Father and son Dumas: a factory of novels. Alexander the Younger Dumas biography The Great French Revolution

Early creativity

His mother, Catherine Labé, was a simple Parisian worker, from whom Dumas inherited a love for a neat and calm lifestyle, which so sharply distinguished him from the purely bohemian nature of his father. Having severed his connection with the meek, unassuming grisette, Dumas the father legitimized his son and gave him a good upbringing. From the age of 18, Dumas the son began to write poems in periodicals; in 1847 his first collection of poetry, Péchés de jeunesse (Sins of Youth) appeared; it was followed by a number of small stories and short stories, which were partly influenced by his father (“Aventures de quatre femmes et d’un perroquet” (“The Adventures of Four Women and a Parrot”), “Le Docteur Servans” (“Doctor Servan”), “ Cesarine", "Le Roman d'une femme", "Trois hommes forts" etc.), and then more original novels and stories: "Diane de Lys", "Un paquet de lettres", "La dame aux perles", “Un cas de rupture”, etc.

"Lady with Camellias"

Dumas' talent was fully realized only when he moved on to psychological dramas. In them he touched upon pressing issues of social and family life and solved them in his own way, with courage and talent that made each of his plays a public event. The series of these brilliant dramas “à thèse” (“ideological”, “tendentious” plays) was opened by “La Dame aux Camélias” (written originally in the form of a novel), presented for the first time on stage in 1852 after the author’s persistent struggle with censorship, which did not allow performance the play as too immoral.

In “The Lady of the Camellias,” Dumas acted as a defender of “lost but lovely creatures” and made of his heroine, Marguerite Gautier, the ideal of a woman who loved to the point of self-sacrifice, standing incomparably above the world that condemned her. The prototype for Marguerite was Marie Duplessis.

The opera “La Traviata” by Giuseppe Verdi was created based on the plot of “Ladies of the Camellias”.

Other plays. Characteristics of dramaturgy

In many of these plays, Dumas is not just a writer of everyday life and a psychologist exploring phenomena mental life their heroes; At the same time, he is a moralist, attacking prejudices and establishing his own code of morality. He studies cleanly practical issues morality, raises questions about the situation of illegitimate children, the need for divorce, free marriage, the sanctity of the family, the role of money in modern social relations, and so on. By his brilliant defense of this or that principle, Dumas undoubtedly gives great interest to his plays; but the preconceived idea with which he approaches his plots sometimes harms the aesthetic side of his dramas. They remain serious, however. works of art thanks to the genuine sincerity of the author and some truly poetic, deeply conceived figures - Marguerite Gautier, Marceline Delaunay and others. Having published a collection of his dramas (1868-1879) with prefaces clearly emphasizing their main ideas, Dumas continued to write for the stage. Of his later plays, the most famous are: “Princesse de Bagdad” (1881), “Denise” (1885), “Francillon” (1887); in addition, he wrote “Comtesse Romani” in collaboration with Fuld (under the common pseudonym G. de Jalin), “Les Danicheff” - with P. Corvin (signed R. Nevsky).

Journalism

Dumas also developed the social issues he addressed in his dramas in novels (“Affaire Clémenceau”) and polemical pamphlets. Of the latter, the pamphlet “Man-Woman: Reply to Henri d’Ideville” (fr. L"homme-femme, réponse à M. Henri d"Ideville ; ), associated with a murder that attracted widespread public attention: a young aristocrat found his wife in the arms of her lover, after which he beat her with such force that she died three days later; diplomat and publicist Henri d'Ideville published an article on this matter in the newspaper about the need to forgive a woman for betrayal and help her return to the right path, and in response to this article Dumas published a 177-page pamphlet in which he argued that it is possible to kill a cheating wife and should .

Family, children

Illegitimate daughter from a relationship with Nadezhda Ivanovna Naryshkina (1827 - 04/2/1895) (nee Knorring):

Maria Alexandrina Henrietta (11/20/1860-1934) - adopted 12/31/1864

The marriage with Naryshkina (December 31, 1864) was concluded after the death of her first husband:

Daughter Jeannine (05/03/1867-1943) married to de Hauterive.

Second marriage (06/26/1895) with Henriette Escalier (née Rainier).

