HAPPY 200th BIRTHDAY, Alexandre Dumas fils: Comment on the camellia flowers in Dumas and Dostoevsky

July 27, 2024 commemoration/celebration

HAPPY 200th BIRTHDAY, Alexandre Dumas fils!!!

Watercolour of Marie Duplessis at the Theatre, by Camille Roqueplan (1802/03-1855). Dumas gives a memorable description of Marie Duplessis’ theatre appearances - always at a private box, with her opera glasses and sweets - and a camellia flower - white 25 days a month when she is available for sexual intimacy - and red 5 days a month when she is menstruating.

From Chapter 2:

“Marguerite was always present at every first night, and passed every evening either at the theatre or the ball. Whenever there was a new piece she was certain to be seen, and she invariably had three things with her on the ledge of her ground-floor box: her opera-glass, a bag of sweets, and a bouquet of camellias.

For twenty-five days of the month the camellias were white, and for five they were red; no one ever knew the reason of this change of colour, which I mention though I can not explain it; it was noticed both by her friends and by the habitués of the theatres to which she most often went. She was never seen with any flowers but camellias. At the florist’s, Madame Barjon’s, she had come to be called “the Lady of the Camellias,” and the name stuck to her.”

The description of her grave covered with camellia blossoms on the order of the devastated Armand (incidentally, the first name of Cardinal Richelieu!!!) is one of the most stunning in all of literature!!!

Camellias came to Europe from Southeast Asia in the 18th century and became immensely popular. The story of the woman who loves camellias is utilized by Dostoevsky in his novel The Idiot - which we are studying in the Fall of 2025!!! ANOTHER reason to read The Lady of the Camellias!!! So many literary connections!!!