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丕賱夭賳亘賯丞 丕賱爻賵丿丕亍
'To have discovered the black tulip, to have seen it for a moment... then to lose it, to lose it forever!'
Cornelius von Baerle, a respectable tulip-grower, lives only to cultivate the elusive black tulip and win a magnificent prize for its creation. But after his powerful godfather is assassinated, the unwitting Cornelius becomes caught up in deadly political intrigue and is falsely accused of high treason by a bitter rival. Condemned to life imprisonment, his only comfort is Rosa, the jailer's beautiful daughter, and together they concoct a plan to grow the black tulip in secret.
Dumas' last major historical novel is a tale of romantic love, jealousy and obsession, interweaving historical events surrounding the brutal murders of two Dutch statesman in 1672 with the phenomenon of tulipomania that gripped seventeenth-century Holland.
Cornelius von Baerle, a respectable tulip-grower, lives only to cultivate the elusive black tulip and win a magnificent prize for its creation. But after his powerful godfather is assassinated, the unwitting Cornelius becomes caught up in deadly political intrigue and is falsely accused of high treason by a bitter rival. Condemned to life imprisonment, his only comfort is Rosa, the jailer's beautiful daughter, and together they concoct a plan to grow the black tulip in secret.
Dumas' last major historical novel is a tale of romantic love, jealousy and obsession, interweaving historical events surrounding the brutal murders of two Dutch statesman in 1672 with the phenomenon of tulipomania that gripped seventeenth-century Holland.
174 pages, Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1850
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About the author
Alexandre Dumas
9,319听books11.8k听followersThis note regards Alexandre Dumas, p猫re, the father of Alexandre Dumas, fils (son). For the son, see Alexandre Dumas fils.
Alexandre Dumas, p猫re (French for "father", akin to Senior in English), born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie, was a French writer, best known for his numerous historical novels of high adventure which have made him one of the most widely read French authors in the world. Many of his novels, including The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers, and The Vicomte de Bragelonne were serialized. Dumas also wrote plays and magazine articles, and was a prolific correspondent.
Dumas was of Haitian descent and mixed-race. His father, General Thomas-Alexandre Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie, was born in the French colony of Saint-Domingue (present-day Haiti) to Alexandre Antoine Davy de la Pailleterie, a French nobleman, and Marie-Cessette Dumas, a black slave. At age 14 Thomas-Alexandre was taken by his father to France, where he was educated in a military academy and entered the military for what became an illustrious career.
Dumas's father's aristocratic rank helped young Alexandre Dumas acquire work with Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orl茅ans, then as a writer, finding early success. He became one of the leading authors of the French Romantic Movement, in Paris.
Excerpted from .
Alexandre Dumas, p猫re (French for "father", akin to Senior in English), born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie, was a French writer, best known for his numerous historical novels of high adventure which have made him one of the most widely read French authors in the world. Many of his novels, including The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers, and The Vicomte de Bragelonne were serialized. Dumas also wrote plays and magazine articles, and was a prolific correspondent.
Dumas was of Haitian descent and mixed-race. His father, General Thomas-Alexandre Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie, was born in the French colony of Saint-Domingue (present-day Haiti) to Alexandre Antoine Davy de la Pailleterie, a French nobleman, and Marie-Cessette Dumas, a black slave. At age 14 Thomas-Alexandre was taken by his father to France, where he was educated in a military academy and entered the military for what became an illustrious career.
Dumas's father's aristocratic rank helped young Alexandre Dumas acquire work with Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orl茅ans, then as a writer, finding early success. He became one of the leading authors of the French Romantic Movement, in Paris.
Excerpted from .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,821 reviews
November 11, 2022
The Black Tulip proffers the readers a magnanimous range of human emotions, ranging from hatred, greed, loyalty, jealousy, obsession, and above all the 3 most striking emotions of tolerance, love, and dedication!
The first-seven chapters with gruesome political-historical content and neighbor-hatred turned out to be tough and gritty for me (due to my oblivion towards the topic). The first few chapters put forward the cruel ghastly politics of the 17th-century Dutch where 2 dutchmen are butchered by the mob (in the course of the political state of affairs)!
Once I was past these tough chapters, the story gathered for me and I stayed riveted.
Without imperiling the readers' interest and not sharing any spoilers (Though I guess the blurb reveals a lot more 馃槉 )-
Two brothers are murdered by the mob in course of political events, and the main character of the story Cornelius (the godson of one of the brothers), fanatic about tulips, is wrongly incarcerated, due to the jealousy of his neighbor, Boxtel.
It is a story of his sheer nerve and courage to bring about his dream of growing black tulip to fruition.
On this quest, the jailer鈥檚 daughter, Rosa, who ultimately becomes the love of his life, aids him.
I know Cornelius has been propounded as the hero of the story by Dumas, but for me Rosa clearly stands out to be the one, showcasing the strongest form of love for Cornelius, helping him sail through all thick and thin.
She constantly finds herself having to compete with the tulip for his affection. One of her emotional remarks鈥�
鈥淚 have made a grievous blunder; it may be I have ruined Cornelius, the tulip, and myself. I have given the alarm, and perhaps awakened suspicion. I am but a woman; these men may league themselves against me, and then I shall be lost. If I am lost that matters nothing,鈥攂ut Cornelius and the tulip!鈥�
She is otherwise a strong and agile character who does what is right, even if it means going against the wishes of Cornelius or her father.
The stellar characters of the story for me are two- Rosa and the elusive black tulip!
A quick walk-through of the character traits-
Gryphus, the jailer (father of Rosa) 鈥� Epitome of villainy
Boxtel, the neighbor 鈥� the epitome of jealousy and wickedness
Cornelius 鈥� the epitome of chutzpah and tolerance
Rosa- the epitome of love, dedication, and courage
The first few chapters are based on a topic of my least interest, but the rest of the novel centers on the ones that entice me, I shower a well-deserved 4-stars!
NB- The lovers of 鈥淭he count of monte Cristo鈥�, in all probability will favor the book.
I will remember this book for Rosa, owning a fascinating and gripping character persona! 馃槉
The first-seven chapters with gruesome political-historical content and neighbor-hatred turned out to be tough and gritty for me (due to my oblivion towards the topic). The first few chapters put forward the cruel ghastly politics of the 17th-century Dutch where 2 dutchmen are butchered by the mob (in the course of the political state of affairs)!
Once I was past these tough chapters, the story gathered for me and I stayed riveted.
Without imperiling the readers' interest and not sharing any spoilers (Though I guess the blurb reveals a lot more 馃槉 )-
Two brothers are murdered by the mob in course of political events, and the main character of the story Cornelius (the godson of one of the brothers), fanatic about tulips, is wrongly incarcerated, due to the jealousy of his neighbor, Boxtel.
It is a story of his sheer nerve and courage to bring about his dream of growing black tulip to fruition.
On this quest, the jailer鈥檚 daughter, Rosa, who ultimately becomes the love of his life, aids him.
I know Cornelius has been propounded as the hero of the story by Dumas, but for me Rosa clearly stands out to be the one, showcasing the strongest form of love for Cornelius, helping him sail through all thick and thin.
She constantly finds herself having to compete with the tulip for his affection. One of her emotional remarks鈥�
鈥淚 have made a grievous blunder; it may be I have ruined Cornelius, the tulip, and myself. I have given the alarm, and perhaps awakened suspicion. I am but a woman; these men may league themselves against me, and then I shall be lost. If I am lost that matters nothing,鈥攂ut Cornelius and the tulip!鈥�
She is otherwise a strong and agile character who does what is right, even if it means going against the wishes of Cornelius or her father.
The stellar characters of the story for me are two- Rosa and the elusive black tulip!
A quick walk-through of the character traits-
Gryphus, the jailer (father of Rosa) 鈥� Epitome of villainy
Boxtel, the neighbor 鈥� the epitome of jealousy and wickedness
Cornelius 鈥� the epitome of chutzpah and tolerance
Rosa- the epitome of love, dedication, and courage
The first few chapters are based on a topic of my least interest, but the rest of the novel centers on the ones that entice me, I shower a well-deserved 4-stars!
NB- The lovers of 鈥淭he count of monte Cristo鈥�, in all probability will favor the book.
I will remember this book for Rosa, owning a fascinating and gripping character persona! 馃槉
February 10, 2019
鈥滳ontempt for flowers is an offence against God. The lovelier the flower, the greater the offence in despising it. The tulip is the loveliest of all flowers. So whoever despised the tulip offends God immeasurably.鈥�
In 1672 two brothers Cornelius and Johan de Witt (Grand Pensionary/prime minister of Holland) were charged with treason and sentenced to exile. Cornelis had been tortured with the hope that he would confess to plotting with the French king.
He did not.
He had corresponded with the French King, but those letters had been safely deposited with his godson Cornelius van Baerle. This evidence, if obtained, would have insured a frog march to the executioner and a swift separation of their heads from their bodies.
If only they had been so lucky.
The mob, you know those people that we buy our fruit, our clothes, our meat from, who build our cabinetry, customize our clogs, and bake our bread, were unhappy with the verdict of exile. They wanted...blood. With a bit of sinister machination by a rather villainous depiction of William of Orange the mob gets their chance at the very moment the brothers are attempting to comply with their sentencing.
The Mob. Image from the Folio Society edition.
鈥滱nd everyone wanted to strike a blow with a hammer, a sword or a knife, everyone wanted to have his drop of blood and tear off his scrap of clothing.
When the two bodies were thoroughly beaten, thoroughly dismembered, and thoroughly stripped, the mob dragged them naked and bleeding, to an improvised gibbet, where amateur executioners hung them up by the feet.鈥�
Meanwhile our hero, Cornelius van Baerle, continues to pursue what he loves best, growing tulips. He has a genius for it. He grafts, mulches, and cultivates his bulbs with the same precision as a master violinist moves his bow across the strings. The science of tulips is his to command. When the tulip society offers a 100,000 guilder reward for the first gardener to create an unblemished black tulip Cornelius is elated not for a chance to win the money, but for the challenge of creating the perfect black tulip.
Little does Cornelius know, but he has a nemesis, one too close for comfort. In fact Mynheer Isaac Boxtel lives right next door. He was once a well respected gardener, but since his rich neighbor van Baerle decided to take up the challenge of raising tulips his own gardens have been neglected. He has no time to garden for all of his spare moments are spent with a telescope to his eye watching every movement of his illustrious neighbor. He gnashes his teeth and pulls his hair with every breakthrough that Cornelius achieves with each new specimen of tulip excellence.
Boxtel enraged. Image from the Folio Society edition
鈥滺ow many times, in the midst of these torments--which no words can convey--had Boxtel not been tempted to leap into the garden by night and ravage the plants, devouring the bulbs with his teeth and even sacrificing the owner himself to his fury if the man should dare to defend his tulips!
But to kill a tulip, in the eyes of a true gardener, is such a ghastly crime (while to kill a man--well, perhaps鈥�)Yet thanks to the progress that van Baerle was making daily in an art that he seemed to be acquiring by instinct, Boxtel was driven to such a paroxysm of rage that he considered throwing sticks and stones into his neighbour鈥檚 tulip beds.鈥�
Boxtel becomes the source of much misery for van Baerle for that telescope revealed much more than secrets about tulips.
Cornelius is arrested and evades a similar fate as his uncles when a last second (sword in the air ready to descend) reprieve arrives. His sentence is commuted to life imprisonment. When he was arrested he had time only to grab three offsets of a bulb that he believes will produce the perfect black tulip. As unlikely as it seems, given the dank, despairing environment of prison, he meets an angel in the form of Rosa the daughter of the brutish jailer Gryphus. She becomes his confidant, his reason to continue living, and the protector of his greatest creation.
Rosa and yes that is Boxtel lurking in the shadows. Image from the Folio Society edition.
鈥滱s the rail of the staircase creaked under the prisoner鈥檚 heavy hand, the girl half opened the small door of a room which she inhabited in the very wall of the staircase. Holding a lamp in her right hand, she at the same time lit up her delightful pink face, framed in splendid locks of thick blonde hair, while with her left hand she drew her white nightdress across her breast.
It was love at first sight. If Boxtel hadn鈥檛 in a fit of jealous, depraved behavior perpetrated a plan to destroy his enemy, Cornelius would have never met the love of his life.
*Sigh*
鈥淪ometimes one has suffered enough to have the right to never say: I am too happy.鈥�
Now the plot revolves around the fate of three tulip offsets and Boxtel鈥檚 nefarious attempts to steal them. Rosa is thrust into the maelstrom of tulip craziness not seen since the crash of the tulip market back in 1637. She loves Cornelius, but can not be certain if his love for her eclipses his love for his tulips. I would love to tell you more, but I don鈥檛 want to take any chances of imperiling the enjoyment of discovery each of you will experience when you follow this plot to it鈥檚 frenzied conclusion. One danger you will not be able to avoid is the sudden desire to obtain and plant the most dazzling display of tulips that can be concocted from the twisted minds of those brilliant Dutch gardeners. Enjoy!
