The Man Behind the Musketeers: Alexandre Dumas and French Identity

Alexandre Dumas (1802–1870) has been alternately diminished, reclaimed, and celebrated, reflecting broader debates about what it means to be French. Dumas, the author of The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo, was of mixed-race heritage, and his experiences with racism further complicated his status. Historian Eric Martone traces how Dumas’ reception has evolved from his century through the present.