Chivalry Among Men in the Novel The Three Musketeers - Book Report/Review Example

 Chivalry Among Men in the Novel The Three Musketeers Chivalry is a term that is used often to refer broadly to the code of honor among such characters as the Knights of the Round Table and the Musketeers of Dumas fame, but few pay attention to what the term actually means. Growing out of the knighthood tradition, the way in which the term is used today is often synonymous with the term ‘knight’, but did not start off that way. “The term knighthood comes from the English word knight (from Old English cniht, boy, servant, cf. German Knecht) while chivalry comes from the French chevalerie, from chevalier or knight (Low Latin caballus for horse)” (Velde, 1996). Despite their difference in origin, the two terms referred so much to a similar class of soldiers with similar ideals in proper behavior and conduct that the terms can now be used almost interchangeably. However, the word ‘chivalry’ still works to connote more of the honor code that was held among these fighters, such as the duty to uphold one’s honor regardless of the cost and the charge to protect a woman’s honor to an even greater extent. The Catholic Encyclopedia offers the most complete definition of what the word came to mean by the time Dumas wrote his novel: “Chivalry … as an institution is to be considered from three points of view: the military, the social, and the religious” (Moeller, 2006). The ideals contained in these three areas can be traced throughout Alexandre Dumas’ novel The Three Musketeers through the characters of D’Artagnan, Athos, Porthos and Aramis. D’Artagnan At the very beginning of the novel, the concept of chivalry is introduced as a principle part of D’Artagnan’s upbringing as the reader is given a glimpse into the young man’s leave-taking of his parents. His father advises him, “At Court, if you ever go to Court, ... be honest and above board with everyone. Always remember your rank and carry on the tradition of good behaviour which your family has been true to for the past five hundred years. … Stand no nonsense from anyone but the King and the Cardinal. Remember, nowadays it’s only by personal courage that a man can get on in the world” (Dumas, 1982, p. 29). This speech sets the tone very early on by which D’Artagnan’s life is to be characterized. In all of his actions, he is expected to be truthful, honest, above board and courageous, repaying every insult given him with immediate and swift retaliation. It also becomes apparent during this speech that D’Artagnan is indeed of an ancestral line capable of attaining knighthood and is typical of the fighting men of the period in that he has little to no money of his own and must make his own way into the ranks of the elite. His impetuous pursuit to right imagined wrongs is seen as an indication of his youthful resolve to make a good name for himself rather than the actions of a boastful and insecure bully because it is completely in keeping with the code. “The pursuit of personal honor challenged the ruler's power, hence his honor; it threatened the welfare of the realm, as in the nobles' impetuous charge at Agincourt; and it destabilized the law and order of both prince and state. That’s what The Three Musketeers is about” (Weber, 1999). This practice of armed soldiers to go to arms to preserve made it necessary for minor princes and lords such as Monsieur de Treville to provide a more immediate father figure influence over these individuals as a means of keeping them in line through their duty to preserve the honor and good name of their master. Illustrating his natural inclination to chivalry, D’Artagnan proves over and over again his fidelity to the protection of a woman’s honor. The way in which he quickly falls in love with Madame Bonacieux at the time of their first meeting despite the fact that she’s married completely fits in with the chivalric tradition. After attacking the police who were questioning her and being thanked for his service, D’artagnon merely replies “I only did what any other man would have done in my place so you don’t owe me any thanks at all” (Dumas, 1982, p. 138). This statement reveals the depth of duty enforced by the code of chivalry within society to protect a woman’s honor whenever possible and regardless of the circumstances. After getting her away from the mousetrap, D’Artagnan whisks Madame Bonacieux away to hide at Athos’ house while he carries a message for her to the castle, but not before falling madly in love with her as was customary: “D’Artagnan bowed to Madame Bonacieux, giving her such a look of love that the heart of any woman less preoccupied with her own affairs than the little draper’s wife would have melted at once” (Dumas, 1982, p. 142). The fact that Madame Bonacieux is married only serves to play more into the chivalric tradition. “Under the influence of the romances love now became the mainspring of chivalry. As a consequence there arose a new type of chevalier, vowed to the service of some noble lady, who could even be another man’s wife” (Moeller, 2006). Even in his dealings with Milady, D’Artagnan seems incapable of overcoming his training. Her beautiful exterior and sweet words manage to convince D’Artagnan he is in love with her in the absence of Madame Bonacieux, even when he is presented with proof of the lady’s love for another in the form of a letter. Hiding in the maid’s closet, he overhears Milady tell Kitty, “Love him? I hate him! Why, the fool had Lord de Winter’s life in his hands and spared him, thereby losing me an income of three hundred thousand livres” (Dumas, 1982, p. 408). Despite hearing her