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:
In 1672 two brothers Cornelius and Johan de Witt (Grand Pensionary/prime minister of Holland) were charged with treason and sentenced to exile. Cornelis had been tortured with the hope that he would confess to plotting with the French king.
He did not.
He had corresponded with the French King, but those letters had been safely deposited with his godson Cornelius van Baerle. This evidence, if obtained, would have insured a frog march to the executioner and a swift separation of their heads from their bodies.
If only they had been so lucky.
The mob, you know those people that we buy our fruit, our clothes, our meat from, who build our cabinetry, customize our clogs, and bake our bread, were unhappy with the verdict of exile. They wanted...blood. With a bit of sinister machination by a rather villainous depiction of William of Orange the mob gets their chance at the very moment the brothers are attempting to comply with their sentencing.
The Mob. Image from the Folio Society edition.
鈥滱nd everyone wanted to strike a blow with a hammer, a sword or a knife, everyone wanted to have his drop of blood and tear off his scrap of clothing.
When the two bodies were thoroughly beaten, thoroughly dismembered, and thoroughly stripped, the mob dragged them naked and bleeding, to an improvised gibbet, where amateur executioners hung them up by the feet.鈥�
Meanwhile our hero, Cornelius van Baerle, continues to pursue what he loves best, growing tulips. He has a genius for it. He grafts, mulches, and cultivates his bulbs with the same precision as a master violinist moves his bow across the strings. The science of tulips is his to command. When the tulip society offers a 100,000 guilder reward for the first gardener to create an unblemished black tulip Cornelius is elated not for a chance to win the money, but for the challenge of creating the perfect black tulip.
Little does Cornelius know, but he has a nemesis, one too close for comfort. In fact Mynheer Isaac Boxtel lives right next door. He was once a well respected gardener, but since his rich neighbor van Baerle decided to take up the challenge of raising tulips his own gardens have been neglected. He has no time to garden for all of his spare moments are spent with a telescope to his eye watching every movement of his illustrious neighbor. He gnashes his teeth and pulls his hair with every breakthrough that Cornelius achieves with each new specimen of tulip excellence.
Boxtel enraged. Image from the Folio Society edition
鈥滺ow many times, in the midst of these torments--which no words can convey--had Boxtel not been tempted to leap into the garden by night and ravage the plants, devouring the bulbs with his teeth and even sacrificing the owner himself to his fury if the man should dare to defend his tulips!
But to kill a tulip, in the eyes of a true gardener, is such a ghastly crime (while to kill a man--well, perhaps鈥�)Yet thanks to the progress that van Baerle was making daily in an art that he seemed to be acquiring by instinct, Boxtel was driven to such a paroxysm of rage that he considered throwing sticks and stones into his neighbour鈥檚 tulip beds.鈥�
Boxtel becomes the source of much misery for van Baerle for that telescope revealed much more than secrets about tulips.
Cornelius is arrested and evades a similar fate as his uncles when a last second (sword in the air ready to descend) reprieve arrives. His sentence is commuted to life imprisonment. When he was arrested he had time only to grab three offsets of a bulb that he believes will produce the perfect black tulip. As unlikely as it seems, given the dank, despairing environment of prison, he meets an angel in the form of Rosa the daughter of the brutish jailer Gryphus. She becomes his confidant, his reason to continue living, and the protector of his greatest creation.
Rosa and yes that is Boxtel lurking in the shadows. Image from the Folio Society edition.
鈥滱s the rail of the staircase creaked under the prisoner鈥檚 heavy hand, the girl half opened the small door of a room which she inhabited in the very wall of the staircase. Holding a lamp in her right hand, she at the same time lit up her delightful pink face, framed in splendid locks of thick blonde hair, while with her left hand she drew her white nightdress across her breast.
It was love at first sight. If Boxtel hadn鈥檛 in a fit of jealous, depraved behavior perpetrated a plan to destroy his enemy, Cornelius would have never met the love of his life.
*Sigh*
鈥淪ometimes one has suffered enough to have the right to never say: I am too happy.鈥�
Now the plot revolves around the fate of three tulip offsets and Boxtel鈥檚 nefarious attempts to steal them. Rosa is thrust into the maelstrom of tulip craziness not seen since the crash of the tulip market back in 1637. She loves Cornelius, but can not be certain if his love for her eclipses his love for his tulips. I would love to tell you more, but I don鈥檛 want to take any chances of imperiling the enjoyment of discovery each of you will experience when you follow this plot to it鈥檚 frenzied conclusion. One danger you will not be able to avoid is the sudden desire to obtain and plant the most dazzling display of tulips that can be concocted from the twisted minds of those brilliant Dutch gardeners. Enjoy!
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:
October 8, 2022
丕賱丨賯 丿賵賱丞 賵 丕賱亘丕胤賱 噩賵賱丞
賻賵丕賱毓丿賱 賵丕賱丨亘 丕賱胤丕賴乇 丕賱賲鬲爻丕賲丨 爻賷馗賱丕賳 丿賵賲丕 賮賷 賳丿乇丞 丕賱夭賳丕亘賯 丕賱爻賵丿丕亍
賮賷 兀賵丕禺乇 乇賵丕賷鬲賴 賯乇乇 丿賵賲丕爻 丕賳 賷氐丕乇毓 丕賱馗賱賲 賱賲乇丞 丕禺賷乇丞 賲賳 禺賱丕賱 亘胤賱賴 丕賱爻噩賷賳 丕賱卮丕亘: 賰賵乇賳賷賱賷爻 賮丕賳 亘賷乇賱听 丕賱賲鬲賮乇睾 賱鬲噩丕乇亘賴 丕賱賲丨賲賵賲丞 賱丕賳亘丕鬲 夭賳丕亘賯 爻賵丿丕亍貨賱賷賮賵夭"亘賲丕卅丞 丕賱賮 噩賷賱丿乇 賴賵賱賳丿賷 "貨賴賵 賱丕 賷賴鬲賲 亘丕賱爻賷丕爻丞 丕氐賱丕 賵 賱賰賳賴 賷購爻噩賳 馗賱賲丕貨賵 賷賰賲賱 賴賵爻賴 亘夭乇丕毓賴 丕賱夭賳丕亘賯 賲賳 禺賱丕賱 丕亘賳丞 賲丿賷乇 丕賱爻噩賳 乇賵夭丕 丕賱鬲賷 賷賯毓 賮賷 丨亘賴丕 賮鬲爻丕毓丿賴 賮賷 乇毓兀賷鬲賴丕 賵 丕賳亘丕鬲賴丕 賵 賷賳賲賵 丨亘賴賲丕 賲毓賴丕
丨丕賮馗賷 毓賱賷賴丕 賷丕 乇賵夭丕 賰賲丕 鬲乇毓賶 丕賱兀賲 賵賱丿賴丕"貙
賰賲丕 賷鬲賲爻賰 丕賱噩乇賷丨 亘賯胤乇丞 丕賱丿賲 丕賱賲鬲亘賯賷丞 賮賷 毓乇賵賯賴.. 夭賳亘賯鬲賰 賴賷 丕亘賳鬲賷貙 廿賳賴丕 賱丕 鬲睾賷亘 毓賳 毓賷賳賷 賱丨馗丞.. 丨賷賳 兀爻鬲賷賯馗 廿賳賴丕 兀賵賱 卮賷亍 兀賳馗乇 廿賱賷賴貙 賵毓賳丿賲丕 兀賳丕賲 鬲賰賵賳 丌禺乇 卮賷亍 兀乇丕賴" 丕
賯乇乇 丿賵賲丕爻 丕賳 賷氐丕乇毓 丕賱睾賷乇丞 賵 鬲丿丕毓賷鬲賴丕 丕賱賲丿賲乇丞 賱賲乇丞 丕禺賷乇丞 賲賳 禺賱丕賱 丕賱賲丨丕賵賱丕鬲 丕賱賲爻鬲賲乇丞听 賱鬲丿賲賷乇 丕賱夭賳丕亘賯 賵 賴乇爻賴丕 賲賳 賯賽亘賱 亘賵賰爻鬲賱 丕賱毓賳賷丿
鬲爻兀亍賱 丕賱賳賯丕丿 毓賳 爻乇 丕禺鬲賷丕乇 賰丕鬲亘賳丕 丕賱賱賵賳 丕賱丕爻賵丿 賱賱夭賳丕亘賯責 賵 亘丕賱胤亘毓 賯乇乇賵丕 丕賳 丿賵賲丕爻" 丕賱禺賱丕爻賷" 丕禺鬲丕乇賴 亘爻亘亘 賲毓丕賳丕鬲賴 賲賳 丕賱毓賳氐乇賷丞 胤賵丕賱 丨賷丕鬲賴 賱丕賳賴 賳鬲丕噩 夭賵丕噩 丕亘 賮乇賳爻賷 賲毓 丕賲 爻賲乇丕亍
乇賵丕賷丞 鬲乇丕噩賷丿賷丞 鬲丕乇賷禺賷丞 鬲賲夭噩 亘賷賳 賵賯丕卅毓 賴賵賱賳丿賷丞. 賲賳 毓丕賲 佟佴侑伲 賲毓 卮禺氐賷丕鬲 禺賷丕賱賷丞 ..亘丕賱胤亘毓 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賲賱賷卅丞 亘丕賱賲亘丕賱睾丕鬲 丕賱乇賵賲丕賳爻賷丞 賵 丕賱賲賷賱賵丿乇丕賲賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 賰孬乇鬲 賮賷 丕賱賯乇賳 佟侑 賵 丕賱佟侃听 亘賱 鬲賳丨賷 丕丨賷丕賳丕 賱爻匕丕噩丞 丕賱禺乇丕賮丕鬲貨賲毓 鬲胤賵賷賱 賲毓鬲丕丿貨 賵 兀鬲毓噩亘 丕丨賷丕賳丕 丕賳賴丕 賱賳賮爻 賰丕鬲亘 丕賱賰賵賳鬲 丿賷 賲賵賳鬲 賰乇賷爻鬲賵
賴賷 賲賳 丕賱賯乇丕亍丕鬲 丕賱卮丕卅毓丞 賱爻賳 丕賱氐亘丕 賵 鬲毓丕賱噩 賮賰乇鬲賷 丕賱睾賷乇丞 賵 丕賱賴賵爻 亘卮賰賱 賲亘丕卮乇 賳賵毓丕 賲丕貨 賵賷賰爻乇 賮賷賴丕 丿賵賲丕爻 丕賱丨丕卅胤 丕賱乇丕亘毓 賵 賷禺丕胤亘 賯丕乇卅賴 賲亘丕卮乇丞
亘丕賱賮毓賱 賰丕賳鬲 賲賳 賯乇丕亍丕鬲賷 丕賱賲賮囟賱丞 賮賷 丕賱氐亘丕听賵 丕賳 賰丕賳鬲 賮賰乇丞 丕賱夭賴賵乇 丕賱爻賵丿丕亍 鬲賵丨賷 賱賷 亘兀賳賴丕 丕丨鬲乇賯鬲
賵 爻鬲馗賱 兀丨丿丕孬賴丕 鬲匕賰乇賳賷 亘賲賯賵賱丞 丿賵賲丕爻
*丕賱丨亘 賷賱賴賲賳丕 丿丕卅賲丕 賵賱賰賳賴 賷賲賳毓賳丕 賲賳 丕賱毓馗賲丞 *
賻賵丕賱毓丿賱 賵丕賱丨亘 丕賱胤丕賴乇 丕賱賲鬲爻丕賲丨 爻賷馗賱丕賳 丿賵賲丕 賮賷 賳丿乇丞 丕賱夭賳丕亘賯 丕賱爻賵丿丕亍
賮賷 兀賵丕禺乇 乇賵丕賷鬲賴 賯乇乇 丿賵賲丕爻 丕賳 賷氐丕乇毓 丕賱馗賱賲 賱賲乇丞 丕禺賷乇丞 賲賳 禺賱丕賱 亘胤賱賴 丕賱爻噩賷賳 丕賱卮丕亘: 賰賵乇賳賷賱賷爻 賮丕賳 亘賷乇賱听 丕賱賲鬲賮乇睾 賱鬲噩丕乇亘賴 丕賱賲丨賲賵賲丞 賱丕賳亘丕鬲 夭賳丕亘賯 爻賵丿丕亍貨賱賷賮賵夭"亘賲丕卅丞 丕賱賮 噩賷賱丿乇 賴賵賱賳丿賷 "貨賴賵 賱丕 賷賴鬲賲 亘丕賱爻賷丕爻丞 丕氐賱丕 賵 賱賰賳賴 賷購爻噩賳 馗賱賲丕貨賵 賷賰賲賱 賴賵爻賴 亘夭乇丕毓賴 丕賱夭賳丕亘賯 賲賳 禺賱丕賱 丕亘賳丞 賲丿賷乇 丕賱爻噩賳 乇賵夭丕 丕賱鬲賷 賷賯毓 賮賷 丨亘賴丕 賮鬲爻丕毓丿賴 賮賷 乇毓兀賷鬲賴丕 賵 丕賳亘丕鬲賴丕 賵 賷賳賲賵 丨亘賴賲丕 賲毓賴丕
丨丕賮馗賷 毓賱賷賴丕 賷丕 乇賵夭丕 賰賲丕 鬲乇毓賶 丕賱兀賲 賵賱丿賴丕"貙
賰賲丕 賷鬲賲爻賰 丕賱噩乇賷丨 亘賯胤乇丞 丕賱丿賲 丕賱賲鬲亘賯賷丞 賮賷 毓乇賵賯賴.. 夭賳亘賯鬲賰 賴賷 丕亘賳鬲賷貙 廿賳賴丕 賱丕 鬲睾賷亘 毓賳 毓賷賳賷 賱丨馗丞.. 丨賷賳 兀爻鬲賷賯馗 廿賳賴丕 兀賵賱 卮賷亍 兀賳馗乇 廿賱賷賴貙 賵毓賳丿賲丕 兀賳丕賲 鬲賰賵賳 丌禺乇 卮賷亍 兀乇丕賴" 丕
賯乇乇 丿賵賲丕爻 丕賳 賷氐丕乇毓 丕賱睾賷乇丞 賵 鬲丿丕毓賷鬲賴丕 丕賱賲丿賲乇丞 賱賲乇丞 丕禺賷乇丞 賲賳 禺賱丕賱 丕賱賲丨丕賵賱丕鬲 丕賱賲爻鬲賲乇丞听 賱鬲丿賲賷乇 丕賱夭賳丕亘賯 賵 賴乇爻賴丕 賲賳 賯賽亘賱 亘賵賰爻鬲賱 丕賱毓賳賷丿
鬲爻兀亍賱 丕賱賳賯丕丿 毓賳 爻乇 丕禺鬲賷丕乇 賰丕鬲亘賳丕 丕賱賱賵賳 丕賱丕爻賵丿 賱賱夭賳丕亘賯責 賵 亘丕賱胤亘毓 賯乇乇賵丕 丕賳 丿賵賲丕爻" 丕賱禺賱丕爻賷" 丕禺鬲丕乇賴 亘爻亘亘 賲毓丕賳丕鬲賴 賲賳 丕賱毓賳氐乇賷丞 胤賵丕賱 丨賷丕鬲賴 賱丕賳賴 賳鬲丕噩 夭賵丕噩 丕亘 賮乇賳爻賷 賲毓 丕賲 爻賲乇丕亍
乇賵丕賷丞 鬲乇丕噩賷丿賷丞 鬲丕乇賷禺賷丞 鬲賲夭噩 亘賷賳 賵賯丕卅毓 賴賵賱賳丿賷丞. 賲賳 毓丕賲 佟佴侑伲 賲毓 卮禺氐賷丕鬲 禺賷丕賱賷丞 ..亘丕賱胤亘毓 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賲賱賷卅丞 亘丕賱賲亘丕賱睾丕鬲 丕賱乇賵賲丕賳爻賷丞 賵 丕賱賲賷賱賵丿乇丕賲賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 賰孬乇鬲 賮賷 丕賱賯乇賳 佟侑 賵 丕賱佟侃听 亘賱 鬲賳丨賷 丕丨賷丕賳丕 賱爻匕丕噩丞 丕賱禺乇丕賮丕鬲貨賲毓 鬲胤賵賷賱 賲毓鬲丕丿貨 賵 兀鬲毓噩亘 丕丨賷丕賳丕 丕賳賴丕 賱賳賮爻 賰丕鬲亘 丕賱賰賵賳鬲 丿賷 賲賵賳鬲 賰乇賷爻鬲賵
賴賷 賲賳 丕賱賯乇丕亍丕鬲 丕賱卮丕卅毓丞 賱爻賳 丕賱氐亘丕 賵 鬲毓丕賱噩 賮賰乇鬲賷 丕賱睾賷乇丞 賵 丕賱賴賵爻 亘卮賰賱 賲亘丕卮乇 賳賵毓丕 賲丕貨 賵賷賰爻乇 賮賷賴丕 丿賵賲丕爻 丕賱丨丕卅胤 丕賱乇丕亘毓 賵 賷禺丕胤亘 賯丕乇卅賴 賲亘丕卮乇丞
亘丕賱賮毓賱 賰丕賳鬲 賲賳 賯乇丕亍丕鬲賷 丕賱賲賮囟賱丞 賮賷 丕賱氐亘丕听賵 丕賳 賰丕賳鬲 賮賰乇丞 丕賱夭賴賵乇 丕賱爻賵丿丕亍 鬲賵丨賷 賱賷 亘兀賳賴丕 丕丨鬲乇賯鬲
賵 爻鬲馗賱 兀丨丿丕孬賴丕 鬲匕賰乇賳賷 亘賲賯賵賱丞 丿賵賲丕爻
*丕賱丨亘 賷賱賴賲賳丕 丿丕卅賲丕 賵賱賰賳賴 賷賲賳毓賳丕 賲賳 丕賱毓馗賲丞 *
August 30, 2021
This is a brilliant piece of work by Alexander Dumas. The story holds many themes: love, courage, honesty and jealousy; and Dumas has woven all these themes in to one of the history's most beautifully said stories.
