The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion
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Twenty Years After
Musketeers Project
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Twenty Years After - Week 8 thru "In Which it is shown that the First Impulse. .". .)
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I have mixed emotions about the Ellsworth translation. Sometimes I prefer it, other times I prefer the older one. I can see having two smaller books, but they should have been sold as a set for the price of one. I don’t think changing the title was a good idea since it makes the second book look like a ‘fake’ (or fan fiction).As far as the characters - I find Raoul too perfect and that bores me. Mordaunt is also very one dimensional. Both of them pale in comparison to their parents.
Queen Henriette is a lot more likable than Queen Ann. When Athos and Aramis promised to help king Charles their sacrifice seemed so heroic and selfless. Until I read this sentence:
“Kings aren’t great without their nobility, and the noblesse is only as great as its kings. In supporting the monarchies, we support ourselves.”
This may be the first selfish view Athos has ever expressed. I wonder if his passionate support for the Fronde was meant to secure his own position and his fortune. 🤷🏻♀️
It’s interesting how everyone’s situation has completely changed - Lord Winter is broke, Athos is sober and Aramis actually hates being a priest.
My favorite part are the letters from D’Artagnan and Porthos. This section reminded me of the first book - I always loved the theme of true friendship and loyalty.
Last but not least - Athos definitely should have let Aramis shoot.
Mod
If that picture is supposed to be Mordaunt looking at the departure of our heroes, he seems awfully fancy for a Puritan. Of course he would be wearing black but everything looks very rich and he has a feather in his hat.
I agree about the Ellsworth translation, sometimes there are simple things he seems to get wrong or change. The chapter with Henrietta is called in French "Encore une reine qui demande secours". Ellsworth translates it as "Once more the queen asks for aid" which makes it seem like is the same queen as in The Three Musketeers. I would have translated it, "Another queen asks for aid". The point is that, as in the first book, they are off on a mission for a queen.
I noticed that too. It sounds like Queen Ann wants another favor. My other two copies translate it accurately -
"Another Queen in want of help".
The illustration is from Ellsworth's book.
Mordaunt does look very fancy in his outfit. He looks very mature too - I imagined him younger and skinnier. I just noticed how small the boat is. I'm shocked they didn't drown.
Mod
And so only two of them depart to England to help King Charles. I had hoped that this mission would have reunited all of four old friends.
Mod
In my Oxford edition the discussed chapter is translated with “Again a Queen who asks aid”.It was not surprising that Mordaunt and our group met in Boulogne, which became a climatic encounter. I think it is really unfair of Ellsworth to break off the book right here and make an additional one. It is almost like with some TV series that end its season with such a cliffhanger that you cannot wait for the next season to begin.
I think Athos - as a father himself now - sees the “innocent, unfortunate” child in Mordaunt, but regrets keeping Aramis from shooting thinking about the possible consequences for him and his friends and Raoul.
I'm actually quite annoyed with Ellsworth for dividing the book up this way. A better stopping place might have been with the reconciliation of the friends, before the English trip comes up. And I don't swallow Ellsworth's claim that the whole book would be too long for modern audiences. Stephen King writes long books. Fantasy books are often 700-1200 pages, followed by multiple sequels. It seems like just a way to sell more books! And it's incredibly confusing when every other edition uses the one title.
In this section, we have a fair amount of characters catching each other up on things. Raoul recounts the battle, Athos and de Winter fill each other in on the menacing Mordaunt, and then they inform Aramis. There's a good juxtaposition of the various stories, in that Athos and Aramis find this a good time to leave Paris, in addition to wanting to serve a queen.
Of course at the harbor they cross paths with Mordaunt. It is typical of the noble Athos that he wants to avoid bloodshed but even he admits he may have made a mistake in blocking Aramis' shot. (But then there would be no story!)
What do you think of the juxtaposition of the two young mean, Raoul and Mordaunt? Their very appearances and manners are starkly contrasted. Mordaunt is a few years older but they are of the same generation and officially they are both orphans.