plans regarding himself, D’Artagnan finds himself unable to resist her charms and instead ends up disgracing her as the ultimate sign of revenge against a woman. Athos Athos, as the oldest of the three musketeers who eventually befriend D’Artagnan, personifies many of the personal behavioral traits expected of a soldier following the chivalric code. According to Steen Jensen (1993), these personal characteristics can be broken down into five main attributes: courtesy, generosity, loyalty, consistency and franchise. “Franchise revolves around the bearing of a knight, that he should never forget himself, and should always carry himself as befits his station” (Jensen, 1993). Athos fulfills these characteristics in every respect. In his first appearance in the novel, he demonstrates both his loyalty and his consistency by appearing before Monsieur de Treville when called despite having suffered a dangerous wound in a dual that has made him almost too weak to stand. Even as his friends are making excuses for his absence, Athos appears in de Treville’s office, “’You sent for me, Sir,’ said Athos to his officer in a calm but rather weak voice. ‘The fellows outside told me you wanted me. So I’ve come to report. At your service, Sir, now as always!’” (Dumas, 1982, p. 57). His courtesy is demonstrated many times throughout the novel, but perhaps most surprisingly in his first duel with D’Artagnan, in which the two exchange polite concern for each other just before clashing swords with Athos even warning D’Artagnan that he is ambidextrous and can fight equally well with his left hand, thus giving up any advantage he might have had in the fight despite the injury to his right arm, “And don’t imagine I shall be letting you off lightly. I’m ambidextrous. In fact, it’ll probably put you off a bit; a left-hander’s always awkward to deal with, especially for beginners. I’m sorry. Perhaps I should have warned you earlier” (Dumas, 1982, p. 75). As the two men become friends, the generosity of Athos is brought more into the forefront of the relationship as he provides the musketeers with at least an equal portion of the support they need to keep themselves housed and fed. This generosity is best illustrated, though, when the question of the sapphire ring comes up. Although Athos recognizes it as the family heirloom he once gave to his treacherous wife, he refuses to reclaim it from D’Artagnan and instead makes the effort to first pawn it and then sell it, splitting the profits with D’Artagnan so the two men will have the funds necessary to purchase the equipment they will need for the upcoming campaign. In his constant practice of these four characteristics, as well as his training of his servant Grimaud to always remain silent, Athos fulfills the final personal characteristic of a chivalric soldier, that of franchise. Porthos Porthos represents the more prosaic condition of the musketeer in his dependence upon his lady to provide the support necessary to uphold his particular station in the service. “The career of a knight was costly, requiring personal means in keeping with the station; for a knight had to defray his own expenses in an age when the sovereign had neither treasury nor war budget at his disposal” (Moeller, 2006). Although this statement discusses the condition of the more medieval knight, the same was true for the musketeers in that they were required to supply their own equipment for their military campaigns. Not being independently wealthy and considering it beneath their station in life to participate in bourgeois commerce, Porthos, as did many of his compatriots, turned to the support of his mistress patron to provide for his needs with an almost brutal heartlessness. Madame Coquenard, while she eventually proved to have access to the funds Porthos needed, proved to also have a quite stingy husband who jealously guarded his cashbox with more care than he guarded his wife’s affections. This is demonstrated to great effect in the visit Porthos makes to the house for lunch and is served a paltry meal he considers so distasteful that he considers it a penance (p. 400). When the lady tried to economize the purchases that needed to be made for Porthos’ military equipment, the old yellow nag and donkey that had been sent to him were returned with disdain by that young man who then proceeded to treat his benefactress as if she had dealt him a mortal insult. “All that a man wounded in his pride can utter in the way of abuse and reproof was hurled at the unfortunate lady, who received her chastisement with bent head” (Dumas, 1982, p. 420). However, once Madame Coquenard relented and gave Porthos the money he needed to make his own purchases, he treated her with much better favor, making a special point to ride down her street in full dress and, upon his return from campaign and discovering her husband had died in his absence, consenting to marry her. Aramis The character of Aramis, another of the three musketeers reputed among the best in Monsieur de Treville’s elite unit, expresses the aspects of chivalry that relate to honesty even as he continues to ensure his lady’s honor remains intact. He is introduced alongside Porthos in the second chapter with a description that immediately sets him up as being the chivalric example of honesty and integrity. “He was a stout man, of about two- or three-and-twenty, with an open, ingenuous countenance, a black, mild eye, and cheeks rosy and downy as autumn peach” (Dumas, 1982, p. 50). Other than this innocent outer appearance, on which a great deal of character assessment was made in the chivalric age, Aramis’ integrity is immediately acknowledged to be above