The story mainly revolves around Dr. Cornelius Van Baerle, a tulip grower who has been wrongly imprisoned, and his journey of sheer courage to see his dream for the production of a black Tulip become a reality. His dream was aided by Rosa Gryphus, the jailer's daughter who becomes the love of his life.
I loved both the male and female lead characters. They somehow left an everlasting impression on me by their courage to face hardships and cruelty, their love and devotion to each other, and their honesty even to the extent of incriminating themselves. I can without a doubt say they will be yet another addition to my favorite character couples in classics.
Dumas had written the villainous characters of Gryphus, the jailer and Boxtel, the jealous rival tulip grower so well that my only regret was that they were not within my reach so that I could strangle them for all the pain they caused to Cornelius and Rosa.
Although Cornelius is said to be the hero of the book, I felt there was a more active heroine at play in the character of Rosa. Her strong love for Cornelius drives her through all obstacles with a courage and strength of that of steel, never yielding and finally ensuring justice is done to him.
The start was tight with first few chapters touching on a bit of gruesome history but once past that, it was extremely interesting. I loved every moment of the read. Having read so many different books, it takes such a book to shake my composure, but this one certainly did. I really did not want it to end and quite sad that it finally ended.
The story mainly revolves around Dr. Cornelius Van Baerle, a tulip grower who has been wrongly imprisoned, and his journey of sheer courage to see his dream for the production of a black Tulip become a reality. His dream was aided by Rosa Gryphus, the jailer's daughter who becomes the love of his life.
I loved both the male and female lead characters. They somehow left an everlasting impression on me by their courage to face hardships and cruelty, their love and devotion to each other, and their honesty even to the extent of incriminating themselves. I can without a doubt say they will be yet another addition to my favorite character couples in classics.
Dumas had written the villainous characters of Gryphus, the jailer and Boxtel, the jealous rival tulip grower so well that my only regret was that they were not within my reach so that I could strangle them for all the pain they caused to Cornelius and Rosa.
Although Cornelius is said to be the hero of the book, I felt there was a more active heroine at play in the character of Rosa. Her strong love for Cornelius drives her through all obstacles with a courage and strength of that of steel, never yielding and finally ensuring justice is done to him.
The start was tight with first few chapters touching on a bit of gruesome history but once past that, it was extremely interesting. I loved every moment of the read. Having read so many different books, it takes such a book to shake my composure, but this one certainly did. I really did not want it to end and quite sad that it finally ended.
May 27, 2020
I have read this several times. I love the complexity of it, as well as it's simplicity.
If you are into love stories - this has a great one - of loyalty, devotion, and self-sacrifice.
If you are into studies of human nature - here too. It explores mob-mentality, politics, truth as it relates to justice, aspirations of power and the willingness to achieve that end regardless of the cost to others. And, underlying everything, the complete destructive capacity of jealousy. The danger of covetousness. All intertwined with history.
This is a little known book, hidden on the shelves behind "The Three Musketeers" and "The Count of Monte Cristo". Forget those for now, and read this one. I'll bet that you won't regret it.
If you are into love stories - this has a great one - of loyalty, devotion, and self-sacrifice.
If you are into studies of human nature - here too. It explores mob-mentality, politics, truth as it relates to justice, aspirations of power and the willingness to achieve that end regardless of the cost to others. And, underlying everything, the complete destructive capacity of jealousy. The danger of covetousness. All intertwined with history.
This is a little known book, hidden on the shelves behind "The Three Musketeers" and "The Count of Monte Cristo". Forget those for now, and read this one. I'll bet that you won't regret it.
March 17, 2025
...everything changes in the realm of nature; the flowers of spring are succeeded by other flowers; and the bees, which so tenderly caressed the violets and the wall-flowers, will flutter with just as much love about the honey suckles, the rose, the jessamine, and the carnation...
Believe it or not, The Black Tulip is the first book I鈥檝e read by Dumas. I attempted to read it for the first time when I was 15 or 16 years old, but managed only a couple of chapters.
And now I know the reason why I couldn鈥檛 read this classic, whereas, that was the period of my devouring Dickens鈥� and Hugo鈥檚 books like they were bon bon.
The book is heavy, talkative and repetitive; and nothing much really happens.
The story is set in late 17th century Netherlands and revolves around political intrigues, assassinations, romance and of course obsession with black tulips.
Believe it or not, The Black Tulip is the first book I鈥檝e read by Dumas. I attempted to read it for the first time when I was 15 or 16 years old, but managed only a couple of chapters.
And now I know the reason why I couldn鈥檛 read this classic, whereas, that was the period of my devouring Dickens鈥� and Hugo鈥檚 books like they were bon bon.
The book is heavy, talkative and repetitive; and nothing much really happens.
The story is set in late 17th century Netherlands and revolves around political intrigues, assassinations, romance and of course obsession with black tulips.
October 22, 2022
Dumas is a fantastic story-teller. This was not published originally in periodicals (magazines) 鈥� it was published in its entirety in 1850. I found it hard to put down and at some point I could not put it down. I did not think it was going to be that good. The first chapter was the introduction of a lot of names, and it was hard to navigate it. But shortly that became a non-issue.
Wikipedia labels this book as historical fiction. It is based on the tulip craze (tulipmania) in Holland circa 1620-1637, but Dumas did not stick entirely to the facts, and from reading the Introduction of my re-issue of the book by David Coward (Professor of French, University of Leeds), it appears there are some historical inaccuracies. But the professor was not overly concerned and neither am I.
This was a thumping Goodread! If you have not read it, please consider it! 馃檪 馃檭 馃檪 馃檭
From the book鈥檚 back cover:
鈥� The novel 鈥� a deceptively simple story 鈥� is set in Holland in 1672, and weaves the historical events surrounding the brutal murder of John de Witte and his brother Cornelius into a tale of romantic love.
The good guys and gals you are rooting for:
鈥� Cornelius Van Baerle, a wealthy, amateur horticulturist
鈥� Rosa, who is daughter of the town鈥檚 jailer...Cornelius is in love with her but as well with the black tulip he/they are trying to grow in a competition
The bad guys:
鈥� Isaac Boxtel (later changes his name to Master Jacob), who wants to have the black tulip ofr his very own so he can gain the prize
鈥� Rosa鈥檚 father, Gryphus, who is a jailer, who every day wakes up on the wrong side of the bed
Person one is not sure of:
鈥� William, Prince of Orange
Reviews:
鈥�
鈥�
鈥�
Wikipedia labels this book as historical fiction. It is based on the tulip craze (tulipmania) in Holland circa 1620-1637, but Dumas did not stick entirely to the facts, and from reading the Introduction of my re-issue of the book by David Coward (Professor of French, University of Leeds), it appears there are some historical inaccuracies. But the professor was not overly concerned and neither am I.
This was a thumping Goodread! If you have not read it, please consider it! 馃檪 馃檭 馃檪 馃檭
From the book鈥檚 back cover:
鈥� The novel 鈥� a deceptively simple story 鈥� is set in Holland in 1672, and weaves the historical events surrounding the brutal murder of John de Witte and his brother Cornelius into a tale of romantic love.
The good guys and gals you are rooting for:
鈥� Cornelius Van Baerle, a wealthy, amateur horticulturist
鈥� Rosa, who is daughter of the town鈥檚 jailer...Cornelius is in love with her but as well with the black tulip he/they are trying to grow in a competition
The bad guys:
鈥� Isaac Boxtel (later changes his name to Master Jacob), who wants to have the black tulip ofr his very own so he can gain the prize
鈥� Rosa鈥檚 father, Gryphus, who is a jailer, who every day wakes up on the wrong side of the bed
Person one is not sure of:
鈥� William, Prince of Orange
Reviews:
鈥�
鈥�
鈥�
December 13, 2017
3.5 rounded up.