Notes

Literature

A. Maurois. Three Dumas // Collection. op., vol. 1 - 2. - M.: Press, 1992. - ISBN 5-253-00560-9

Links

Categories:

Personalities in alphabetical order
Writers by alphabet
Born on July 27
Born in 1824
Born in Paris
Deaths on November 27
Died in 1895
Deaths in Ile-de-France
Deceased in Marly-le-Rouet
Alexander Dumas son
Alexandre Dumas
Playwrights of France
Members of the French Academy
Graduates of the Chaptal Lyceum
Illegitimate offspring of French aristocrats

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See what “Dumas, Alexander (son)” is in other dictionaries:

DUMA Alexander (son)- DUMA Alexander (1824 95), French writer(Dumas son). The novel (1848) and the play of the same name (1852) “The Lady of the Camellias” (opera by G. Verdi (see Giuseppe VERDI) “La Traviata”). Family plays ("The Illegitimate Son", 1858; "Claude's Wife", 1873) are noted... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary

Dumas Alexander (son)- (Alexandre Dumas fils) son of Alexander D. (see), famous French playwright, member of the French Academy. Genus. in 1824. His mother was a simple Parisian worker, from whom D. inherited a love for a neat and calm lifestyle, so... ...

Dumas, Alexander (son)- I (Alexandre Dumas fils) son of the previous one, famous French playwright, member of the French. acd. Genus. in 1824. His mother was a simple Parisian worker, from whom D. inherited a love for a neat and calm lifestyle, which so sharply distinguishes... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

Dumas Alexander (son) (addition to article)- (Alexandre Dumas fils) French playwright; died November 27, 1895... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

Dumas A. son- DUMA Alexander, junior (Dumas son) (Alexandre Dumas, dit Dumas fils, 1824 1895) son famous writer Alexandre Dumas the Elder (Dumas father). He began his literary career with a volume of poetry “Peches de jeunesse” (1847). Author of a number of novels: “Histoire... Literary encyclopedia

Dumas A. (son)- DUMA Alexandre (182495), French. writer (D. son). Novel (1848) and the same name. play (1852) The Lady of the Camellias (opera by G. Verdi La Traviata). Family plays (The Illegitimate Son, 1858; Claude's Wife, 1873) are marked by moralizing... Biographical Dictionary

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The opera “La Traviata” by Giuseppe Verdi was created based on the plot of “Ladies of the Camellias”.

Other plays. Characteristics of dramaturgy

The first drama was followed by: “Diane de Lys” (1851), “Demi-Monde” (1855), “The Money Question / Question d’argent” (1857), “ Illegitimate son/ Fils Naturel" (1858), "The Prodigal Father / Père Prodigue" (1859), "Friend of Women / Ami des femmes" (1864), "The Views of Madame Aubray / Les Idées de m-me Aubray" (1867), "The Princess Georges / Princesse Georges" (1871), "The Wedding Guest" (1871), "Claudius's Wife / La femme de Claude" (1873), "Mr. Alphonse / Monsieur Alphonse" (1873), "L'Etrangère" (1876).

In many of these plays, Alexander Dumas is not just a writer of everyday life and a psychologist exploring the phenomena of the mental life of his heroes; At the same time, he is a moralist, attacking prejudices and establishing his own code of morality. He deals with purely practical issues of morality, raising questions about the situation of illegitimate children, the need for divorce, free marriage, the sanctity of the family, the role of money in modern social relations, and so on. By his brilliant defense of this or that principle, Dumas undoubtedly gives great interest to his plays; but the preconceived idea with which he approaches his plots sometimes harms the aesthetic side of his dramas. They remain, however, serious works of art thanks to the genuine sincerity of the author and some truly poetic, deeply conceived figures - Marguerite Gautier, Marceline Delaunay and others. Having published a collection of his dramas (1868-1879) with prefaces clearly emphasizing their main ideas, Dumas continued to write for the stage. Of his later plays, the most famous are: “Princesse de Bagdad” (1881), “Denise” (1885), “Francillon” (1887); in addition, he wrote “Comtesse Romani” in collaboration with Fould (under the common pseudonym G. de Jalin), “Les Danicheff” - with P. Corwin (signed R. Nevsky), “Marquis de Vilmer” (1862, with Georges Sand , gave her rights). The plays “The New Estates” and “The Theban Road” remained unfinished (1895).

