrillers should read the book. The curious thing about this book, as compared to for instance, 'The Da Vinci code' is that the characters are not cut out of cardboard--they have depth and one feels as if one would recognize Athos, Porthos, Aramis, or D'Artagnan if one meets and converses with them. The same cannot be said for Robert Langdon (the protagonist in 'The Da Vinci code' and some other Dan Brown books) who is pretty much a cardboard character which is sad because i thought there was a lot of potential for developing his character.

i haven't read the book, but i've watched at least one movie based on the novel. i may also have watched the man in the iron mask, another novel by dumas.

it's always a great thrill to watch movies with swashbuckling heroes, especially if the story includes political intrigue, romance, and adventure. i relived the adventures of odysseus, king arthur and his knights, robin hood and his merry men, and d'artagnan and the three musketeers when my son was growing up. he - my son - could often be found in helmet and armour, and heavily armed with sword and shield.

did you know that alexandre dumas was part african? i think one of his grandparents was haitian, and possibly a slave. his father was a general in napoleon's army.

WillyNilly wrote:

Rashmun wrote:i had read the book 'Three Musketeers' several years ago and saw a movie based on this book this week-end. Whenever the movie sticked to what was in the book, it was very appealing. Whenever it deviated from the book it was not so much fun, at least for me.

I think everyone who likes action thrillers should read the book. The curious thing about this book, as compared to for instance, 'The Da Vinci code' is that the characters are not cut out of cardboard--they have depth and one feels as if one would recognize Athos, Porthos, Aramis, or D'Artagnan if one meets and converses with them. The same cannot be said for Robert Langdon (the protagonist in 'The Da Vinci code' and some other Dan Brown books) who is pretty much a cardboard character which is sad because i thought there was a lot of potential for developing his character.

i haven't read the book, but i've watched at least one movie based on the novel. i may also have watched the man in the iron mask, another novel by dumas.

it's always a great thrill to watch movies with swashbuckling heroes, especially if the story includes political intrigue, romance, and adventure. i relived the adventures of odysseus, king arthur and his knights, robin hood and his merry men, and d'artagnan and the three musketeers when my son was growing up. he - my son - could often be found in helmet and armour, and heavily armed with sword and shield.

did you know that alexandre dumas was part african? i think one of his grandparents was haitian, and possibly a slave. his father was a general in napoleon's army.

yes, i knew that dumas was part african. dumas himself was said to have been something of a swordsman at the time he wrote his stories. it is said that he would talk and laugh (while talking) with his characters as he would write about them. while he led a swashbuckling and romantic life, i think he died in penury.

the other thing about the d'artagan stories is that they are historical romances with characters straight out of history. Athos, Porthos, and Aramis actually existed at the time in history in which Dumas's story takes place as Dumas himself explains in his introduction to 'Three Musketeers'.

When reading Dumas the translator you choose is very important. I would recommend the Lowell Bair translation (published by bantam books).