Nothing makes me feel like a youngster again quite like reading Dumas. He is a consummate storyteller and when you are reading the story is everything, you are immersed in it, you are suffering the confinement and the injustice and the suspense. The romance is necessary, but not terribly realistic, but then Dumas鈥� strength is action and it is his male characters who seize and keep your interest. Nobody watched Errol Flynn movies to see the fainting heroine...she was his prop.
This degree of fervor over a tulip might seem extreme, but it is, in fact, based on the history of the time. Holland had tulip fever that amounted to a mania. Dumas certainly put this to good use in his plot development and the creation of the fanatic, Boxtel.
A fun read for me and just right for reading between tasks at this time of year.
Nothing makes me feel like a youngster again quite like reading Dumas. He is a consummate storyteller and when you are reading the story is everything, you are immersed in it, you are suffering the confinement and the injustice and the suspense. The romance is necessary, but not terribly realistic, but then Dumas鈥� strength is action and it is his male characters who seize and keep your interest. Nobody watched Errol Flynn movies to see the fainting heroine...she was his prop.
This degree of fervor over a tulip might seem extreme, but it is, in fact, based on the history of the time. Holland had tulip fever that amounted to a mania. Dumas certainly put this to good use in his plot development and the creation of the fanatic, Boxtel.
A fun read for me and just right for reading between tasks at this time of year.
February 25, 2024
A novel of tulips and how they inspired love, jealousy, hatred, devotion, and great sums of money in seventeenth century Holland.
Through a miscarriage of justice, our main characters Cornelius and Rosa are brought together under difficult conditions and strike up a friendship that sees their quest to "create" a black tulip become central to their relationship. It also leads them into danger from unexpected quarters.
It's a super story that I very much enjoyed.
Through a miscarriage of justice, our main characters Cornelius and Rosa are brought together under difficult conditions and strike up a friendship that sees their quest to "create" a black tulip become central to their relationship. It also leads them into danger from unexpected quarters.
It's a super story that I very much enjoyed.
September 3, 2019
What I like with Alexandre Dumas is that he鈥檚 easy to read, despite the facts that he鈥檚 clever, he always made historical researches (or had them done by Auguste Maquet?) for his historical novels or plays and had a good knowledge of men hearts, minds and behaviours. The only thing that he misses is the knowledge of women. Most of the time, and wouldn鈥檛 say all the time, because I like Alexandre Dumas; mostly, his female characters are secondary and only cute and kind. But, I don鈥檛 mind, I鈥檓 a weak reader in front of a great storyteller!
So it鈥檚 the first time I read The Black Tulip.
Interesting era in the background of the story, a hero who鈥檚 "only" a tulip-fancier, political intrigues, murders, jealousy, and love. The Black Tulip is deliciously rocambolesque (sorry, this word doesn鈥檛 seem to exist in English, it means fantastic, incredible, awesome?), it鈥檚 adventure, love, a story for the pleasure of stories, it鈥檚 Dumas!
Add to this passages which shows the great writer like:
Dumas, in a simple writing, explains us the progression of the thought of a jealous man. It鈥檚 perfectly thought and shown by Dumas in chapter six starting with this sentence:
"From that moment Boxtel鈥檚 interest in tulips was no longer a stimulus to his exertions, but a deadening anxiety. Henceforth all his thoughts ran only upon the injury which his neighbour would cause him, and thus his favourite occupation was changed into a constant source of misery to him."
But, what I liked also in The black Tulip was to recognize Dumas鈥� thoughts and personal life like:
He鈥檚 a man in a hurry who doesn鈥檛 have time to dwell on details and descriptions, example in chapter 6 :
"It might perhaps be interesting to explain to the gentle reader the beautiful chain of theories which go to prove that the tulip borrows its colors from the elements; perhaps we should give him pleasure if we were to maintain and establish that nothing is impossible for a florist who avails himself with judgment and discretion and patience of the sun鈥檚 heat, the clear water, the juices of the earth, and the cool breezes. But this is not a treatise upon tulips in general; it is the story of one particular tulip which we have undertaken to write, and to that we limit ourselves, however alluring the subject which is so closely allied to ours."
In a word, if you want to know more about tulips, do it by yourself, reader! This makes me smile!
I can also recognize Dumas in the great worker who鈥檚 Cornelius. Dumas travelled, had mistresses, gave parties, but he always worked a lot. He wrote his first play, Christine, as he already had a job as a secretary for the Duc d鈥橭rl茅ans to earn money for him and his mother, then, once he could live with his writings, he woke up early and organized his days around his work which was enormous.
I also recognize Dumas the hunter:
"Sometimes, whilst covering Van Baerle with his telescope, he deluded himself into a belief that he was levelling a never-failing musket at him; and then he would seek with his finger for the trigger to fire the shot which was to have killed his neighbour."
On chapter 7, here is Dumas the generous, the man who gave without counting, and here are some examples taken from his life:
One day, Dumas invited friends for dinner. One of them, a famous writer, Emile Bergerat, doesn鈥檛 know one of the guests and discreetly asks to Dumas鈥� son : "Who鈥檚 that man ?" Dumas鈥� son answers : "I don鈥檛 know, one of my father鈥檚 friends ? Ask him!" That鈥檚 what Emile does, and Alexandre Dumas answers: "I don鈥檛 know, one of my son鈥檚 friends, maybe, ask him!"
Another example, one day, as Dumas was in Florence, Italy, a German Priest knocked at his door and said: "You don鈥檛 know me. I鈥檓 just a simple Priest. My dream is to visit Roma. I鈥檝e come all this way from Germany, thought I had spared enough money, but now I鈥檓 broke and I can鈥檛 reach Roma. Could you please lend me some money for my trip there and back to Germany?" And Alexandre Dumas gave him more that what he needed, pleased to help this man he didn鈥檛 know.
And on chapter 11, how brillant is the judges deliberation! And how, once again, in their conclusion, I find Alexandre Dumas and the little regard he has for the "little chiefs": those who are incapable of taking a decision by themselves, who always refer to a superior and hide behind orders, timidly. Dumas suffered, while working in the administration of the Duke of Orleans, several small chiefs and he doesn鈥檛 hold them in great esteem, just as he doesn鈥檛 hold in great estime the judges in this chapter 11.
And how I like Dumas鈥� humour! A little example in the last sentence of chapter 13:
"鈥� in addition to having his clothes torn, his back bruised, and his hands scratched, he inflicted upon himself the further punishment of tearing out his hair by handfuls, as an offering to that goddess of envy who, as mythology teaches us, wears a head-dress of serpents."
And from chapter 16, Dumas plays with his characters Rosa and Cornelius to amuse us, readers, and it's a pleasure! Some says it鈥檚 easy romance? I answer, yes, maybe! But who doesn鈥檛 need a bit of love as light as a flower petal in his life? And think about that: Dumas wrote this novel when he was maybe 46 or 48? Isn鈥檛 it enviable to be able, when you have lived as much as the author to be as starry-eyed as a teenager, to allow yourself, although you鈥檙e a giant, to be romantic and young? I think it is and I think it鈥檚 the secret of the eternal youth!
Ah, Dumas, if I had been told that I would enjoy watching a flower grow, I wouldn't have believed it! There is so much in your simple tulip: love, suspense, jealousy, intrigue.
And Rosa! I apologize for having first thought she would be insignificant. It鈥檚 a beautiful woman character, who has great qualities: intelligence, psychology, finesse, strength. She leads the adventure as she leads Cornelius鈥�
This poor Cornelius is prisoner for so many weeks. Alone at night in his cell, alone in his littel bed, he thinks of Rosa:
"鈥nder Rosa鈥檚 eyes, is the mysterious flower, which lives, which expands, which opens, perhaps Rosa holds in this moment the stem of the tulip between her delicate fingers. Touch it gently, Rosa. Perhaps she touches with her lips its expanding chalice. Touch it cautiously, Rosa, your lips are burning. Yes, perhaps at this moment the two objects of my dearest love caress each other under the eye of Heaven."
Oh, Dumas, naughty boy!
Readers, don't tell me there aren't two degrees of reading!
Poor Cornelius who has such tragi-comic thoughts in chapter 28, it鈥檚 so fun!
"鈥ut suppose I should waste ten years of my life in making a file to file off my bars, or in braiding cords to let myself down from the window, or in sticking wings on my shoulders to fly, like D忙dalus? But luck is against me now. The file would get dull, the rope would break, or my wings would melt in the sun; I should surely kill myself, I should be picked up maimed and crippled; I should be labelled, and put on exhibition in the museum at the Hague between the blood-stained doublet of William the Taciturn and the female walrus captured at Stavesen, and the only result of my enterprise will have been to procure me a place among the curiosities of Holland."
This novel, which may seem light, also has its well thought-out sentences:
"He was one of those choice spirits who abhor everything that is common, and who often lose a good chance through not taking the way of the vulgar, that high road of mediocrity which leads to everything."
And throughout the book, Dumas accompanies us, with his false modesty of good giant who has nothing more to prove, as in this sentence, for example:
"This 鈥� scene which we have tried 鈥� with poor success, no doubt 鈥� to present to the eyes of the reader."
Doesn鈥檛 he mean: Please, reader, tell me I鈥檓 the best!
And I find it delicious to hear the voice of Dumas two centuries apart!
And I tell him: Dear master, come and speak to my ear again and again.
So it鈥檚 the first time I read The Black Tulip.
Interesting era in the background of the story, a hero who鈥檚 "only" a tulip-fancier, political intrigues, murders, jealousy, and love. The Black Tulip is deliciously rocambolesque (sorry, this word doesn鈥檛 seem to exist in English, it means fantastic, incredible, awesome?), it鈥檚 adventure, love, a story for the pleasure of stories, it鈥檚 Dumas!
Add to this passages which shows the great writer like:
Dumas, in a simple writing, explains us the progression of the thought of a jealous man. It鈥檚 perfectly thought and shown by Dumas in chapter six starting with this sentence:
"From that moment Boxtel鈥檚 interest in tulips was no longer a stimulus to his exertions, but a deadening anxiety. Henceforth all his thoughts ran only upon the injury which his neighbour would cause him, and thus his favourite occupation was changed into a constant source of misery to him."
But, what I liked also in The black Tulip was to recognize Dumas鈥� thoughts and personal life like:
He鈥檚 a man in a hurry who doesn鈥檛 have time to dwell on details and descriptions, example in chapter 6 :
"It might perhaps be interesting to explain to the gentle reader the beautiful chain of theories which go to prove that the tulip borrows its colors from the elements; perhaps we should give him pleasure if we were to maintain and establish that nothing is impossible for a florist who avails himself with judgment and discretion and patience of the sun鈥檚 heat, the clear water, the juices of the earth, and the cool breezes. But this is not a treatise upon tulips in general; it is the story of one particular tulip which we have undertaken to write, and to that we limit ourselves, however alluring the subject which is so closely allied to ours."
In a word, if you want to know more about tulips, do it by yourself, reader! This makes me smile!
I can also recognize Dumas in the great worker who鈥檚 Cornelius. Dumas travelled, had mistresses, gave parties, but he always worked a lot. He wrote his first play, Christine, as he already had a job as a secretary for the Duc d鈥橭rl茅ans to earn money for him and his mother, then, once he could live with his writings, he woke up early and organized his days around his work which was enormous.
I also recognize Dumas the hunter:
"Sometimes, whilst covering Van Baerle with his telescope, he deluded himself into a belief that he was levelling a never-failing musket at him; and then he would seek with his finger for the trigger to fire the shot which was to have killed his neighbour."
On chapter 7, here is Dumas the generous, the man who gave without counting, and here are some examples taken from his life:
One day, Dumas invited friends for dinner. One of them, a famous writer, Emile Bergerat, doesn鈥檛 know one of the guests and discreetly asks to Dumas鈥� son : "Who鈥檚 that man ?" Dumas鈥� son answers : "I don鈥檛 know, one of my father鈥檚 friends ? Ask him!" That鈥檚 what Emile does, and Alexandre Dumas answers: "I don鈥檛 know, one of my son鈥檚 friends, maybe, ask him!"
Another example, one day, as Dumas was in Florence, Italy, a German Priest knocked at his door and said: "You don鈥檛 know me. I鈥檓 just a simple Priest. My dream is to visit Roma. I鈥檝e come all this way from Germany, thought I had spared enough money, but now I鈥檓 broke and I can鈥檛 reach Roma. Could you please lend me some money for my trip there and back to Germany?" And Alexandre Dumas gave him more that what he needed, pleased to help this man he didn鈥檛 know.
And on chapter 11, how brillant is the judges deliberation! And how, once again, in their conclusion, I find Alexandre Dumas and the little regard he has for the "little chiefs": those who are incapable of taking a decision by themselves, who always refer to a superior and hide behind orders, timidly. Dumas suffered, while working in the administration of the Duke of Orleans, several small chiefs and he doesn鈥檛 hold them in great esteem, just as he doesn鈥檛 hold in great estime the judges in this chapter 11.
And how I like Dumas鈥� humour! A little example in the last sentence of chapter 13:
"鈥� in addition to having his clothes torn, his back bruised, and his hands scratched, he inflicted upon himself the further punishment of tearing out his hair by handfuls, as an offering to that goddess of envy who, as mythology teaches us, wears a head-dress of serpents."