Journalism

Dumas also developed the social issues he addressed in his dramas in novels (“The Clemenceau Case / Affaire Clémenceau”) and polemical pamphlets. Of the latter, the pamphlet “Man-Woman: Reply to Henri d’Ideville” (fr. L"homme-femme, réponse à M. Henri d"Ideville ; ), associated with a murder that attracted widespread public attention: a young aristocrat found his wife in the arms of her lover, after which he beat her with such force that she died three days later; diplomat and publicist Henri d'Ideville published an article on this matter in the newspaper about the need to forgive a woman for betrayal and help her return to the right path, and in response to this article Dumas published a 177-page pamphlet in which he argued that it is possible to kill a cheating wife and should .

He touched on significant social problems in his speeches-brochures: “Letters on the topic of the day” (Lettres sur les choses du jour), 1871, “Kill her” (Tue-la), “Women who kill and women who vote” (Les femmes qui tuent et les femmes qui votent), "Recherches de la paternite" in 1883, pamphlet "Divorce" (Le divorce).

Other works

Collection of poems “Sins of Youth” (1847).
The story “The Adventures of 4 Women and a Parrot” (1847)
Historical novel "Tristan the Red"
The story "Regent Mustel".
Novel “The Lady with Pearls” (1852).
Novel “The Clemenceau Case” (1866).
"Doctor Servans" (Le Docteur Servans)
“One Woman’s Romance” (Le Roman d’une femme)

Personal life

From a premarital relationship in 1851 with Nadezhda Ivanovna Naryshkina (11/19/1825 - 04/2/1895) (nee Baroness Knorring), he had a daughter: Maria Alexandrina-Henrietta (11/20/1860-11/17/1907). Officially adopted on December 31, 1864 during her marriage to Naryshkina, concluded after the death of her first husband. Second daughter Jeannine (05/03/1867-1943) married to de Hauterives.

Second marriage (06/26/1895) with Henriette Escalier (née Rainier, 1864-1934), with whom he maintained contact from April 13, 1887.

Mistresses

Louise Pradier (1843)
Alphonsine Plessis (Marie Duplessis) (1844-45)
Anaïs Liévenne (1845)
Madame Dalvain (1849).
Lydia Zakrevskaya-Nesselrode (1850-51).
Ottilie Gendley-Flagot (1881).

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Notes

Literature

A. Maurois. Three Dumas // Collection. op., vol. 1 - 2. - M.: Press, 1992. - ISBN 5-253-00560-9

Excerpt characterizing Dumas, Alexander (son)

The wind ruffled her wondrous golden hair in the darkness, surrounding her fragile body with a halo of Light. Terrible bloody tears, still flowing on her pale cheeks, made her completely unrecognizable... Something like a formidable Priestess...
Magdalene called... Wringing her hands behind her head, she called her Gods again and again. She called the Fathers who had just lost their wonderful Son... She couldn’t give up so easily... She wanted to bring Radomir back at any cost. Even if you are not destined to communicate with him. She wanted him to live... no matter what.

But the night passed and nothing changed. His essence spoke to her, but she stood there, deadened, hearing nothing, only endlessly calling on the Fathers... She still did not give up.
Finally, when it was getting light outside, a bright golden glow suddenly appeared in the room - as if a thousand suns were shining in it at the same time! And in this glow, a tall, higher than usual, appeared at the very entrance. human figure...Magdalena immediately realized that it was the one whom she had so vehemently and stubbornly called on all night...
“Get up, Joyful One!” the newcomer said in a deep voice. – This is no longer your world. You lived out your life in it. I'll show you yours new way. Get up, Radomir!..
“Thank you, Father...” Magdalena, who stood next to him, quietly whispered. - Thank you for listening to me!
The elder peered long and carefully at the fragile woman standing in front of him. Then he suddenly smiled brightly and said very affectionately:
- It’s hard for you, sad one!.. It’s scary... Forgive me, daughter, I’ll take your Radomir. It is not his destiny to be here anymore. His fate will be different now. You yourself wished for it...
Magdalena just nodded at him, showing that she understood. She could not speak, her strength was almost leaving her. It was necessary to somehow withstand these last, most difficult moments for her... And then she would still have enough time to grieve for what was lost. The main thing was that HE lived. And everything else was not so important.
A surprised exclamation was heard - Radomir stood, looking around, not understanding what was happening. He did not yet know that he already had a different destiny, NOT EARTHLY... And he did not understand why he still lived, although he definitely remembered that the executioners had done their job superbly...

