Interest in the novels of A. Dumas the father (1802–1870) does not fade largely due to his characters. They are full of an active, energetic and cheerful attitude towards reality, which they dynamically and tirelessly transform. Noble Count de La Fer, with all his melancholy, never hesitates if his friends need help.
About the author and his works
The trilogy about the musketeers was written from 1844 to 1850. These three works are loved by readers thanks to the intrigue, which keeps in suspense, sparkling dialogs and the characters of the main characters who are faithful to the noble code of honor and their friendship. In addition, not only fictional persons act in them, but also historical characters. The musketeers in all novels are opposed to the nobles, who are characterized by arrogance, cunning and soullessness.
The very first novel “Three Musketeers” was immediately shown by A. Dumas as a master who knows how to present history in the form of colorful action, filled with stormy intrigues, duels, conspiracies, built on the contrasts of good and evil. The trilogy covers a significant period in the history of France from 1625 to the time when the monarchy of Louis XIV unleashed a war in Holland, seizing foreign lands. We will turn our attention to the ideal nobleman, such as Athos, Count de La Fer.
The environment of Mr. Athos
Mysterious Athos, melancholy, immersed in his thoughts, serves in the regiment of the royal musketeers. His real name is known only to Mr. de Treville. Everyone is very respectful of Athos, not only because he knows his sword perfectly, but also because he has undoubted nobleness. It manifests itself in every gesture, in any word or deed. At the very beginning of the novel, the seriously wounded Athos appears at the direction of his boss to receive him. He, immaculately dressed, fit, with a firm gait, enters the study, and Mr. de Treville joyfully rushes to him, shaking his hand tightly. No one understood how Athos feels bad: he had such restraint when he arrived at the regiment, doing his duty. Therefore, when after a stormy greeting he faints, everyone is amazed. Porthos and Aramis carefully carry Athos in their arms, and they are followed by a healer.
It should be emphasized that the friendship of these young people, very different in nature, carries respect for each other and active participation in joint affairs. Mr. Athos is older than his friends, he is about thirty years old, and he treats them with special patronage, which no one disputes. He will especially highlight the young Mr. DʹArtanyan when, after a misunderstanding, he is recognized by his friend as an inseparable trinity.
How Mr. Athos took part in common affairs
In the first part of the novel, when DʹArtagnan goes to England to save the queen from inevitable shame, if she does not have diamond pendants at the ball, Count de La Fer, whom no one else knows by that name, invites friends to accompany and protect their young friend without delving into the essence of the commission. It is entrusted to DʹArtanyan and should remain his secret. Unconditional trust between friends is the basis of their relationship. Later, in the second part, after listening to the conversation of Cardinal Richelieu and milady, the count shows, as always, incredible restraint and self-control and takes away from his ex-wife, whom he considered dead, a document signed by the cardinal and giving her the right to destroy D'Artagnan, whom she hates at any time. The count calmly puts a gun to her forehead and promises to shoot within one or two seconds. Countess Winter is well aware that no tricks of seduction will help her cope with the iron character of her former spouse, and with anger gives away such an important paper.
Graph Name Analysis
The name Athos is spelled in French as Athos. Which is consonant with the name of Mount Athos in Greece. Therefore, when instead of DʹArtanyan, he consciously goes to the Bastille and behaves in it completely independently and calmly, then in the 13th chapter the commissar of the Bastille nervously shouts: “Yes, this is not a man, but some kind of mountain!” The names of all the musketeers Dumas borrowed from the book of Sandra, and they puzzled the writer. Athos, Porthos and Aramis actually existed.
From scarce information it is known that Athos was born in the province of Bearn. He had a great command of the sword and died in 1643, most likely after one of the duels, as his body was found near the market of Pre-au-Clair, a favorite place for duelists. In addition, when Dumas worked on this image, it is suggested that he had in mind his friend Mr. Adolf Leuven. He was a Swedish count and fatherly raised young Dumas. Their friendship continued throughout the life of the writer.
Portrait, external image of the Count de la Fer
The writer briefly outlines Athos: "He was beautiful in body and soul."
Once again, in passing, he mentions graceful white hands, which, unlike Aramis, he did not particularly care for. At the time the action began, he was about 30 years old, twenty years later he himself spoke of his age - 49 years old, and in the last part of the trilogy he was already 61 years old.
Speech characteristic
The Count’s speech is always very concise, and he speaks out only on business. He speaks a better language than the eloquent Aramis. Athos happened to correct the incorrectly applied temporary verbs of his friend. It is clear from the text that he received a very good education and freely, with a grin, understands Latin, which Aramis often uses. The Count de La Fer is so laconic that he taught his servant Grimaud to communicate with him only in signs, without using speech. In noisy companies, he prefers to be silent. Everyone is used to these oddities and perceives them as an integral character trait. The Count de La Fer was very distinguished from the musketeers, who were much less sophisticated in comparison with him.
In which apartment did Athos live?
