"Black Tulip" (novel): author, summary

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The Black Tulip is a novel by the French novelist Alexandre Dumas père, published in 1850. This work is not as widely popular as his most famous books, but it occupies a prominent place in the author's work. It has all the elements of the writer's style that made him world-famous: a fast-paced, engaging plot, interesting intrigue, colorful, memorable characters, light language, and subtle humor.

A brief description of the work of A. Dumas père

The author of The Black Tulip (1802–1870) became famous not only as a major prose writer. He has written a huge number of journalistic works for historical publications and travel magazines. He is also known for his famous cookery books. However, he began his literary career by writing historical plays.

He was an adherent of the romantic direction in literature. His first theater dramas made him famous in intellectual circles.

The 1840s saw the peak of his popularity. From under his pen come the famous story about the Musketeers, books about the struggle of Henry of Navarre for Frenchthrone, as well as the work "The Count of Monte Cristo". These books cemented his reputation as the greatest writer of his day.

Dumas set out to create a series of books on the medieval history of France, and he generally succeeded. The writer often took as a basis the turning points of the past, which gave him the opportunity to create a tense atmosphere and a dynamic plot. However, some of his books are devoted to events from the history of other countries.

For example, the composition "Notes of a fencing teacher" tells about the Decembrist movement in Russia. The work in question takes the reader to Holland at the end of the 17th century.

Intro

The Black Tulip is a novel set in Holland, unlike most of the writer's works. Events unfold at the moment of the most acute political crisis, which served as a backdrop for the main intrigue.

The author skillfully draws the struggle of Wilhelm III with the prince brothers de Witt. During a fierce confrontation, both die at the hands of an angry mob. However, one of the brothers left the main character, florist Cornelius van Berle, his correspondence with the French minister. This was taken advantage of by his neighbor Boxtel, who also breeds tulips and is jealous of the success of his young competitor.

Ties

The Black Tulip is a novel, the main part of which tells about the adventures of Cornelius, caused by his irrepressible desire to grow this rare type of flower. The plot of the work is Boxtel's denunciation of the storage ofthe protagonist of the compromising correspondence. The latter is arrested and imprisoned.

However, a young man, unexpectedly deprived of his freedom and property, manages to take precious flower bulbs with him. In prison, with the help of the charming daughter of his jailer Rose, who fell in love with him, he begins to grow a tulip. However, he is soon sentenced to death, and Boxtel negotiates with the executioner to transfer his opponent's belongings to him in the hope of finding precious onions in it.

Development of action

"The Black Tulip" is a novel whose plot is not as dynamic and effective as in other books of the writer. However, the skill of the author, the language of the book made this work one of the most successful in his bibliography. The main character was pardoned at the last moment before the execution, but was transferred to another prison, thereby separating him from his beloved and the onions.

However, the young man informed her of his new whereabouts via pigeon mail, and after a while Rosa managed to have her father transferred to serve in the same prison where her lover was serving a life sentence.

Under his guidance, this simple girl learned to read and write, and also managed to grow a magnificent flower, for which the prince announced a fabulous price and a prestigious award.

Climax

One of the most successful books in the work of Dumas is the work "The Black Tulip". The novel, the summary of which isthe subject of this review is built on the contrast between the lines of the protagonist, who is entirely engaged in the cultivation of a flower, the political struggle that unfolded in Holland in 1672.

Boxel, calling himself by a false name, entered into the confidence of Rosa's father and began to gradually solder him. Taking advantage of the moment, he stole the precious flower and hurried with it to the main city in order to secure a bonus for himself.

However, Rosa follows him and in time manages to tell the prince and the jury the story of her lover, who managed to grow a tulip in difficult conditions. Then Wilhelm orders to bring Cornelius from prison.

Decoupling

The work "The Black Tulip" ends with an unexpectedly happy ending. Dumas' novel, unlike most of his most famous works, ends happily for the main characters.

The prince generously pardons Cornelius after he received a letter from the deceased prince to the main character, which stated that he was not involved in the political struggle in the state. Then he gives the young man an award and betrothed him to Rosa.

Boxel, who was present at this happy denouement, could not stand the triumph of his rival: he had an apoplectic stroke, from which he died. Cornelius reconciled with his former jailer and father-in-law; the latter took the position of gardener in his flower garden.

Screenings

The basis for several films was the work "Black Tulip". A novel that was first filmed infar back in 1920, has such a dynamic plot and exciting intrigue that it was very easily transferred to the screen four times, and once - in the form of a full-length cartoon.

However, unfortunately, none of these tapes has acquired the status of a cult, in contrast to the 1963 French adventure film of the same name with A. Delon in the title role. From the novel, this film borrowed only the name and image of the flower. The above tapes were released in different countries: in Germany, Great Britain, Australia.