“Farewell, my Joy...” Magdalena whispered quietly. - Farewell, my dear. I will fulfill your will. Just live... And I will always be with you.
The golden light flashed brightly again, but now for some reason it was already outside. Following him, Radomir slowly walked out the door...
Everything around was so familiar!.. But even feeling absolutely alive again, Radomir for some reason knew that this was no longer his world... And only one thing in this old world still remained real for him - it was his wife. .. His beloved Magdalene....
“I’ll come back to you... I’ll definitely come back to you...” Radomir whispered to himself very quietly. A whiteman hung over his head with a huge “umbrella”...
Bathed in the rays of golden radiance, Radomir slowly but confidently moved after the sparkling Old Man. Just before leaving, he suddenly turned around to last time to see her... To take her with me amazing image. Magdalena felt a dizzying warmth. It seemed that in this last look Radomir was sending her all that he had accumulated for their for many years love!.. Sent it to her so that she would also remember it.
She closed her eyes, wanting to endure... Wanting to appear calm to him. And when I opened it, it was all over...
Radomir left...
The earth lost him, turning out to be unworthy of him.
He stepped into his new, still unfamiliar life, leaving Maria Debt and children... Leaving her soul wounded and lonely, but still just as loving and just as resilient.
Taking a deep breath, Magdalena stood up. She simply didn’t have time to grieve yet. She knew that the Knights of the Temple would soon come for Radomir to betray his deceased body to the Holy Fire, thereby escorting his pure Soul to Eternity.

The first, of course, to appear was John... His face was calm and joyful. But Magdalena read sincere sympathy in her deep gray eyes.
– I am very grateful to you, Maria... I know how hard it was for you to let him go. Forgive us all, honey...
“No... you don’t know, Father... And no one knows this...” Magdalena quietly whispered, choking on tears. – But thank you for your participation... Please tell Mother Mary that HE is gone... That HE is alive... I will come to her as soon as the pain subsides a little. Tell everyone that HE LIVES...
Magdalena couldn't stand it anymore. She no longer had human strength. Falling straight to the ground, she burst into tears loudly, like a child...
I looked at Anna - she stood petrified. And tears ran in rivulets down his stern young face.
– How could they allow this to happen?! Why didn't they all work together to convince him? This is so wrong, mom!.. – Anna exclaimed, looking at Sever and me indignantly.
She still, like a child, uncompromisingly demanded answers to everything. Although, to be honest, I also believed that they should have prevented the death of Radomir... His friends... The Knights of the Temple... Magdalene. But how could we judge from afar what was right for everyone then?.. I just really wanted to see HIM as a human being! Just as I wanted to see Magdalene alive...
This is probably why I never liked to dive into the past. Since the past could not be changed (at least, I could not do this), and no one could be warned about the impending trouble or danger. The past was just the PAST, when everything good or bad had already happened to someone long ago, and all I could do was observe someone’s good or bad life.
And then I saw Magdalene again, now sitting alone on the night shore of the calm southern sea. Small light waves gently washed her bare feet, quietly whispering something about the past... Magdalena looked intently at the huge green stone, lying calmly in her palm, and was thinking about something very seriously. A man silently approached from behind. Turning sharply, Magdalena immediately smiled:
- When will you stop scaring me, Radanushka? And you are still just as sad! You promised me!.. Why be sad if HE is alive?..
- I don’t believe you, sister! – Radan said, smiling tenderly and sadly.
It was just him, still as handsome and strong. Only in extinct blue eyes Now the former joy and happiness no longer lived, but a black, ineradicable melancholy nested in them...
“I can’t believe you’ve come to terms with this, Maria!” We had to save him, despite his wishes! Later I myself would understand how much I was mistaken!.. I can’t forgive myself! – Radan exclaimed in his hearts.
Apparently, the pain from the loss of his brother was firmly lodged in his kind, loving heart, poisoning the coming days with irreparable sadness.
“Stop it, Radanushka, don’t open the wound...” Magdalena whispered quietly. “Here, take a better look at what your brother left me... What Radomir told us all to keep.”
Stretching out her hand, Maria opened the Key of the Gods...
It began to open again slowly, majestically, striking the imagination of Radan, who, like a small child, watched in amazement, unable to tear himself away from the unfolding beauty, unable to utter a word.
– Radomir ordered us to protect him at the cost of our lives... Even at the cost of his children. This is the Key of our Gods, Radanushka. Treasure of the Mind... He has no equal on Earth. Yes, I think, and far beyond the Earth... - Magdalena said sadly. “We’ll all go to the Valley of the Magicians.” We will teach there... New world We will build, Radanushka. Bright and Kind World... – and after a slight pause, she added. - Do you think we can handle it?

