Written by the Nineteenth century French novelist Alexandre Dumas, The Three
Musketeers traces the turbulent life of a young Gascon boy called D’Artagnan
and his adventures with Athos, Porthos and Aramis, the musketeers of the title.
Set in the turmoil of Seventeenth century France amidst political intrigue,
cloak and dagger love trysts, forbidden duels, infinite wit, style and courage;
with the three musketeers our flesh and blood embodiments of all these elements.
These three are strongly characterised, so no danger of our confusing Athos
with Porthos, or Aramis with either. Athos is reserved, sardonic, not given
to talking, prone to melancholy and driven to alcohol. Porthos is loud, flamboyant,
a womaniser and joker in the pack. Aramis is intelligent, serious, a learned
man taken by theology and a churchman at heart, probably the least likely
musketeer of the trio. All three act for the good of the whole and together
form the perfect musketeer. Athos the head, Porthos the heart, Aramis the
soul.
As for D’Artagnan, he is a young passionate man with a fine sword arm,
albeit a little awkward. When we first encounter him in the early stages of
the play he is insufficient in character, full of hot blood and thin skin;
he needs the musketeers to give him shape, maturity, wholeness. During the
course of the play he learns many lessons and journeys through real baptisms
of fire to develop from boy to man and ultimately to musketeer. In D’Artagnan,
the three musketeers become one, in him lie the future hopes of the musketeers
and their chance at immortality.