the average man by the speed with which the other musketeers are willing to take his word. After he nods to confirm his friend’s claims, the other soldiers cease to disbelieve Porthos’ assertion as to where he obtained his new baldric. This characteristic honesty directly appeals to the chivalric code. “The seventeenth century is when the word virtue begins its evolution toward what it means today, and when honesty, which in Middle English and early modern French was equivalent to honor (it had the same Latin root), starts to acquire the banal bourgeois meaning we accept today. In this view, honorability becomes respectability: a reputation for fair dealing, honoring your contracts, paying your debts” (Weber, 1999). It isn’t until later that it is revealed Aramis has long battled his conscious over whether he should remain a member of the military or join the church, but even this falls into line with the code of chivalry. “In chivalry, religion and the profession of arms were reconciled. This change in attitude on the part of the Church dates, according to some, from the Crusades, when Christian armies were for the first time devoted to a sacred purpose” (Moeller, 2006). Yet, even this battle stands as proof of his dedication to chivalry as the reason he is currently a military man was so as to exact retribution for a past insult before being forbidden to take up arms as a result of his religious vows. As has been discussed, the concept of defending one’s honor is among the most important aspects of the code. Aramis also exemplifies the aspect of the chivalric code that insists a lady’s honor must be defended at all costs in his discreet relationship with Madame de Chevreuse. Throughout the novel, it is difficult to link Aramis with the lady because of the care he takes to hide her identity from even his closest friends. There are only minor infrequent hints that Aramis may have a lady love and these are indeterminate at best. The first is upon D’Artagnan meeting Aramis in the street just before his duel with Athos. Trying to excuse himself from a conversation in which he realizes he is not welcome, he rescues the handkerchief he has seen fall from Aramis’ pocket and attempts to return it to him, prompting another duel appointment. However, as the story progresses, it becomes evident that handkerchiefs had been used throughout the city by various characters as a sort of password, so Aramis’ involvement with a lady is explained away. However, at that same time, D’Artagnan sees his own lady love use the handkerchief password to have a secret conversation with another woman staying inside Aramis’ home late one night, again indicating Aramis has a lady. When confronted with the idea that he had a woman in his apartment, though, Aramis’ reaction indicates his devotion to keeping her identity secret, first turning white at the discovery that someone might know of their tryst and even when D’Artagnan indicates he knows who she is, the lady’s name is never mentioned. Later in the story, when the men are on campaign and need the assistance of the Queen to save D’Artagnan’s love, Aramis even takes up correspondence with the lady without ever revealing her true identity to anyone. Conclusion Through the characters of D’Artagnan, Athos, Porthos and Aramis, Alexandre Dumas was able to eloquently capture the ideas of chivalry that had taken hold of society as it made its transition from the feudal organization of medieval times to the more modern society inclusive of the bourgeois middle class. These virtues included not only almost blind courage and strict dedication to the protection of an individual’s honor, but also a special attention given to protecting the honor of a lady as represented in D’Artagnan. However, personal characteristics such as courtesy, generosity, loyalty, commitment and franchise, which are expressed most eloquently through the character of Athos. The plight of the contemporary soldier in both maintaining this noble image and working for an employer who offers little to no pay is illustrated best in the character of Porthos, who turns to the chivalric code of accepting a lady’s favor by redefining ‘favor’ to mean financial support. Finally, Aramis exemplifies the ideals of honesty and integrity in the code of chivalry as well as the careful blending of religion and military even as he, also, depends upon a lady’s favor in the knightly tradition. Outline I. Introduction a. History of term Chivalry b. Definition of Chivalry c. Thesis statement - These ideals can be traced throughout Alexandre Dumas’ novel The Three Musketeers through the characters of D’Artagnan, Athos, Porthos and Aramis. II. D’Artagnon a. Defense of his own honor b. Defense of the honor of women III. Athos a. Exemplifies personal conduct of the chivalric code i. Courtesy ii. Generosity iii. Loyalty iv. Consistency v. Franchise IV. Porthos a. Dependence on his lady’s favor V. Aramis a. Pious leanings as a hint of integrity b. Defense of the honor of women VI. Conclusion a. Summation of how well each character fits into the definition of Chivalry Works Cited Dumas, Alexandre. The Three Musketeers. London: Penguin Books, 1982. Jensen, Steen. “Chivalry.” Chronique. Vol. 7, 1993. September 11, 2006 < http://www.chronique.com/> Moeller, C.H. “Chivalry.” The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 2006. September 11, 2006 < http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03691a.htm> Velde, Francois. “Knighthood and Chivalry.” (September 1996). Knighthood. September 11, 2006 Weber, Eugen. “The Ups and Downs of Honor.” The American Scholar. Vol. 68, N. 1, Fall 1999. September 11, 2006 Read More