Name: Tony Chen
Course: 3B/4A SABB
Teacher: Mrs. Parker
Date: 2-1-2013
The Three Musketeers : Story of four brave man
The Three Musketeers (1844) by Alexandre Dumas is a story about
friendship, politics, and vengeance. This story takes place in 17th century France
during the reign of Louis XIII. The protagonist D’Artagnan is a young man from a
small town who went to Paris to become a musketeer. He is a brave, ambitious, and
deceitful character. In Paris, he made close friends, became entangled in the politics
of the day, and emerged stronger for it.
D’Artagnan, a Gascon scarcely twenty years old, left for Paris to attempt to
gain a position in life. On his way to Paris, D’Artagnan stopped at Meung where he
got injured in a fight and have his letter of introduction stolen. After his recovery, he
managed to make it to Paris with no further event.
After he arrived at Paris, M. de Treville, the captain of the musketeers. Due to
D’Artagnan’s lack of a letter of introduction, so he was secured with a low position.
M. de Essarts told D’Artagnan that he could join the Musketeers after a certain trial
period or after performing a great act of heroism. Right after the interview
D’Artagnan offended three musketeers, Aramis, Porthos, and Athos—who and
accepted to fight a duel with D’Artagnan. “I do not cling to life sufficiently to fear
death.” (74) This is a quote that was said when they were fighting off the guards.
One of the cardinal’s guards threatens to arrest them because there is a law
in which says there is no dueling inside the town. D’Artagnan and the musketeers
join forces and drove the guards away. Then, D’Artagnan becomes friends with the
three musketeers. Their friendship helped their progress of mission and tough
situations. This is an example “And now gentlemen, all for one, one for all - that is
our motto, is it not?” (234)
King Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu are in authority in France, each
struggling to gain absolute power. As a result conflicts emerge that will lead to the
progress of France. France was constantly in external conflicts with England and in
internal conflicts with the Huguenots that provoked war against the Catholics and
even the King, but never against the Cardinal.
Lady de Winter, a double spy who were ordered to steal the twelve diamonds
from the queen and blame it all on Buckingham, who at the time was an enemy of
France, did not do what she was ordered, because she was on his side. When the
queen found out about this she ordered her maid to tell D’Artagnan to help her
retrieve the diamonds and faces the most dangerous spy of the Cardinal. When
D’Artagnan ask his friends if they will help him, their friends answered, “Besides we
are men, and after all it is our business to risk our lives. We’re in”. (116)
“One for All, and All for One” This is what the musketeers always say. This
stands for ‘All the members of a group support each of the individual members, and
the individual members pledge to support the group’. After only a short time in
Paris, the young Gascon has changed, from being a country boy to being a power to
be reckoned with in the King's Musketeers.
I think the moral of this story is that friendship is very important though out
your life, without friends it will be incredibly hard to do something big on your own.