The hero rented two modest rooms on Feru Street near the Luxembourg Gardens. He had three objects, which he greatly valued. Firstly, the sword hanging on the wall, belonging to the time of Francis I. It is richly decorated, especially the hilt, with precious stones. Secondly, he had a ceremonial portrait of a nobleman in an elegant suit of the era of Henry III with the order of St. Spirit on the chest. Athos was like him. Their common features indicated that this noble gentleman was the ancestor of a simple musketeer. Thirdly, he had a casket of amazing jewelry work, on which the same coat of arms was applied as on the portrait and sword.
Self-control and endurance of the graph
When the time came for the musketeers and DArtanyan to gather in La Rochelle, not one had the money for uniforms. Athos, Count of La Fer, did not fuss. He lay down on the bed and said that the money would come to him themselves.
They came in the form of a family sapphire ring surrounded by diamonds, which once belonged to him, but he gave it on the night of love. This ring was shown to the Count Guardsman D'Artagnan, who received it from Lady Winter. Friends sold it, and divided the money equally. So they prepared for a military campaign.
Acquaintance with the life of Athos
DʹArtagnan learned about Athos' previous life by chance. He freed his friend from the wine cellar, where he spent two weeks in voluntary detention. Continuous consumption of wine made Athos more talkative, and he told his young friend the story of his marriage to a beauty who turned out to be a thief with a stigma on his shoulder. The Count de La Fer did not hesitate for a long time and hung her, believing that she was dead, went to serve the king as a simple musketeer. But, as it turned out later, this clever person got out and remained alive.
Her names were Anna Bayle, Buckson Charlotte, Lady Winter. The Count de La Fer found all this out before instituting judgment on her and handing him over to the executioner. Finally, the criminal who killed her husband, Count Winter, who killed Madame Bonacieux, the naive Protestant Felton and the young monk, is dead forever. There she is dear. But not so simple.
The book "The word in defense of Count da La Fer" K. Costin
According to readers, it is long and rather boring. It consists mainly of reasoning, which then and then turns the story of how the count hanged his wife when he saw a stamp on her shoulder. After the time spent reading it, only one consolation is consoling: in The Word in Defense of the Count de La Fer, the author nevertheless justifies the count and considers his action to be correct. It is not clear why it was necessary to spend so many words to make a banal conclusion. Milady was introduced to us by the author. She was for him the embodiment of absolute evil. Dumas was convinced of this. What other evidence is required?
The meeting of D'Artagnan and Cardinal Richelieu
The cardinal calmly reacted to the death of the dangerous Lady Winter. He gave a patent for the rank of lieutenant to a young man, saying that he can enter any name in it. With a patent, DArtagnan hurried to Athos, but he refused this rank, saying: "This is too little for Count de La Fer."
How Athos has changed since his retirement
Having received the inheritance, the count went to his ancestral castle Brazhelon. He completely changed, raising a foster son. The count stopped drinking and became a role model for a growing child. The son of the Count de la Fer revived him to life, with him his tormented soul rejuvenated. He could not give him his title. However, he did not leave him a commoner. The title of Raul, the son of Count de la Fer - Viscount de Brazhelon.
He grew up in a simple but elegant atmosphere with family portraits, stamped silverware and became a copy of his noble father: a handsome young man who is not ashamed to represent his mother, the Duchess de Chevreuse, in high society. The young man was brought up according to all the laws of honor that can be found in the novel and which are characteristic of his father: directness, endurance, composure, protection of the weak. Young Chevalier is true to this word. He will not tolerate humiliation of his dignity from anyone and is able to support a friend, show mercy to a defeated enemy, knows how to keep secrets, and is always ready to fulfill his duty.
Attitude to Athos of other characters
According to the author, the count is the ideal of a nobleman and a role model. He does not tolerate even the slightest humiliation, is faithful to the word of honor, knows how to keep secrets, both his own and others, always supports his comrades, ready for sacrifice in the name of duty.
The enemies respect him, and the cunning and curious DʹArtanyan simply worships, realizing that he will never achieve Athos' aristocratic behavior even in small things. Aramis and Porthos, who tacitly acknowledge his superiority, are also subject to his influence. He immediately puts into the background the discharged Porthos with his elegance, taking only a step in a simple musketeer's cloak and throwing his head back. No one better than him knows how to arrange dinner and seat guests. Athos is generous: without a soul, he, after a duel with the English in the inn, gives the purse to the defeated servants, but not his own, but the English. With this noble act, he defeats everyone, and the French, and their opponents.
Evaluation of the novel and its heroes by contemporaries of Dumas and in our time
The feuilleton novel was published in chapters that ended in the most interesting places. Readers were looking forward to the next issue of the newspaper. This kept them in suspense and became one of the reasons for the popularity of the novel. Intrigues and political events (the execution of Charles I, the King of England) draw attention to the Dumas trilogy. The unfading images of the heroes are the attraction of the works of Dumas today, among which Athos, Count de La Fer, stands out in particular.