(estimates: 4 , average: 3,50 out of 5)

Name: Alexandre Dumas
Birthday: July 24, 1802
Place of birth: Ville-Cotterets (Aisne department, France)
Date of death: December 5, 1870
Place of death: Puy, near Dieppe (Seine-Maritime department)

Biography of Alexandre Dumas

Alexandre Dumas (father) is a famous French writer. He became very popular all over the world thanks to his adventure novels. He also proved himself to be a good specialist in the field of drama and journalism. He has a son, also named Alexander, who has also built a fairly successful literary career.

Alexandre Dumas was born in a small town near Paris. His father was a famous cavalry general in Napoleonic's army. His grandmother was black, so he was a Quaternon.

Dumas's father died in 1806. After this, the family experienced a very difficult time due to lack of money. His mother did not have money for the education of the future writer, so the boy educated himself and read a lot of books.

Dumas spent his youth in his hometown. He had a close friend who often visited theaters. It was he who instilled in Dumas the love and desire to become a playwright. In 1822, the young man moved to Paris. His father had connections there, and it was thanks to them that he got a job in the office of the Duke of Orleans. Here Dumas begins to receive an education.

Izn
Initially, Alexandre Dumas worked on plays, vaudevilles and articles for magazines. His first vaudeville, “The Hunt for Love,” was immediately staged, which greatly inspired the writer, and he immediately began writing the drama “Henry III and His Court.” The society received this work very cordially. Since then, Dumas's work has always been a success. So the writer began to earn a good living.

It cannot be said that all of Alexandre Dumas’s works were perfect, but he had a unique ability to keep you in suspense until the very end. Even the most unsuccessful plays under Dumas's hand became successful and attracted crowds of people.

In 1830, Dumas began to actively participate in social work because of the July Revolution. He spoke on the side of the opposition. As a result, the writer had to leave for Switzerland, as he could have been sent to prison.

His first was published in 1835 historical novel called "Isabella of Bavaria". The author intended
to make a whole series of works that would tell the fate of his country over a long period of time.

In 1840, Dumas married actress Ida Ferrier. However, the writer was very loving and therefore he had many affairs on the side. As a result, the couple decided not to formalize the divorce, but in essence they broke up.

At the same time, Dumas, inspired by the success of Isabella of Bavaria, created historical and adventure works, which brought him world fame and respect. This includes such works as the trilogy “The Three Musketeers”, “Twenty Years After”, “The Vicomte de Bragelonne, or Ten Years After”; "Queen Margot"; "Forty-five", and many others.

Writing brought in a fairly good income, but Alexandre Dumas was accustomed to luxury and spent money quickly. He even had to left for Belgium in 1851 because he was being pursued by creditors.

From 1858 to 1859, Dumas traveled around Russia, and he was so impressed and amazed by this country that he wrote 5 books consisting of notes from his travels, entitled “From Paris to Astrakhan.”

Before his death, Alexandre Dumas was on the verge of poverty. He died on December 6, 1870, but, unfortunately, few people knew about the death of the great writer, since it was during this period that Prussian troops attacked France.

Due to the fact that Alexandre Dumas left behind a large number of his works, there were a lot of rumors around him. It was as if his co-authors, literary blacks, were helping him. However, he himself was incredibly hardworking and efficient. In any case, to this day no one has been able to displace him from the first place of the most prolific writers in the world.

