The
Man in the Iron Mask
by Alexandre Dumas
Completed July 2002
After reading Robert Ludlum
I had to have another page-turner. Dumas’ swashbuckling Man in the Iron Mask
provided a good choice. The fact that Dumas has survived the test of time makes
me feel almost as if I’m reading literature, but who are we kidding? This is
the 19th century equivalent of Robert Ludlum meets Danielle Steele. Actually,
it is much better than that last line might make you think. And like Ludlum’s Bourne
Identity, it is much more engrossing, sophisticated and less formulaic than
the movie version.
Dumas wants you to believe
that he based The Man in the Iron Mask on historical fact, but this isn’t
really true. First clue: this is another installment of D’Artagnan and the
three Musketeers (Athos, Porthos and Aramis). As in the first of these books,
the Musketeers play a central role in the history of France. Dumas’ bending of
history to accommodate the intrigue, swordplay and love affairs of his
characters is entertaining and impressive – no doubt the reason he stands the
test of time.
The horse race between D’Artagnan
and a fleeing minister bares special mention – it is both gripping, beautiful
(in Dumas’ description of these mighty horses) and sad.