And from chapter 16, Dumas plays with his characters Rosa and Cornelius to amuse us, readers, and it's a pleasure! Some says it鈥檚 easy romance? I answer, yes, maybe! But who doesn鈥檛 need a bit of love as light as a flower petal in his life? And think about that: Dumas wrote this novel when he was maybe 46 or 48? Isn鈥檛 it enviable to be able, when you have lived as much as the author to be as starry-eyed as a teenager, to allow yourself, although you鈥檙e a giant, to be romantic and young? I think it is and I think it鈥檚 the secret of the eternal youth!
Ah, Dumas, if I had been told that I would enjoy watching a flower grow, I wouldn't have believed it! There is so much in your simple tulip: love, suspense, jealousy, intrigue.
And Rosa! I apologize for having first thought she would be insignificant. It鈥檚 a beautiful woman character, who has great qualities: intelligence, psychology, finesse, strength. She leads the adventure as she leads Cornelius鈥�
This poor Cornelius is prisoner for so many weeks. Alone at night in his cell, alone in his littel bed, he thinks of Rosa:
"鈥nder Rosa鈥檚 eyes, is the mysterious flower, which lives, which expands, which opens, perhaps Rosa holds in this moment the stem of the tulip between her delicate fingers. Touch it gently, Rosa. Perhaps she touches with her lips its expanding chalice. Touch it cautiously, Rosa, your lips are burning. Yes, perhaps at this moment the two objects of my dearest love caress each other under the eye of Heaven."
Oh, Dumas, naughty boy!
Readers, don't tell me there aren't two degrees of reading!
Poor Cornelius who has such tragi-comic thoughts in chapter 28, it鈥檚 so fun!
"鈥ut suppose I should waste ten years of my life in making a file to file off my bars, or in braiding cords to let myself down from the window, or in sticking wings on my shoulders to fly, like D忙dalus? But luck is against me now. The file would get dull, the rope would break, or my wings would melt in the sun; I should surely kill myself, I should be picked up maimed and crippled; I should be labelled, and put on exhibition in the museum at the Hague between the blood-stained doublet of William the Taciturn and the female walrus captured at Stavesen, and the only result of my enterprise will have been to procure me a place among the curiosities of Holland."
This novel, which may seem light, also has its well thought-out sentences:
"He was one of those choice spirits who abhor everything that is common, and who often lose a good chance through not taking the way of the vulgar, that high road of mediocrity which leads to everything."
And throughout the book, Dumas accompanies us, with his false modesty of good giant who has nothing more to prove, as in this sentence, for example:
"This 鈥� scene which we have tried 鈥� with poor success, no doubt 鈥� to present to the eyes of the reader."
Doesn鈥檛 he mean: Please, reader, tell me I鈥檓 the best!
And I find it delicious to hear the voice of Dumas two centuries apart!
And I tell him: Dear master, come and speak to my ear again and again.
March 13, 2024
Am iubit foarte tare cartea asta c芒nd am avut primul contact cu ea, undeva prin gimnaziu. A cincea sau a 葯asea s膬 tot fi fost. 葰in minte c膬 am mai citit-o 卯nc膬 o dat膬 dup膬, dar tot 卯n gimnaziu. De葯i era o versiune pu葲in adaptat膬 tinerilor cititori. Acum 卯ns膬 m-am putut bucura cu mintea mea de adult de versiunea original膬 a c膬r葲ii, iar adev膬rul este c膬 mi-a pl膬cut la fel de mult ca atunci! Un roman micu葲, dar plin de sentiment. Altceva nu mai zic, c膬 toat膬 lumea 葯tie probabil povestea. Dar dac膬 nu, eu v膬 recomand s-o 卯ncerca葲i, nu cred c膬 ve葲i regreta. Exist膬 o puritate a sentimentelor 葯i o delimitare clar膬 a caracterelor umane care pe mine m-a relaxat 葯i m-a umplut de bun膬voie.
N.B. eu am parcurs versiunea audio oferit膬 de Voxa 葯i mi-au pl膬cut foarte mult at芒t traducerea, c芒t 葯i naratoarea.
N.B. eu am parcurs versiunea audio oferit膬 de Voxa 葯i mi-au pl膬cut foarte mult at芒t traducerea, c芒t 葯i naratoarea.
April 16, 2022
"丿賳蹖丕蹖 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 讴賱丕爻蹖讴 賮乇丕賳爻賴 乇賵 丿賵爻鬲 丿丕乇賲"貙.爻丕丿诏蹖 賱匕鬲 亘禺卮蹖 丿丕乇賴..賵 丕乇夭卮 賴丕蹖 乇賵卮賳..禺賵亘蹖,亘丿蹖..賴賲賴 禺蹖賱蹖 賵丕囟丨 賵 亘丿賵賳 卮讴 賵 鬲乇丿蹖丿 亘賴 氐丨賳賴 賵丕乇丿 賲蹖卮賳...丿賳蹖丕蹖 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 讴賱丕爻蹖讴 賮乇丕賳爻賴 乇賵 丿賵爻鬲 丿丕乇賲...
爻丕賱 鄄郯郾鄹
爻丕賱 鄄郯郾鄹
March 17, 2017
"Laleaua neagr膬" prezint膬 punctele slabe ale societ膬牛ii olandeze din secolul XVII, mai precis, ale anului 1672, c芒nd 卯n Olanda -dup膬 cum istoria gr膬ie艧te- au avut loc manifesta牛ii ce priveau oscila牛ia 卯ntre simpatia popular膬 pentru monarhie 艧i cea pentru caracterul republican al statului (a艧a cum era el 卯n牛eles 卯n epoca respectiv膬). M膬 rog, acesta e fundalul pe care se desf膬艧oar膬 ac牛iunea operei.
Romanul are un caracter romantic 卯n cel mai pur sens al acestui curent, fiind prezente antitezele v膬dit profunde, iubirea platonic膬, "personajele excep牛ionale 卯n situa牛ii excep牛ionale" 艧i -cum am precizat mai sus- orientarea spre istorie.
Av芒nd 卯n vedere faptul c膬 Dumas nu e Dostoievski (艧i nici Fran牛a nu e Rusia!), e de la sine 卯n牛eles c膬 ac牛iunea porne艧te dintr-un cerc aristocratic. Totu艧i, ea nu r膬m芒ne fixat膬 acolo, ci se r膬sfr芒nge 艧i asupra "plebei".
"Laleaua neagr膬" -oximoronul din titlu, poetic vorbind- este simbolul 卯n jurul c膬ruia au loc 卯nt芒mpl膬rile, simbolul care une艧te destinele a dou膬 personaje excep牛ionale: Roza 艧i Cornelius.
Caracterul reprezentantei sexului frumos este unul candid, pur 卯n lipsa lui de educa牛ie (nu de pu牛ine ori educa牛ia 卯i face pe oameni mai mult r膬i dec芒t buni), fiind, de asemenea, de o frumuse牛e excep牛ional膬. Cornelius are dou膬 pasiuni mistuitoare: Roza 艧i laleaua neagr膬 ("S膬 ucid膬 un om mai merge! Dar s膬 ucizi o lalea este 卯n ochiul unui adev膬rat tulipier o crim膬 at芒t de 卯nsp膬im芒nt膬toare!").
脦n fapt, "Laleaua neagr膬" este un roman care anun牛膬 -pueril, se-n牛elege- opera ce avea s膬 apar膬 12 ani mai t芒rziu, opera compatriotului lui Dumas: "Mizerabilii".
"Nimic nu e mai nepl膬cut pentru oamenii furio艧i, dec芒t indiferen牛膬 acelora contra c膬rora urmeaz膬 s膬-艧i descarce furia."
"Zelosul tulipier nu 卯n牛elegea tot ce se ascunde sub valul acestei indiferen牛e a s膬rmanei copile care se sim牛ea mereu rival膬 cu laleaua neagr膬."
Replic膬-prolog pus膬 卯n gur膬 unui anumit Grotius: "Unii oameni sufer膬 destul de mult pentru a avea dreptul s膬 nu spun膬 niciodat膬: Sunt foarte fericit."
P.S.1: A nu se privi orient膬rile politice ale autorului 卯n acest roman. Tind s膬 cred c膬 a redat adev膬rul istoric, din moment ce prezista "relele" monarhiei 艧i ale republicii deopotriv膬, insist芒nd, e drept, pe greutatea celor dint芒i.
P.S.2: Nu 艧tiu cine Dumnezeu sunt domnii de la editura REGIS GRUP 艧i cine e acest a艧a-zis traduc膬tor Laz膬r Marcu, dar au dat-o 卯n bar膬 uraaaat de tot. Cred c膬 艧i google translate ar fi tradus mai bine opera din francez膬. Eu unul, nici dac膬 voiam s膬 concep un exerci牛iu pentru copiii de la primar膬, cer芒ndu-le s膬 corecteze un text scris gre艧it, n-a艧 fi dat dovad膬 de at芒ta "ingeniozitate".
Andrei Tama艧,
13 februarie 2016
Romanul are un caracter romantic 卯n cel mai pur sens al acestui curent, fiind prezente antitezele v膬dit profunde, iubirea platonic膬, "personajele excep牛ionale 卯n situa牛ii excep牛ionale" 艧i -cum am precizat mai sus- orientarea spre istorie.
Av芒nd 卯n vedere faptul c膬 Dumas nu e Dostoievski (艧i nici Fran牛a nu e Rusia!), e de la sine 卯n牛eles c膬 ac牛iunea porne艧te dintr-un cerc aristocratic. Totu艧i, ea nu r膬m芒ne fixat膬 acolo, ci se r膬sfr芒nge 艧i asupra "plebei".
"Laleaua neagr膬" -oximoronul din titlu, poetic vorbind- este simbolul 卯n jurul c膬ruia au loc 卯nt芒mpl膬rile, simbolul care une艧te destinele a dou膬 personaje excep牛ionale: Roza 艧i Cornelius.
Caracterul reprezentantei sexului frumos este unul candid, pur 卯n lipsa lui de educa牛ie (nu de pu牛ine ori educa牛ia 卯i face pe oameni mai mult r膬i dec芒t buni), fiind, de asemenea, de o frumuse牛e excep牛ional膬. Cornelius are dou膬 pasiuni mistuitoare: Roza 艧i laleaua neagr膬 ("S膬 ucid膬 un om mai merge! Dar s膬 ucizi o lalea este 卯n ochiul unui adev膬rat tulipier o crim膬 at芒t de 卯nsp膬im芒nt膬toare!").
脦n fapt, "Laleaua neagr膬" este un roman care anun牛膬 -pueril, se-n牛elege- opera ce avea s膬 apar膬 12 ani mai t芒rziu, opera compatriotului lui Dumas: "Mizerabilii".
"Nimic nu e mai nepl膬cut pentru oamenii furio艧i, dec芒t indiferen牛膬 acelora contra c膬rora urmeaz膬 s膬-艧i descarce furia."
"Zelosul tulipier nu 卯n牛elegea tot ce se ascunde sub valul acestei indiferen牛e a s膬rmanei copile care se sim牛ea mereu rival膬 cu laleaua neagr膬."
Replic膬-prolog pus膬 卯n gur膬 unui anumit Grotius: "Unii oameni sufer膬 destul de mult pentru a avea dreptul s膬 nu spun膬 niciodat膬: Sunt foarte fericit."
P.S.1: A nu se privi orient膬rile politice ale autorului 卯n acest roman. Tind s膬 cred c膬 a redat adev膬rul istoric, din moment ce prezista "relele" monarhiei 艧i ale republicii deopotriv膬, insist芒nd, e drept, pe greutatea celor dint芒i.
P.S.2: Nu 艧tiu cine Dumnezeu sunt domnii de la editura REGIS GRUP 艧i cine e acest a艧a-zis traduc膬tor Laz膬r Marcu, dar au dat-o 卯n bar膬 uraaaat de tot. Cred c膬 艧i google translate ar fi tradus mai bine opera din francez膬. Eu unul, nici dac膬 voiam s膬 concep un exerci牛iu pentru copiii de la primar膬, cer芒ndu-le s膬 corecteze un text scris gre艧it, n-a艧 fi dat dovad膬 de at芒ta "ingeniozitate".
Andrei Tama艧,
13 februarie 2016
December 5, 2024
蹖賴 乇賲丕賳 讴賱丕爻蹖讴 亘丕 鬲賲 毓丕卮賯丕賳賴 丕夭 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 賮乇丕賳爻賴...
August 17, 2017
Obra t铆pica do romantismo franc锚s com um pano de fundo real centrado na hist贸ria da Holanda no s茅c XVII, no auge do fasc铆nio pelo cultivo e comercializa莽茫o das tulipas.
A tentativa de cria莽茫o de uma nova tulipa, perfeita e imaculadamente negra, serve de pretexto para uma hist贸ria de mist茅rio, inveja, persegui莽茫o e paix茫o.