Bibliography of Alexandre Dumas (father)

Cycles of works

The Three Musketeers

1844
The Three Musketeers
1845
Twenty years later
1847
Viscount de Bragelonne, or Ten Years Later (1, 2)

Henry of Navarre

1845
Queen Margot
1846
Countess de Monsoreau
1847
Forty five

Regency

1842
Chevalier d'Harmental
1845
Regent's Daughter

French Revolution

1846-1848
Joseph Balsamo (A Doctor's Notes)
1849-1850
Queen's Necklace
1853
Ange Pitou
1853-1855
Countess de Charny
1845
Chevalier de Maisons-Rouge

16th century

1843
Ascanio
1846
Two Dianas
1852
Page of the Duke of Savoy
1858
Prediction

Great French Revolution

1867
White and blue
1857
Companions of Jehu
1862
Volunteer '92
1858
She-wolves from Mashkul

Historical adventure novels

Akteya
Ashbourne Pastor
Black
God has it!
Waters of Aix
Gabriel Lambert
Dove
Countess of Salisbury
Two Queens
Giovanna of Naples
Dr. Servan
Don Bernardo de Zúñiga
Daughter of the Marquis
Marriages of Father Oliphus
Women's War
Epstein Castle (Albina)
Notes from a policeman
Isabella of Bavaria
Ingenue
Isaac Lakedem
Confession of the Marquise
Confession of a favorite
The story of my animals
Captain Arena
Captain Lajonquière
Captain Pamphil
Captain Paul
Charlemagne
Katelina
Princess of Monaco
Blessed Consciousness
Corsican brothers
Red Sphinx
Louise San Felice
Madame Lafargue
Madame de Chamblay
Marquise d'Escomant
Mohicans of Paris
The youth of the musketeers
Monseigneur Gaston Phoebus
Master Adam from Calabria
Hope dies last
Night in Florence
Fire Island
Olympia of Cleves
Otho the Archer
Waterfowl hunter
Pauper Dad
Parisians and provincials
Pascal Bruno
Pepin the Short
Pirate
Pauline
Last payment
Leader of the Wolves
Invitation to a Waltz
The Adventures of Captain Marion
Prince of the Misfits
Prussian terror
Pierre de Giac
Richard Darlington
A novel about Violetta
Salteador
Cecile (Wedding dress)
Silvandir
Son of a convict
Mysterious Doctor
Thousands
Fernanda
Queen of Voluptuousness
Black tulip
Edward III
Emma Lyonna
The poison of jealousy
Yakov Bezukhy

About the Middle Ages

Bastard de Mauleon
The Adventures of Leaderik
Robin Hood
Robin Hood - King of Robbers
Robin Hood in exile

About modernity

Amaury
Madame de Chamblay
Count of Monte Cristo
Georges
Katrin Blum
Love adventure
The Adventures of John Davis
fencing teacher

Historical chronicles

Gaul and France
Garibaldians
Henry IV
Road to Varenne
Drama '93
Joan of Arc
Karl the Bold
Louis XIII and Richelieu
Louis XIV and his century
Louis XV and his court
Louis XVI and the Revolution
Medici
Napoleon
The Last King of the French
Regency
Stuarts
Caesar

Travel impressions

15 days in Sinai
"Fast", or Tangier, Algeria and Tunisia
Wallachia
Vila Palmieri
In Russia
In Switzerland
A year in Florence
From Paris to Cadiz
Caucasus
Capitol Arena
Corricolo
Walks along the banks of the Rhine
Speronade
Happy Arabia
South of France

Autobiographical prose

Artist's life
The dead are ahead of us
My memoirs
New memoirs
Theater memories

Plays

Angela
Anthony
Pupils of the Saint-Cyr House
Henry III and his court
Caligula
Keen, or Genius and Dissipation
Christina
Foresters
Mademoiselle de Belle-Ile
Musketeers
Napoleon Bonaparte, or Thirty Years of French History
Nelskaya Tower
Hunting and love
Theresa

Biography

Alexandre Dumas fils (July 27, 1824 - November 27, 1895) - son of Alexandre Dumas, famous French playwright, member of the French Academy (since 1874)

