The Black Tulip

Alexandre Dumas

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17th century holland

black tulip cultivation competition

tulip mania

political intrigue

jealousy and obsession

brutal murders of the de witt brothers

romance and adventure

dynamic character interplay

engaging and suspenseful writing style

fairytale like narrative

slow pacing with rising tension

love and betrayal

themes of family and botany

shorter historical novel format

'The Black Tulip' by Alexandre Dumas is a historical novel set in 17th century Holland, revolving around the intense competition between two men, Cornelius Van Baerle and Isaac Boxtel, to cultivate the first pure black tulip and win a lucrative prize. The story is filled with themes of love, jealousy, obsession, and political intrigue, as well as dramatic events like the brutal murders of the De Witt brothers. The writing style is described as engaging, suspenseful, and rich in historical detail, with a mix of romance, adventure, and tragedy.

Characters:

The characters range from a passionate hero and a jealous villain to a courageous female lead, creating a dynamic interplay of motivations and virtues.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is fairytale-like and engaging, combining humor with serious undertones and direct addresses to the reader.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative intertwines themes of family, botany, and political intrigue, centering on a rivalry over cultivating the elusive black tulip.

Setting:

The setting in 17th century Holland highlights the tulip mania and its political backdrop, anchoring the narrative in historical events.

Pacing:

The pacing starts slow but accelerates with rising tension, leading to a quick and engaging read overall.

On the 20th of August, 1672, the city of the Hague, always so lively, so neat, and so trim that one might believe every day to be Sunday, with its shady park, with its tall trees, spreading over its G...

Notes:

The Black Tulip combines themes of family relationships and botany.

The story features a strong underdog character amidst political strife.

Cornelius, the main character, is a tulip enthusiast in 17th century Holland.

Jealousy drives the conflict, particularly through the character Isaac Boxtel.

Rosa, the jailer's daughter, plays a significant role as a courageous female lead.

The novel starts with a historical event: the murder of Johan and Cornelis De Witt.

Dumas' writing style is whimsical, almost like a fairytale, despite the dark themes.

The black tulip acts as a symbol of hope amid the chaos in the story.

There's a sense of irony in Dumas’ lighter narrative tone contrasting with serious subjects.

The setting captures the cultural phenomenon of tulip mania in Holland during the 1600s.

Characters are depicted as either morally good or wicked, providing clarity in their roles.

The story highlights class distinctions between rich tulip cultivators and the poor.

Readers appreciate Dumas' ability to maintain suspense throughout the book.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Triggers include themes of political violence, wrongful imprisonment, jealousy, and the historical context includes murder.

Has Romance?

Romance is a significant aspect of the storyline, particularly the love between Cornelius and Rosa.

From The Publisher:

Cornelius von Baerle lives only to cultivate the elusive black tulip and win a magnificent prize for its creation. But when his powerful godfather is assassinated, the unwitting Cornelius becomes caught up in a deadly political intrigue. Falsely accused of high treason by a bitter rival, Cornelius is condemned to life in prison. His only comfort is Rosa, the jailer's beautiful daughter, who helps him concoct a plan to grow the black tulip in secret. As Robin Buss explains in his informative introduction, Dumas infuses his story with elements from the history of the Dutch Republic (including two brutal murders) and Holland's seventeenth-century "tulipmania" phenomenon.

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About the Author:

Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870) lived a life as romantic as that depicted in his famous novels. He was born in Villers-Cotterêts, France. His early education was scanty, but his beautiful handwriting secured him a position in Paris in 1822 with the du'Orléans,…

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