Murat

Dumas, Alexandre, 1802-1870Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 82K words
Chapters: 9

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Murat by Alexandre DumasAuthor: Dumas, Alexandre, 1802-1870,Language: English, