Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Three Musketeers, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Friendship and Loyalty
Honor
Class and Power
The Secrets of the Past
Seduction and Romance
Summary
Analysis
Like d’Artagnan, M. de Tréville grew up poor. He made his way to the top of the social hierarchy through a mix of hard work, bravery, stubbornness, and intelligence. However, although he was poor, M. de Tréville’s father was friends with Henry IV, the predecessor and father of the current king, Louis XIII. Because of his family connections, M. de Tréville became friends with Louis XIII at a young age, and the two of them learned to fight together. Louis XIII always liked M. de Tréville and sought to keep him close because M. de Tréville is both strong and faithful. Eventually, Louis XIII made M. de Tréville the captain of the musketeers, his most faithful group of soldiers.
Although there are characters like M. de Tréville who started near the bottom and then rose to the top of the social hierarchy, the world of the novel is primarily characterized by a rigid class system. With only a few notable exceptions, most of the noblemen and -women d’Artagnan will meet in Paris were born into their respective classes. Those who manage to work their way up are able to do so because they have connections in high places.
Themes
The musketeers are so impressive that Cardinal Richelieu, who is at least as powerful as Louis XIII, decided to form a band of his own. His group of musketeers are informal rivals to the group formed by Louis XIII. Louis XIII and the cardinal compete against one another to scour the land to find the most talented and loyal men to join their respective groups. Though talented, Louis XIII’s musketeers are a recalcitrant and often drunk group of men who regularly start brawls in public with the cardinal’s guards. The only authorities the musketeers are willing to listen to are their leader, M. de Tréville, and Louis XIII himself.
Here, it is revealed that division exists within the French court between its two most powerful members. Since d’Artagnan has his heart set on becoming a musketeer, that means he will be setting himself against the cardinal and his guards. Meanwhile, M. de Tréville and Louis XIII will be his allies. Also, this passage provides a first glimpse at the life of a musketeer, which is less glamorous and refined than one might assume given the importance of the position.
Themes
M. de Tréville is a respected, loved, and feared man. Although the Musketeers are at his command, he does not abuse that power for personal gain. Instead, he only uses the musketeers to advance the interests of the king. M. de Tréville is an honest man of good fortune who is loved by both his men and a great number of women.
M. de Tréville is a good man who is deserving of his position. This raises the question: why would the stranger from Meung fear him?
Themes
Every day, M. de Tréville participates in a levee where hundreds of people come before him to seek favors. On the day d’Artagnan arrives to see him, his residence is especially chaotic. D’Artagnan makes his way through the crowd and eventually arrives at some stairs, where he sees several musketeers fencing with one another to pass the time. D’Artagnan is shocked to see that the men are using sharpened blades and cutting each other as part of this casual exercise.
A levee is an assembly where individuals can come before a king (or other high-ranking official) to ask for help. M. de Tréville’s levee is particularly lively because the musketeers are present. Here, both the musketeers’ fearlessness and hubris are on display as they use their real blades for mock fighting.
Themes
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As d’Artagnan continues on his way to M. de Tréville, he runs into more musketeers who are bragging about their exploits with women and openly mocking the cardinal. Such behavior is scandalous to d’Artagnan, who reveres the cardinal and is bashful when it comes to women. Eventually, d’Artagnan comes across one of M. de Tréville’s servants and asks for a meeting with him. The servant departs to give M. de Tréville the message and d’Artagnan is left with three musketeers who are having a spirited conversation.
Paris is much different than d’Artagnan’s humble upbringing led him to expect. Evidently, d’Artagnan expected that the musketeers would act like saints. In reality, they can be crude and disrespectful. Additionally, it is notable that d’Artagnan had no knowledge of the rivalry between the musketeers and the cardinal’s men. As such, this is his first introduction to the messiness of French politics.
Themes
D’Artagnan’s eye is first drawn to Porthos, the largest of the musketeers and the most elaborately dressed. Together, the three musketeers are discussing his fancy baldric, which is apparently new. One of Porthos’s companions teases him by telling him that he likely came to possess the baldric via questionable means. Porthos, hurt by the comment, tells his other companion, Aramis, to assure the musketeer that he purchased the baldric under normal circumstances.
This passage provides a first glimpse at Porthos, who functions as the novel’s comic relief. As seen here, Porthos is the vainest of the musketeers. However, he also has the fewest resources, which is why his companion thinks he likely procured the baldric in a questionable manner. A baldric is a holster for a sword that runs diagonally from shoulder to hip.
Themes
After, the musketeers return to discussing and openly mocking heads of state. Aramis even jokes about the queen having an affair, although the others tell him that he’s gone too far. After he is done being a musketeer, Aramis claims that he wants to be an abbé. The others tell him that he’s unlikely to achieve that dream if he continues speaking in such a crude manner. The conversation between the musketeers ends when M. de Tréville’s servant returns and quiets them down. Then, the servant takes d’Artagnan to see M. de Tréville.
Although the musketeers like to joke, even they have a line, and Aramis appears to have crossed it. Nonetheless, there is some truth to Aramis’s words, even if the musketeers disapprove of them.
Themes