Os cap铆tulos s茫o curtos e terminam sempre de modo a deixar o leitor ansioso pela continua莽茫o, as personagens n茫o s茫o muito aprofundadas, h谩 sim, o cuidado de real莽ar as caracter铆sticas positivas ou negativas que ir茫o criar empatia ou avers茫o junto do leitor.
Tem uma bom ritmo e a hist贸ria vai fluindo de forma equilibrada e bem humorada. Ali谩s, as situa莽玫es caricatas que cobrem de rid铆culo o vil茫o, s茫o deliciosas, e s茫o tamb茅m uma forma eficaz de aligeirar os acontecimentos mais dram谩ticos.
A tentativa de cria莽茫o de uma nova tulipa, perfeita e imaculadamente negra, serve de pretexto para uma hist贸ria de mist茅rio, inveja, persegui莽茫o e paix茫o.
Os cap铆tulos s茫o curtos e terminam sempre de modo a deixar o leitor ansioso pela continua莽茫o, as personagens n茫o s茫o muito aprofundadas, h谩 sim, o cuidado de real莽ar as caracter铆sticas positivas ou negativas que ir茫o criar empatia ou avers茫o junto do leitor.
Tem uma bom ritmo e a hist贸ria vai fluindo de forma equilibrada e bem humorada. Ali谩s, as situa莽玫es caricatas que cobrem de rid铆culo o vil茫o, s茫o deliciosas, e s茫o tamb茅m uma forma eficaz de aligeirar os acontecimentos mais dram谩ticos.
January 8, 2016
Alexandre Dumas was best known for his historical novels of adventure and romance which blended fact and fiction with real and imagined characters. The Black Tulip wasn't as popular among his critics as his better known works such as , but his readers were happy with it when it was first published back in 1850. My book club chose to read it for February, to discuss a classic with some romance, in honor of Valentines Day. And it was a good choice for an entertaining read that was also informative.
This was a story of passion and obsession, love and hatred, fidelity and duplicity, regret and redemption. And it all began with the political atmosphere of that time in Holland during 1672, when Cornelius de Witt, accused of treason and sent into exile, was brutally assassinated along with his brother, an event which truly occurred under unthinkable circumstances. Against this historical backdrop of political unrest, flowers the fictional story in this book of de Witt's godson, Cornelius Van Baerle, as told by an omniscient narrator who at times addressees the reader with quips and asides.
Cornelius Van Baerle, 28, an independently wealthy doctor and painter, in reaction to the madness in the world around him, decides to devote his life to cultivating beauty in the face of such ugliness as what befell his godfather. And so, when a contest with a large prestigious award arises, calling for the discovery of the elusive black tulip, it's just the thing to absorb Cornelius for years. Unfortunately, unknown to him, his neighbor, Boxtel, a less talented horticulturist, also covets the prize and will do anything to obtain it, consequences to himself or others be damned. So when Boxtel learns Cornelius might be on the verge of cultivating a black tulip, stealing the prize out from under him, he hatches a plan which lands the unsuspecting Cornelius in the same shoes and same jail cell as his godfather, accused of treason and facing execution. But unlike his godfather, he is to spend his life imprisoned for what remains of it.
What follows is an increasingly farcical story centering on Cornelius continuing his cultivation in prison of what might be the first black tulip in history. He is aided by his jailer's daughter, Rosa, a possible rival when it comes to the love of his tulip. Will Cornelius succeed or fail, both in tulip growing and in love? Will he forever lose his freedom or end up losing his life instead? Or will he just lose his lust for life when things take a turn for the worse? And what of Boxtel? Will he succeed in winning the coveted prize for himself by means fair or foul, and at what cost to himself and to others? These are questions you'll find answered in this humorous, but dark story, of both the breaking and the making of the human spirit. Along the way, you'll learn some political history concerning Holland and the craze known as tulipmania which peaked during that time. You'll also learn some fascinating facts about tulip cultivation and how it takes six years for a tulip to journey from seed to flower. And in case you're wondering if such a thing as a black tulip ever existed, my research says no, though people have come very close with cultivating the darkest of purples. Come on board for this unusual story and take a trip through much zaniness amongst the more serious elements to find out how it ends.
This was a story of passion and obsession, love and hatred, fidelity and duplicity, regret and redemption. And it all began with the political atmosphere of that time in Holland during 1672, when Cornelius de Witt, accused of treason and sent into exile, was brutally assassinated along with his brother, an event which truly occurred under unthinkable circumstances. Against this historical backdrop of political unrest, flowers the fictional story in this book of de Witt's godson, Cornelius Van Baerle, as told by an omniscient narrator who at times addressees the reader with quips and asides.
Cornelius Van Baerle, 28, an independently wealthy doctor and painter, in reaction to the madness in the world around him, decides to devote his life to cultivating beauty in the face of such ugliness as what befell his godfather. And so, when a contest with a large prestigious award arises, calling for the discovery of the elusive black tulip, it's just the thing to absorb Cornelius for years. Unfortunately, unknown to him, his neighbor, Boxtel, a less talented horticulturist, also covets the prize and will do anything to obtain it, consequences to himself or others be damned. So when Boxtel learns Cornelius might be on the verge of cultivating a black tulip, stealing the prize out from under him, he hatches a plan which lands the unsuspecting Cornelius in the same shoes and same jail cell as his godfather, accused of treason and facing execution. But unlike his godfather, he is to spend his life imprisoned for what remains of it.
What follows is an increasingly farcical story centering on Cornelius continuing his cultivation in prison of what might be the first black tulip in history. He is aided by his jailer's daughter, Rosa, a possible rival when it comes to the love of his tulip. Will Cornelius succeed or fail, both in tulip growing and in love? Will he forever lose his freedom or end up losing his life instead? Or will he just lose his lust for life when things take a turn for the worse? And what of Boxtel? Will he succeed in winning the coveted prize for himself by means fair or foul, and at what cost to himself and to others? These are questions you'll find answered in this humorous, but dark story, of both the breaking and the making of the human spirit. Along the way, you'll learn some political history concerning Holland and the craze known as tulipmania which peaked during that time. You'll also learn some fascinating facts about tulip cultivation and how it takes six years for a tulip to journey from seed to flower. And in case you're wondering if such a thing as a black tulip ever existed, my research says no, though people have come very close with cultivating the darkest of purples. Come on board for this unusual story and take a trip through much zaniness amongst the more serious elements to find out how it ends.
July 23, 2016
3.5
It has been a long time since I've read anything from Alexandre Dumas and so I was looking forward to this novel.听
The Black Tulip takes place in Holland, not France, and is on a much smaller scale than expected. Dumas usually paints on a huge canvas but not this time. The first few chapters do deal with exploding events, but very soon, the narration zooms in on the burgeoning love between an obsessed tulip grower and a courageous and intelligent girl, and a mythical flower.听
I loved the language, often over the top, extoling the obsession felt by so many characters over the Black Tulip, and the mocking tone of the narration. The couple is endearing but it is Rosa who shines through the whole story. Some plot choices towards the end felt jarring (to me) but apart from this I did enjoy this simple tale. It has whetted my appetite for more from Dumas.
It has been a long time since I've read anything from Alexandre Dumas and so I was looking forward to this novel.听
The Black Tulip takes place in Holland, not France, and is on a much smaller scale than expected. Dumas usually paints on a huge canvas but not this time. The first few chapters do deal with exploding events, but very soon, the narration zooms in on the burgeoning love between an obsessed tulip grower and a courageous and intelligent girl, and a mythical flower.听
I loved the language, often over the top, extoling the obsession felt by so many characters over the Black Tulip, and the mocking tone of the narration. The couple is endearing but it is Rosa who shines through the whole story. Some plot choices towards the end felt jarring (to me) but apart from this I did enjoy this simple tale. It has whetted my appetite for more from Dumas.
March 22, 2017
Murder! Obsession! Betrayal! Tulips!
This book was such a delight. After the murder of two men, the DeWitts, Cornelius van Baerle is accused of crimes against the state and they lock him up and throw away the key - right into the hands of a cruel and abusive jailer.
Cornelius has been working on developing the black tulip, which is both a labor of love and a task that will win him 100,000 florins if he succeeds. After Cornelius is imprisoned he falls in love with the jailer's daughter, Rosa. Thankfully Rosa returns his love and they conspire to grow the black tulip on their own while keeping it away from the man who is trying to steal the tulip and claim it as his own creation.
This was a surprisingly compelling book. I got sucked in and was completely absorbed in this tale. I even had tears in my eyes at one point towards the end.
This book was such a delight. After the murder of two men, the DeWitts, Cornelius van Baerle is accused of crimes against the state and they lock him up and throw away the key - right into the hands of a cruel and abusive jailer.
Cornelius has been working on developing the black tulip, which is both a labor of love and a task that will win him 100,000 florins if he succeeds. After Cornelius is imprisoned he falls in love with the jailer's daughter, Rosa. Thankfully Rosa returns his love and they conspire to grow the black tulip on their own while keeping it away from the man who is trying to steal the tulip and claim it as his own creation.
This was a surprisingly compelling book. I got sucked in and was completely absorbed in this tale. I even had tears in my eyes at one point towards the end.
August 13, 2018
The Black Tulip is set in the Netherlands in 1672. It is the story of Cornelius van Baerle and Rosa Gryphus. Hindered by some very unfortunate circumstances they join forces to grow the elusive black tulip. Whilst it is not precisely historically accurate, I think Dumas did an excellent job to capture the tulip-mania zeitgeist.
For me, it was a very easy to read classic, because of my familiarity with the Dutch language and some of the historic events, but that set aside, it is just a wonderful and passionate story in which you can really sympathize with its characters.
5 star rating.
For me, it was a very easy to read classic, because of my familiarity with the Dutch language and some of the historic events, but that set aside, it is just a wonderful and passionate story in which you can really sympathize with its characters.
5 star rating.
June 19, 2020
" 廿賳賳賷 兀乇賶 卮賷卅丕賸 賵丕丨丿丕賸...
賲丕匕丕 鬲乇賷賳 責
兀乇賶 廿賳賰 鬲丨亘 夭賳丕亘賯賰 廿賱賶 丨丿 廿賳賴 賱賷爻 賲賳 賲鬲爻毓 賮賷 賯賱亘賰 賱兀賷 丨亘 丌禺乇 .."
賵亘丕賱乇睾賲 賲賳 兀賳 " 賰賵乇賳賷賱賷賵爻" 賰丕賳 賲賴賵爻丕購 亘丨亘 丕賱夭賳丕亘賯 賵賱賰賳 賴匕丕 賱丕 賷賲賳毓 亘兀賳 鬲鬲卮丕乇賰 賲毓賴丕 賯賱亘賴 丕賱噩賲賷賱丞購 "乇賵夭"....
賵胤亘毓丕賸 亘丕賳鬲馗丕乇賰 丕賱賳賴丕賷丕鬲 丕賱爻毓賷丿丞 丕賱鬲賷 賱丕 鬲毓乇賮 胤乇賷賯賴丕 亘丕賱賵丕賯毓....
賲丕匕丕 鬲乇賷賳 責
兀乇賶 廿賳賰 鬲丨亘 夭賳丕亘賯賰 廿賱賶 丨丿 廿賳賴 賱賷爻 賲賳 賲鬲爻毓 賮賷 賯賱亘賰 賱兀賷 丨亘 丌禺乇 .."
賵亘丕賱乇睾賲 賲賳 兀賳 " 賰賵乇賳賷賱賷賵爻" 賰丕賳 賲賴賵爻丕購 亘丨亘 丕賱夭賳丕亘賯 賵賱賰賳 賴匕丕 賱丕 賷賲賳毓 亘兀賳 鬲鬲卮丕乇賰 賲毓賴丕 賯賱亘賴 丕賱噩賲賷賱丞購 "乇賵夭"....
賵胤亘毓丕賸 亘丕賳鬲馗丕乇賰 丕賱賳賴丕賷丕鬲 丕賱爻毓賷丿丞 丕賱鬲賷 賱丕 鬲毓乇賮 胤乇賷賯賴丕 亘丕賱賵丕賯毓....
December 18, 2017
Another great page turner from Dumas. Really enjoyed this uplifting tale.
December 6, 2024
Dopo i successi dei suoi capolavori pi霉 celebrati, temendo di stancare il proprio pubblico (timore vano) nel 1850 Alexandre Dumas, sempre coadiuvato dall'invisibile Auguste Maquet, decise che era giunto il momento di cambiare direzione, basta con gli interminabili feuilleton, basta con gli intricatissimi intrecci, basta con le miriadi di personaggi. Nacque cos矛 Il tulipano nero.
Nell'Olanda seicentesca, all'epoca della prima speculazione capitalistica della Storia, la cosiddetta Bolla dei Tulipani, Dumas mette in scena una storia d'amore e spionaggio, di prigionia e sabotaggio, tutta ruotante attorno al segreto per produrre il grande tulipano nero.