His mother was a simple Parisian worker, from whom Dumas inherited a love for a neat and calm lifestyle, which so sharply distinguished him from the purely bohemian nature of his father. Having severed his connection with the meek, unassuming grisette Jenny, Dumas the father legitimized his son and gave him a good upbringing. At the age of 18, he began writing poems in periodicals; in 1847 his first collection of poetry, Péchés de jeunesse (Sins of Youth) appeared; it was followed by a number of small stories and short stories, which were partly influenced by his father (“Aventures de quatre femmes et d’un perroquet” (“The Adventures of Four Women and a Parrot”), “Le Docteur Servans” (“Doctor Servan”), “ Cesarine", "Le Roman d'une femme", "Trois hommes forts" etc.), and then more original novels and stories: "Diane de Lys", "Un paquet de lettres", "La dame aux perles", “Un cas de rupture”, etc.

Dumas's talent showed itself in full only when he moved on to psychological dramas. In them, he touched upon pressing issues of social and family life and solved them in his own way, with courage and talent, which made each of his plays a public event. The series of these brilliant dramas “à thèse” (“ideological”, “tendentious” plays) was opened by “La Dame aux Camélias” (originally written in the form of a novel), presented for the first time on stage in 1852 after the author’s persistent struggle with censorship, which did not allow performance the play as too immoral.

The opera “La Traviata” by Giuseppe Verdi was created based on the plot of “Ladies of the Camellias”.

The first drama was followed by: "Diane de Lys" (1851), "Demi-Monde" (1855), "Question d'argent" (1857), "Fils Naturel" (1858), "Père Prodigue" (1859), " Ami des femmes" (1864), "Les Idées de m-me Aubray" (1867), "Princesse Georges" (1871), "La femme de Claude" (1873), "Monsieur Alphonse" (1873), "L" Etrangère" (1876). In many of these plays, Dumas is not just a writer of everyday life and a psychologist, exploring the phenomena of the mental life of his heroes; at the same time, he is a moralist, attacking prejudices and establishing his own code of morality. He deals with purely practical issues of morality and raises questions. about the situation of illegitimate children, about the need for divorce, about free marriage, about the sanctity of the family, about the role of money in modern social relations, etc. With his brilliant defense of one or another principle, Dumas undoubtedly gives great interest to his plays, but with a biased thought; he approaches his plots, sometimes damaging the aesthetic side of his dramas. They remain, nevertheless, serious works of art thanks to the genuine sincerity of the author and some truly poetic, deeply conceived figures - Marguerite Gautier, Marceline Delaunay, etc. Having published a collection of his dramas (1868). -1879) with prefaces clearly emphasizing their main ideas, Dumas continued to write for the stage. Of his later plays, the most famous are: “Princesse de Bagdad” (1881), “Denise” (1885), “Francillon” (1887); in addition, he wrote “Comtesse Romani” in collaboration with Fuld (under the common pseudonym G. de Jalin), “Les Danicheff” - with P. Corvin (signed R. Nevsky).

Dumas also developed the social issues he addressed in his dramas in novels (“Affaire Clmenceau”) and polemical pamphlets. Of the latter, “L" homme-femmine”, “La Question du divorce”, “Recherche de la paternit”, etc. are especially famous.

Alexandre Dumas - son born on July 27, 1824. His father was the great French writer Alexandre Dumas, his mother was a simple Parisian worker. The father recognized his son and gave him a good upbringing. 18-year-old boy Al. Dumas is already publishing his poems. And in 1847 he published a collection of poems, “Sins of Youth.” Later he wrote several short stories and stories that bore the imprint of the influence of his father's style. Time will pass and young writer will create original stories and novels “Diane de Lys”, “Un paquet de lettres”, “La dame aux perles”, “Un cas de rupture”.

Dumas Jr.'s talent was fully revealed when he began to create psychological dramas in which he tried to touch upon pressing issues of social and family life. The first such “ideological” play was “The Lady with Camellias”. At first the writer created it in the form of a novel, and later turned it into a drama, which the censors did not want to allow for production on stage. In this play, Dumas painted a heroine who, although fallen, was loving and capable of self-sacrifice. Later, Giuseppe Verdi would use the plot of this lady and create the immortal opera La Traviata.

