Personality - Alexandre Dumas

One of the most popular writers of his time, Alexandre Dumas led as colorful a life as any of the characters in his books. He has left behind a mass of work whose authorship has been questioned because of its size and the numerous collaborations that he went into.

He wrote rapidly and feverishly to repay his debts as soon as possible. His memoirs tell about the incidents of his life and reflect his candid, boastful personality.

Never during his life did he know a moment of despair. He filled the stage with his dramas and the newspapers with prose. He swept women off their feet and made a fortune, only to squander them by living a life of splendor. He had a wonderful knack of satisfying the public. His novels The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo continue to be as popular today as they were in his time and we still have films being made on them.

Alexandre Dumas Pére, was born on July 24, 1802 to Thomas–Alexandre Davy de la Pailleterie (son of the Marquis de la Pailleterie) and a black woman from Santo Domingo named Marie Cessette Dumas in Villers – cotterêts, Aisne, France. Alexandre had a sister named Marie-Alexandrine Aimee who was nine years old when he was born.

Alexandre's father was a general in the Napoleonic army in 1806. Alexandre had a life that was well provided for, that is, until his father was alive. With the passing of his father, miserable times came upon the family. The general’s widow was not entitled to a pension because the general had not been killed fighting; furthermore, the general had been in disgrace for being a rebel. The emperor would, under no circumstances, would grant a widow of a rebel an audience. His mother’s parents, the Labourets, who ran the Hôtel de l’Épée took in the widow and the grandchildren. They all lived together in a poor but affectionate household.

An intelligent child, Alexandre was taught by his mother and sister to write. He developed beautiful handwriting but could never go beyond multiplication in arithmetic. He learnt to dance, to fence, and also to shoot and was extremely good at these, but did not have an ear for music, which his mother wanted him to learn.

He was a child of the forest. He would rise early to catch birds with Hanniquet or Boudoux, his poacher friends. He liked nothing better than spending a day in the forest or at the Chateau Villers–Helon with M Collard. When the weather was bad, Alexandre went to father Mounier, an old fencing master who taught him fencing with the best of methods in spite of having a frightful stammer, which he had acquired by a wound in the mouth. On other days, his mother took him visiting with her. Dressed in his company jacket he went around with complete assurance. He even interrupted grown-ups in conversation and was beaten for it, though he could not, for the life of him understand why.

When he was 10, a cousin, Father Consiel died and left him a scholarship to a seminary. But this was on condition that he took the orders. His mother, whose only livelihood was her tobacco-shop and who did not know what to do with him decided to send him hoping that he would learn a thing or two that would help him for facing life. He was given 12 sous (French currency) to buy his inkstand. With this money, he bought some food to last for three-four days and went and hid in the forest, under the protection of his friend Boudox. When he returned home, the question of the seminary was not brought up again. He was then sent to a private school in Villers–Cotterêts run by a priest called Father Grègoire. He did not learn much in school except a little Latin and a little grammar.

Auguste, the son of Lafarge the coppersmith, to whom Mme Dumas had rented premises, came to visit from Paris. He was a chief clerk to a solicitor there and it was he who introduced to Alexandre all the glories of Paris. He regaled young Alexandre with stories of this magnificent city to which Alexandre would listen with rapt attention and dreamed of going there one day.

There was a change of government and his mother asked him if he wanted to resume the noble name of Davy de la Pailleterie. In the new monarchy, having a noble name would be advantageous to him. But he decided to keep the name of Dumas that his father, a Republican, had taken up. That decision made, he now had to earn his livelihood. His mother asked M.Mennesson to engage young Dumas as a third clerk. In the Spring of 1818, he turned 16. By this time, he had learnt that he was handsome and that he attracted a good deal of attention from the ladies, but he was also aware that he still required elegance and refinement to add to his charms.

It was during this time, at one of the Sunday festivities that he met Adolphe de Leuven, the son of an exiled Swedish Count. He enthralled Alexandre with his stories of actresses. It was also at this time that he met Amédée de la Ponce, who was later to be an influence on him. He spoke to Dumas about literature and the theatre.