Ma pur trattandosi d'un romanzo storico fatto e finito che in parte rielabora temi gi脿 precedentemente scandagliati da Dumas, come l'ingiusta prigionia del protagonista, nell鈥檕rdire i suoi intrecci l'Autore 猫 ricorso questa volta ai t貌poi della Fiaba: abbondano sino all'eccesso le coincidenze improbabili, la narrazione in pi霉 punti si fa cos矛 asciutta da sfiorare il resoconto tipico del racconto fiabesco, per poi deflagrare in un finale in cui si fa sfoggio di tutti i meccanismi narrativi fiabeschi pi霉 noti, regalando
E sebbene molti dei personaggi siano diretta emanazione della Commedia dell'Arte (dopotutto Dumas nasceva drammaturgo prima di reinventarsi romanziere, e qui di teatro ce n'猫 tantissimo, specialmente nei battibecchi dei due innamorati), per una volta l'Autore abbandona l'idea del superuomo al quale tutto 猫 possibile, per plasmare in sua vece un'eroina angelicata ma piena di risorse, un'intraprendente donna di pensiero e d'azione che 猫 al contempo oggetto dell'amore dello sventurato creatore di tulipani e soggetto promotore della fortuna di entrambi.
L'esperimento narrativo 猫 dunque riuscito? 脠 senza dubbio un Dumas diverso dal solito, lontano anni luce sia dalla profondit脿 filosofica e dalla denuncia sociale del Montecristo, sia dalla complessit脿 umana della trilogia di d'Artagnan e della Regina Margot; tuttavia per il sottoscritto 猫 stata ugualmente una lettura deliziosa, avvincente, dallo svolgimento ahim猫 pi霉 prevedibile, ma a suo modo assai dilettevole.
Eppure di l矛 a poco Dumas torn貌 a sfornare immensi romanzi fiume affastellati di vicende e personaggi, torn貌 alla denuncia sociale, all'indagine sull'esistenza umana, alla grande rievocazione storica.
E meno male, mi permetto di aggiungere.
Nell'Olanda seicentesca, all'epoca della prima speculazione capitalistica della Storia, la cosiddetta Bolla dei Tulipani, Dumas mette in scena una storia d'amore e spionaggio, di prigionia e sabotaggio, tutta ruotante attorno al segreto per produrre il grande tulipano nero.
Ma pur trattandosi d'un romanzo storico fatto e finito che in parte rielabora temi gi脿 precedentemente scandagliati da Dumas, come l'ingiusta prigionia del protagonista, nell鈥檕rdire i suoi intrecci l'Autore 猫 ricorso questa volta ai t貌poi della Fiaba: abbondano sino all'eccesso le coincidenze improbabili, la narrazione in pi霉 punti si fa cos矛 asciutta da sfiorare il resoconto tipico del racconto fiabesco, per poi deflagrare in un finale in cui si fa sfoggio di tutti i meccanismi narrativi fiabeschi pi霉 noti, regalando
E sebbene molti dei personaggi siano diretta emanazione della Commedia dell'Arte (dopotutto Dumas nasceva drammaturgo prima di reinventarsi romanziere, e qui di teatro ce n'猫 tantissimo, specialmente nei battibecchi dei due innamorati), per una volta l'Autore abbandona l'idea del superuomo al quale tutto 猫 possibile, per plasmare in sua vece un'eroina angelicata ma piena di risorse, un'intraprendente donna di pensiero e d'azione che 猫 al contempo oggetto dell'amore dello sventurato creatore di tulipani e soggetto promotore della fortuna di entrambi.
L'esperimento narrativo 猫 dunque riuscito? 脠 senza dubbio un Dumas diverso dal solito, lontano anni luce sia dalla profondit脿 filosofica e dalla denuncia sociale del Montecristo, sia dalla complessit脿 umana della trilogia di d'Artagnan e della Regina Margot; tuttavia per il sottoscritto 猫 stata ugualmente una lettura deliziosa, avvincente, dallo svolgimento ahim猫 pi霉 prevedibile, ma a suo modo assai dilettevole.
Eppure di l矛 a poco Dumas torn貌 a sfornare immensi romanzi fiume affastellati di vicende e personaggi, torn貌 alla denuncia sociale, all'indagine sull'esistenza umana, alla grande rievocazione storica.
E meno male, mi permetto di aggiungere.
April 14, 2017
You know how people watch comfort tv-shows or eat comfort food? Well, I find that Dumas is my comfort reading. When I want to read a good story, a good adventure with a good plot, characters I can root for or characters I can hate without remorse, I go to Dumas. He's a bit like that grandfather who's been everywhere in the world and tells the best stories.
Here he goes on to do all this, perhaps a little less successefully than usually: the plot takes a bit to start and I found the beginning a bit stale. Which is odd as it concerns two horrific murders. Perhaps because we know what is going to happen and Dumas really thrives on suspense and on the unknown. It doesn't matter. He recovers as he introduces Rosa and the prison where Cornelius is kept. Also quite noteworthy is the portrayal of William of Orange who, like Richelieu in the Three Musketeers, is written as a highly ambiguous and grey character.
Recommended!
Here he goes on to do all this, perhaps a little less successefully than usually: the plot takes a bit to start and I found the beginning a bit stale. Which is odd as it concerns two horrific murders. Perhaps because we know what is going to happen and Dumas really thrives on suspense and on the unknown. It doesn't matter. He recovers as he introduces Rosa and the prison where Cornelius is kept. Also quite noteworthy is the portrayal of William of Orange who, like Richelieu in the Three Musketeers, is written as a highly ambiguous and grey character.
Recommended!
November 30, 2017
This was a quick and entertaining read with an interesting historical backdrop of the tulip mania of the time combined with the murder of the Dutch politician John de Witt and his brother Cornelius by rioting mobs.
From that backdrop, fictional characters are created including a godson of Cornelius (also named Cornelius) who is unjustly imprisoned for high treason, largely because of the connection to his godfather. The fictional Cornelius is a tulip fancier who has created valuable bulbs capable of winning a $100,000 (guilders) prize. He is resigned to leaving them to the friendly and beautiful jailer's daughter who can't read or write. His only condition is that she find herself a husband that she loves. Cornelius is religious and plans to see his prized tulips bloom from heaven.
Then things start to change and obsession for the tulips and each other drive the story forward as shady characters try to thwart their plans. It's a great little story. I may up it to 5 stars later.
From that backdrop, fictional characters are created including a godson of Cornelius (also named Cornelius) who is unjustly imprisoned for high treason, largely because of the connection to his godfather. The fictional Cornelius is a tulip fancier who has created valuable bulbs capable of winning a $100,000 (guilders) prize. He is resigned to leaving them to the friendly and beautiful jailer's daughter who can't read or write. His only condition is that she find herself a husband that she loves. Cornelius is religious and plans to see his prized tulips bloom from heaven.
Then things start to change and obsession for the tulips and each other drive the story forward as shady characters try to thwart their plans. It's a great little story. I may up it to 5 stars later.
July 15, 2015
:丿乇 賲賵乇丿 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 丿乇 爻丕蹖鬲蹖 丕蹖賳 鬲賵囟蹖丨 賳賵卮鬲賴 卮丿賴 亘賵丿
丕賱賰爻丕賳丿乇 丿賵賲丕 丕賷賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 乇丕 丿乇 賲賵乇丿 賵囟毓賷鬲 爻賷丕爻賷 賴賱賳丿 丿乇 爻丕賱 郾鄱鄯鄄 賳賵卮鬲賴 丕爻鬲 賵 丿乇 賳賵卮鬲賳 丌賳 丕夭 夭賳丿诏賷 賵丕賯毓賷 "噩丕賳" 賵 "賰賵乇賳賱賷賵爻 丿賵賵賷鬲" 賰賴 賴乇 丿賵 亘賴 丕毓丿丕賲 賲丨賰賵賲 卮丿賳丿貙 丕賱賴丕賲 诏乇賮鬲賴 丕爻鬲
丿丕爻鬲丕賳 鬲賯乇蹖亘丕 讴賵鬲丕賴蹖 丿乇亘丕乇賴 賲乇丿蹖 讴賴 倬乇賵乇卮 丿賴賳丿賴 蹖 诏購賱 丕爻鬲 .賵蹖 賱丕賱賴 噩丿蹖丿蹖
...賲蹖 讴丕乇丿 鬲丕 丿乇 賲爻丕亘賯賴 夭蹖亘丕鬲乇蹖賳 诏購賱 倬蹖乇賵夭 诏乇丿丿
賱丕賱賴 爻蹖丕賴 丕爻賲 夭蹖亘丕 賵 亘丕 賲毓賳丕蹖蹖 丕爻鬲 亘乇丕蹖 乇賵蹖丿丕丿賴丕蹖 讴鬲丕亘
毓丕卮賯 丕蹖賳 賳賵毓 诏賱 賱丕賱賴 賴爻鬲賲
丕賲丕 乇丕爻鬲卮 賳賲蹖丿賵賳賲 丕爻賲 乇賳诏卮 趩蹖賴!責
賴乇 乇賳诏蹖 讴賴 亘丕卮賴 賮賵賯 丕賱毓丕丿賴 丕爻鬲
丕賱賰爻丕賳丿乇 丿賵賲丕 丕賷賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 乇丕 丿乇 賲賵乇丿 賵囟毓賷鬲 爻賷丕爻賷 賴賱賳丿 丿乇 爻丕賱 郾鄱鄯鄄 賳賵卮鬲賴 丕爻鬲 賵 丿乇 賳賵卮鬲賳 丌賳 丕夭 夭賳丿诏賷 賵丕賯毓賷 "噩丕賳" 賵 "賰賵乇賳賱賷賵爻 丿賵賵賷鬲" 賰賴 賴乇 丿賵 亘賴 丕毓丿丕賲 賲丨賰賵賲 卮丿賳丿貙 丕賱賴丕賲 诏乇賮鬲賴 丕爻鬲
丿丕爻鬲丕賳 鬲賯乇蹖亘丕 讴賵鬲丕賴蹖 丿乇亘丕乇賴 賲乇丿蹖 讴賴 倬乇賵乇卮 丿賴賳丿賴 蹖 诏購賱 丕爻鬲 .賵蹖 賱丕賱賴 噩丿蹖丿蹖
...賲蹖 讴丕乇丿 鬲丕 丿乇 賲爻丕亘賯賴 夭蹖亘丕鬲乇蹖賳 诏購賱 倬蹖乇賵夭 诏乇丿丿
賱丕賱賴 爻蹖丕賴 丕爻賲 夭蹖亘丕 賵 亘丕 賲毓賳丕蹖蹖 丕爻鬲 亘乇丕蹖 乇賵蹖丿丕丿賴丕蹖 讴鬲丕亘
毓丕卮賯 丕蹖賳 賳賵毓 诏賱 賱丕賱賴 賴爻鬲賲
丕賲丕 乇丕爻鬲卮 賳賲蹖丿賵賳賲 丕爻賲 乇賳诏卮 趩蹖賴!責
賴乇 乇賳诏蹖 讴賴 亘丕卮賴 賮賵賯 丕賱毓丕丿賴 丕爻鬲
October 9, 2018
鈥淓ra il 20 agosto dell'anno di grazia 1672鈥�. Cos矛 inizia questa avventura, che in perfetto stile Dumas entra subito nel vivo della storia. Intrigo politico, interessi personali, innamoramenti ne fanno un classico senza tempo. Il ritmo 猫 serrato, incalza il lettore e si divora e i personaggi piacevolmente cesellati. Dumas non delude, mai!
Il tulipano 猫 il mio fiore perfetto. La delicatezza dei suoi petali carnosi e grandi me lo rendono pi霉 bello di una rosa.
Il tulipano 猫 il mio fiore perfetto. La delicatezza dei suoi petali carnosi e grandi me lo rendono pi霉 bello di una rosa.
August 5, 2013
As the first, and in much likelihood, the only romantic novel I will ever pick up this summer, Alexandre Dumas' "The Black Tulip" is one of the most sentimental, endearing classics I've come across, and is probably every botanist's favorite love story if not their favorite book. Taking place in 17th Century Holland, a gifted and passionate florist by the name of Cornelius Van Baerle, has doted his time and inherited fortune on the cultivating of tulips, widely regarded throughout Europe as the most beautiful of flowers. His life achievement is to successfully produce the impossible, in the form of a spotless black tulip, and present it at an upcoming festival from the Horticultural Society of Haarlem. Suddenly, his life of ease and immense wealth is taken from him when he is arrested as a conspirator against Prince William of Orange due to his godfather's political ties. Imprisoned for life, Van Baerle's only comforts come from the three bulbs he's hidden to plant the black tulip, and the console of the jailer's beautiful, selfless daughter, Rosa, who visits him every night in exchange for reading and writing lessons. Together, they grow the black tulip in secret with Van Baerle relaying instructions to her, while Rosa keeps the tulip in her room. Even as their friendship blossoms, Van Baerle is stalked by enemies. Rosa's drunkard father, Gryphus, delights in abusing the poor prisoner claiming he's a sorcerer conjuring evil, and his former neighbor from home, Boxtel, is a malicious rival whose been observing his every move in search of his incredible flower.