“The Lady of the Camellias” opened a whole galaxy of original plays in which Dumas, with the precision of a psychologist and moralist, builds his world with his own code of morality. He raised very pressing issues of that time. Most famous works: “Diana de Lys”, “The Prodigal Father”, “The Woman Lover”, “The Money Question”, “Princess Georges”. Dumas published his dramas of 1868-1879, along with prefaces, and then created plays for the stage. Among his later creations: “Foreigner”, “The Princess of Baghdad”.

The opera “” was created based on the plot of “Ladies with Camellias”.

Other plays. Characteristics of dramaturgy

The first drama was followed by:

Diane de Lys (1851), Demi-Monde (1855), Question d'argent (1857), Illegitimate Son (Fils Naturel) (1858), Prodigal father / Père Prodigue" (1859), "Friend of women / Ami des femmes" (1864), "The views of Madame Aubray / Les Idées de m-me Aubray" (1867), "Princesse Georges / Princesse Georges" (1871), " The Wedding Guest (1871), La femme de Claude (1873), Monsieur Alphonse (1873), L'Etrangère (1876).

Having published a collection of his dramas (1868-1879) with prefaces clearly emphasizing their main ideas, Dumas continued to write for the stage. The most famous of his later plays are:

“Princesse de Bagdad” (1881), “Denise” (1885), “Francillon” (1887);

in addition, he wrote

“Comtesse Romani” in collaboration with Fould (under the common pseudonym G. de Jalin), “Les Danicheff” - with P. Corvin (signed R. Nevsky), “Marquis de Vilmer” (1862, with , ceded the rights to her).

"The New Estates" and "The Theban Road" remained unfinished (1895).

Journalism

Dumas also developed the social issues he addressed in his dramas in novels (“The Clemenceau Case / Affaire Clémenceau”) and polemical pamphlets. Of the latter, the pamphlet “Man-Woman: Reply to Henri d’Ideville” is especially famous ( L"homme-femme, réponse à M. Henri d"Ideville; ), associated with a murder that attracted widespread public attention: a young aristocrat found his wife in the arms of her lover, after which he beat her with such force that she died three days later; The diplomat and publicist published an article on this matter in the newspaper about the need to forgive a woman for betrayal and help her return to the right path, and in response to this article, Dumas published a 177-page pamphlet in which he argued that it is possible and necessary to kill a cheating wife.

He touched on significant social problems in his speeches-brochures: “Letters on the topic of the day” (Lettres sur les choses du jour), 1871, “Kill her” (Tue-la), “Women who kill and women who vote” (Les femmes qui tuent et les femmes qui votent), “Recherches de la paternite” in 1883, pamphlet “Divorce” (Le divorce).

Other works

Collection of poems “Sins of Youth” (1847).
The story “The Adventures of 4 Women and a Parrot” (1847)
Historical novel "Tristan the Red"
The story "Regent Mustel".
Novel “The Lady with Pearls” (1852).
Novel “The Clemenceau Case” (1866).
"Doctor Servans" (Le Docteur Servans)
“One Woman’s Romance” (Le Roman d’une femme)

Personal life

From a premarital relationship in 1851 with (11/19/1825 - 04/2/1895) (nee Baroness Knorring), he had a daughter: (11/20/1860 - 11/17/1907). Officially adopted on December 31, 1864 during her marriage to Naryshkina, concluded after the death of her first husband. Second daughter Jeannine (05/03/1867-1943) married to de Hauterive.

Second marriage (06/26/1895) with Henriette Escalier (née Rainier, 1864-1934), with whom he maintained contact with.

Mistresses

Louise Pradier (1843)
Alphonsine Plessis () (1844-45)
Anaïs Liévenne (1845)
Madame Dalvain (1849).
Lydia Zakrevskaya-Nesselrode (1850-51).
Ottilie Gendley-Flagot (1881).

Dumas the son was fond of using, as evidenced by the dedication of Robert Falconnier’s book to him ( Robert Falconnier) "XXII Hermetic Sheets of the Divinatory Tarot", published in 1896 in Paris, - " In memory of Alexandre Dumas son, to whom I owe my first knowledge of astrological palmistry. R.F.»