A company of actors playing Shakespeare came to Villeres-Cotterêts. Watching the performances, he had no doubt that he wanted to become a playwright. He then collaborated with Adolphe de Leuven and prepared an outline for a one-act Vaudeville in couplets called The Major of Strasborg. Adolphe then returned to Paris, but he left Alexandre with a growing desire to see the city of Paris and also the beautiful ladies that he had talked so much about.

In due time, Alexandre made up his mind and decided to go to Paris for a few days. Having no means to pay for the trip, he carried a gun and shot game on his way. On reaching Paris, he was lodged at the Hôtel des Grand-Augistins, in return for his two quails, four hares and 12 patridges that he had shot.

Adolphe, took him to see Françios-Joseph Talma, the great actor, who wrote out a pass for the son of the general he knew. After watching a stunning performance on stage the next day by Talma, they went to thank him. Dumas asked for his blessings. Talma touched his forehead and blessed him.

On returning home, he told his mother of his decision to settle in Paris. At the age of 20, with no experience and little education, the move to Paris was only motivated by a strong force within urging him to strive to achieve the greatness he always imagined acquiring. He arrived in Paris with little more than the determination he had brought along with him. He had with him letters of recommendation to his father’s old colleagues, but most of the letters proved to be useless, that is, all but one letter. The letter that helped him was addressed to General Foy, a major figure in the army during the Napoleonic wars, who had retired after Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo. He helped Dumas to obtain service with the Duc d’Orleans. But the actual factor that helped him secur his job was his wonderful skill for elegant handwriting.

While in the services of the Duke, he improved his knowledge by reading the classics that his senior officer, M. Oudard would lend him. Quite unknowingly, Dumas shared the opinion of changes required in the world of literature that was aimed at by the new literature that was springing up when he arrived in Paris in 1823. That was the beginning of the Romantic Movement.

As soon as his job was settled, he moved into a small apartment on the Place des Italiens which was very close to the Palais Royal, where he worked. He found he was attracted to the occupant of the flat across the landing, a beautiful young woman. Upon enquiring, he learnt that she was a seamstress and that her name was Catherine Labay; she had been married once but was now separated. In due tim, he fell in love with her and a very amorous and passionate courtship followed. It must have been a very shocking moment for young Alexandre when, one day, Catherine confided to him that she was pregnant. On July 27, 1824 a child was born to them; a son who they named Alexandre Dumas Fils. At the age of just 22, Dumas already had a household to manage, and as if that responsibility was not enough, his mother came to live with them in Paris. He was still earning only 1,500 francs a year and whatever little money he earned by writing an occasional vaudeville.

In 1825, Dumas collobarated with Adolphe de Leuven in writing a light comedy, finding this successful, he again collobarated on a similar endeavour, with the writers Lassagne and Gustave in writing another comedy, which was another brilliant success.

He continued writing and going to the theatre. He also had a chance meeting with Charles Nodier, the famous writer who became a good friend to him. Life after that was beautiful. Charles Nodier introduced him to the literary class. He moved in literary circles and was known and loved for his wit and good spirits. Another fact that elevated him in such circles was that his play Christine à Fontainebleau had been accepted by the Théâtre-Français.

Late in 1828, after quarrels at the ‘Théâtre-Français’ over his play Henri III et sa cour, he left his job and borrowed 3,000 francs from the banker Laffitte, leaving the script of Henri III as a pledge. It was a great success and the young romantics hailed him as a great dramatist. He had an affair with one on the actresses for the play Henri III. Her name was Belle Krelsamer. Their courtship was short and, but Belle did give him a daughter whom he named Marie-Alexandrine, and who would eventually be staying with him.

Once, after accompanying a friend to a public lecture, he was introduced to the lecturer Professor Villenave and his family. But what interested him most was the professor's daughter, Melanie Waldor, a married lady. Again, suppressing any pangs of conscience he might have felt for Catharine, he launched himself into the courtship of Mme Melanie Waldor, urged by the fact that she was now widowed.

He had numerous affairs during which he wrote several plays, most significantly Antony, which was a tremendous success and the opening night was considered as one of the most memorable premieres in the annals of romantic drama. By this time, he was engaged in another courtship, this time with an actress, Ida Ferrier, who soon became his mistress.