"The Black Tulip" is a beautifully told story of love, courage, and undying devotion amidst the most damnable of circumstances. Dumas infuses his storytelling with an eloquent, Shakespearean-like writing style of heart-rendering poetry. When Rosa expresses her concern that Van Baerle loves his precious tulip over her, he quotes...
"Be it so: no more beautiful flowers with their elegeant grace and their divine caprices! Deprive me of all that, flower jealous of other flowers, deprive me of all that, but do not prevent me from hearing and seeing you, and from listening to your footstep on the dull staircase; do no deprive me of the light of your eyes in this gloomy corridor or of the assurance of your love which unceasingly soothes my heart. Love me, Rosa, for I know well that I love you alone."
The novel starts out a little slow, describing in detail of Holland and the nation's rivalry with the French king, Louis XIV, and Van Baerle's godfather, the Grand Pensionary. As I progressed, I fell in love with it's rich historical insight, immaculate period detail, and classic portrayal of divine intervention. Often times, I find Christian themes rather inspiring in a work of literature, especially in stories from Charles Dickens where good people are rewarded for their honesty and compensated for their misfortunes. I particularly enjoyed "The Black Tulip" for the goodheartedness, strength, and confidence of it's protagonists and the humor of it's more villainous personas from the dim-witted, superstitious Gryphus, to Boxtel's foiled attempts in sabotaging Van Baerle's tulip garden. For all that it's worth, "The Black Tulip" is a classic tale embodying the elements of a truly memorable reading experience. This was the first novel I've read from Dumas, but I already have intentions of reading more from this masterful storyteller of good triumphant.
December 23, 2020
Antes de mais um pequeno aviso. A vers茫o que eu li 茅 da Biblioteca Rom芒ntica Verbo Juvenil e 茅 uma vers茫o condensada, logo a minha cr铆tica pode ficar embotada por esse motivo, no entanto, acho que no que importa o livro mant茅m o essencial da vers茫o original. Avisados, vamos l谩 脿 minha opini茫o.
Este livro deu-me imensa vontade de rir! Come莽a de uma forma dram谩tica, com os irm茫os Corn茅lio e Jo茫o de Witt que ao tentarem fugir da pris茫o acabam esmagados e executados, para o deleite do povo sedento de sangue. Mas depois, com a pris茫o do Corn茅lio Van Baerle (isto de traduzirem nomes pr贸prios em cl谩ssicos n茫o em convence, mas adiante), afilhado do Corn茅lio de Witt, e que foi acusado por ter em sua posse umas cartas comprometedoras que o seu padrinho lhe pediu que guardasse, a coisa apesar de dram谩tica toma propor莽玫es um pouco c贸micas, j谩 que o mo莽o, um afamado floricultor, s贸 pensa nas suas cebolas (acho que seria mais correto chamar-lhes bolbos, mas no livro s茫o cebolas, adiante) de tulipa, pois h谩 um pr茅mio de cem mil florins para quem conseguir fazer florir uma tulipa completamente negra e nem sabe de que tratam as cartas.
Ele nem pensa em saltar da janela de casa e fugir antes de ser preso porque pode pisar as suas adoradas tulipas. Na pris茫o, apesar do amor de Rosa, s贸 fala nas tulipas e a Rosa acha que ele nem sequer gosta dela, mas ele at茅 gosta, mas as tulipas... E o pior, o papel em que as cebolas estavam escondidas continha a prova da sua inoc锚ncia na quest茫o das cartas e como ele s贸 se preocupa com as cebolas nem se deu ao trabalho de ler o papel (inserir emoji de auto facepalm!)
Na pris茫o conhece Rosa (rosa, tulipa, est茫o a ver a liga莽茫o?. Flores e coiso.:D), a filha do carcereiro e como levou as suas preciosas cebolas, j谩 que, ei estou preso mas ainda posso fazer florir uma tulipa negra, certo?! E l谩 come莽a a saga do cultivo das tulipas. Mas pensavam que seria f谩cil? Nah, porque h谩 o antigo vizinho do Corn茅lio, o invejoso Isaac Boxtel, que tamb茅m quer fazer florir uma tulipa negra e coloca-se no caminho do nosso parzinho. Entretanto...
"A tulipa era bela, espl锚ndida, magnifica; a sua haste tinha mais de 45 cent铆metros de altura; sa铆a do seio de quatro folhas verdes, lisas e direitas como o ferro de uma lan莽a; a flor era toda negra e lustrosa como azeviche."
A t茫o esperada tulipa nasce e 茅 roubada pelo invejoso Isaac e a partir daqui 茅 uma tentativa de tentar provar que a tulipa n茫o 茅 do Isaac, mas sim da Rosa, que foi quem fez florescer a tulipa negra, com a s谩bia ajuda e conselhos do Corn茅lio. No final tudo acaba bem, exceto para o Isaac que cai morto, mas ei, que n茫o fosse invejoso. A Rosa casa com o Corn茅lio, que 茅 inocentado gra莽as ao tal papel, a Rosa ganha o pr茅mio dos cem mil florins, cria e educa os dois filhos e todos vivem felizes para sempre. E claro que o Corn茅lio continua a dedicar-se 脿 cultura das flores.
Basicamente a tulipa negra causou a inveja do Isaac, os ci煤mes da Rosa e a fixa莽茫o do Corn茅lio. Uma tulipa poderosa!:D
Desculpem se a resenha n茫o fizer muito sentido, mas foi o que saiu.
Boas Festas!!! :))
Este livro deu-me imensa vontade de rir! Come莽a de uma forma dram谩tica, com os irm茫os Corn茅lio e Jo茫o de Witt que ao tentarem fugir da pris茫o acabam esmagados e executados, para o deleite do povo sedento de sangue. Mas depois, com a pris茫o do Corn茅lio Van Baerle (isto de traduzirem nomes pr贸prios em cl谩ssicos n茫o em convence, mas adiante), afilhado do Corn茅lio de Witt, e que foi acusado por ter em sua posse umas cartas comprometedoras que o seu padrinho lhe pediu que guardasse, a coisa apesar de dram谩tica toma propor莽玫es um pouco c贸micas, j谩 que o mo莽o, um afamado floricultor, s贸 pensa nas suas cebolas (acho que seria mais correto chamar-lhes bolbos, mas no livro s茫o cebolas, adiante) de tulipa, pois h谩 um pr茅mio de cem mil florins para quem conseguir fazer florir uma tulipa completamente negra e nem sabe de que tratam as cartas.
Ele nem pensa em saltar da janela de casa e fugir antes de ser preso porque pode pisar as suas adoradas tulipas. Na pris茫o, apesar do amor de Rosa, s贸 fala nas tulipas e a Rosa acha que ele nem sequer gosta dela, mas ele at茅 gosta, mas as tulipas... E o pior, o papel em que as cebolas estavam escondidas continha a prova da sua inoc锚ncia na quest茫o das cartas e como ele s贸 se preocupa com as cebolas nem se deu ao trabalho de ler o papel (inserir emoji de auto facepalm!)
Na pris茫o conhece Rosa (rosa, tulipa, est茫o a ver a liga莽茫o?. Flores e coiso.:D), a filha do carcereiro e como levou as suas preciosas cebolas, j谩 que, ei estou preso mas ainda posso fazer florir uma tulipa negra, certo?! E l谩 come莽a a saga do cultivo das tulipas. Mas pensavam que seria f谩cil? Nah, porque h谩 o antigo vizinho do Corn茅lio, o invejoso Isaac Boxtel, que tamb茅m quer fazer florir uma tulipa negra e coloca-se no caminho do nosso parzinho. Entretanto...
"A tulipa era bela, espl锚ndida, magnifica; a sua haste tinha mais de 45 cent铆metros de altura; sa铆a do seio de quatro folhas verdes, lisas e direitas como o ferro de uma lan莽a; a flor era toda negra e lustrosa como azeviche."
A t茫o esperada tulipa nasce e 茅 roubada pelo invejoso Isaac e a partir daqui 茅 uma tentativa de tentar provar que a tulipa n茫o 茅 do Isaac, mas sim da Rosa, que foi quem fez florescer a tulipa negra, com a s谩bia ajuda e conselhos do Corn茅lio. No final tudo acaba bem, exceto para o Isaac que cai morto, mas ei, que n茫o fosse invejoso. A Rosa casa com o Corn茅lio, que 茅 inocentado gra莽as ao tal papel, a Rosa ganha o pr茅mio dos cem mil florins, cria e educa os dois filhos e todos vivem felizes para sempre. E claro que o Corn茅lio continua a dedicar-se 脿 cultura das flores.
Basicamente a tulipa negra causou a inveja do Isaac, os ci煤mes da Rosa e a fixa莽茫o do Corn茅lio. Uma tulipa poderosa!:D
Desculpem se a resenha n茫o fizer muito sentido, mas foi o que saiu.
Boas Festas!!! :))
November 19, 2023
I can't believe it's been over 5 years since my last Dumas novel.
Dumas is all about plot, forget characterization. His characters are all 2-dimensional but it's that plot! As I can only read translations, I shouldn't comment on writing style. However, what I read is typical 19th Century: longer, more complex sentences than even 20th Century writing and dialogue that conveys the thought adequately (but did people really talk that way?).
Where Dumas shines is in his writing of realistic scenes. This opens with a mob scene - I could almost hear the people shouting. This is followed by scenes at a rural home with large gardens and what we call greenhouses - beautiful. Later there are scenes in a prison where those scenes are quiet with the people whispering. All of these are so well depicted as to think Dumas was intentionally helping future screenwriters. As this was originally published in 1850, we can be confident he wasn't even thinking of his novels being adapted to film.
This is not quite up to the standards of his , but it is very good. I'm glad I have another Dumas in my near future and I can only hope it is at least as good as this, worth a strong 4 stars.
Note: I did not read this edition, but the one in .
Dumas is all about plot, forget characterization. His characters are all 2-dimensional but it's that plot! As I can only read translations, I shouldn't comment on writing style. However, what I read is typical 19th Century: longer, more complex sentences than even 20th Century writing and dialogue that conveys the thought adequately (but did people really talk that way?).
Where Dumas shines is in his writing of realistic scenes. This opens with a mob scene - I could almost hear the people shouting. This is followed by scenes at a rural home with large gardens and what we call greenhouses - beautiful. Later there are scenes in a prison where those scenes are quiet with the people whispering. All of these are so well depicted as to think Dumas was intentionally helping future screenwriters. As this was originally published in 1850, we can be confident he wasn't even thinking of his novels being adapted to film.
This is not quite up to the standards of his , but it is very good. I'm glad I have another Dumas in my near future and I can only hope it is at least as good as this, worth a strong 4 stars.
Note: I did not read this edition, but the one in .
March 18, 2023
El Tulip谩n Negro es la prueba definitiva de que se puede escribir una novela de aventuras en la que apenas pase nada y que, sin embargo, te tenga en vilo de principio a fin. Ha conseguido incluso que llegue medio a simpatizar con el odiado Guillermo de Orange, pese al terrible y bien contado linchamiento de los hermanos de Witt, que me ha recordado a la eficacia con que el autor describi贸 en la Reina Margot la Matanza de la Noche de San Bartolom茅. Hay pues violencia, pero, tambi茅n y sobre todo, hay romance, un h茅roe valiente, digno y bondadoso, que, a煤n habiendo participado en la (una de) las guerras con Francia, no es precisamente un hombre de acci贸n. Y despu茅s tenemos a la bella e inteligente Rosa, que es la que tiene el verdadero coraje y sostiene la trama. La forma de narrar de Dumas compone escenas, es teatro narrado, o un gui贸n avant la l猫tre. Las retratos psicol贸gicos son breves y se muestran en las acciones de los personajes m谩s que en descripci贸n y la reflexi贸n. Y las acciones son incluso simples pensamientos expresados a modo de "a parte" como, ya he dicho, en el teatro. Adem谩s de una cierta cr铆tica al poder y a la veleidad de las masas, la creatividad y el amor contra la envidia enfermiza y la mediocridad enquistada es el tema de la novela. Y el preciado tulip谩n negro el s铆mbolo del triunfo de los primeros.
Esta exhibici贸n del tulip谩n era un homenaje rendido por todo un pueblo sin cultura y sin gusto, al gusto y a la cultura de los jefes c茅lebres y piadosos que sab铆an verter la sangre sobre el pavimento fangoso de la Buytenhoff, sin que por ello dejaran de inscribir m谩s tarde los nombres de sus v铆ctimas sobre la piedra m谩s hermosa del pante贸n holand茅s.
Esta exhibici贸n del tulip谩n era un homenaje rendido por todo un pueblo sin cultura y sin gusto, al gusto y a la cultura de los jefes c茅lebres y piadosos que sab铆an verter la sangre sobre el pavimento fangoso de la Buytenhoff, sin que por ello dejaran de inscribir m谩s tarde los nombres de sus v铆ctimas sobre la piedra m谩s hermosa del pante贸n holand茅s.
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