Dumas went on to write additional plays, of which La Tour de Nesle, which he wrote in 1832, is considered the greatest masterpiece of French melodrama. He wrote constantly, producing a steady stream of plays, novels, and short stories.

In February 1840, he married Ida Ferrier in a solemnized ceremony, followed four days later by an elaborate church wedding. This holy union proved to be the herald of prosperous times for Alexandre Dumas. Historical novels brought Dumas enormous fortune, but he could spend money faster than he made it. He produced some 250 books with his 73 assistants, especially with the history teacher Auguste Maquet, whom he wisely allowed to work quite independently. Dumas earned roughly 200,000 francs yearly and received an annual sum of 63,000 francs for 220,000 lines from the newspapers Presse and the Constitutionel. Eventually, he separated from Ida Ferrier after having spent her entire dowry. With the money earned from his writings, he decided to build a fantastic château on the outskirts of Paris.


In 1844, he published the novel that would make him immortal in the literary world for generations to come; the story of Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and d'Artagnan, The Three Musketeers.

From 1845 to 1855 he wrote an amazing number of novels. He turned out five to six hundred volumes. There were of course a few novels that did not succeed so well but for most part his novels were full of life and were hard to put down. Alexandre Dumas prospered and was soon considered one of the richest writers in France.

On July 25, 1845 he invited 600 friends for dinner, for the housewarming of his Chateau between Bougival and Saint-Germain, which the people of the surrounding countryside soon dubbed Chateau of Monte Cristo. Monte Cristo was where he lived till 1853. It was a splendid place, decorated like a palace. The doors were always open and any struggling artist was welcome there. Dumas continued to write and collaborate and to entertain in style. His son Alexandre Dumas Fils also lived with him.

In 1848, Dumas Fils spoke to his father about dramatizing Camille that had been a great success as a novel. Dumas Pére wasn’t very enthusiastic. His son, fired by this opposition went away to write the play in five acts. He finished and then read the play to his father who accepted it and gave permission for it to be made for the Historical Theatre.

In 1850, he had an affair with a married lady named Anna Bauer, and whose child, Henri Bauer, had a striking resemblance to Dumas, and it is accepted that indeed, Henri Bauer was the son of Alexandre Dumas.

In 1853, the Historical theatre and Monte Cristo were both liquidated. Dark and miserable times were once again upon Alexandre Dumas. Soon, he came to live in Paris. There he founded an evening newspaper called The Musketeer. He managed to bring it out every evening until he had to close it down in 1857 because all his best writers had left him.

To console himself, he started visiting people again and going to evening parties. He traveled to Russia and on returning, wrote Travel Impressions, a book in seven volumes. He took off after that, on a small schooner that he called ‘Emma’. On board were two friends, two sailors and Émilie Cordier, his latest love, dressed like a seaman. En route, he assisted Garibaldi in his plan to free Sicily and Naples and restore them to Italy.

His relationship with Emilie lasted longer than his usual liasions, and on December 24, 1860, she gave him a daughter, Micaella, but when she insisted that Dumas married her, he refused and she took the child with her and dropped out of his life, and they would have no further dealings whatsoever..

After playing some role in liberating Sicily, he stayed there, at the Palazzo Chiatamone, as Garibaldi appointed him the Director of Antiques. But Garibaldi soon grew tired of Dumas and soon he left for France after some more adventures.

In 1867, he met the last great love of his life. A bareback rider from Louisiana, her name was Adah Isaacs Menken and she was just like a heroine straight out of Dumas' stories. She died suddenly in August 1865, and Dumas went through a time of acute grief.

His financial status in a very bad condition, his life became extremely difficult. He would not accept financial assistance from his son who was well off. He began a number of projects but all failed. Nevertheless, he continued to work. He wrote Story of My Animals which was just as good as his other works but the public did not accept it. When he could not work at all because his thoughts were not any more organized, he shut himself up and read his old works.

As said before in this manuscript, after leading a life much similar to a character out of his stories, Alexandre Dumas Pere died peacefully on December 5, 1870 at Puys, near Dieppe in France. He had lived life to the fullest; done almost everything he had dreamed of doing as a youngster; and indulged in political intrigues very much like a character of his own fiction. Alexandre Dumas died, a happy man, who loved and doted on his grandchildren.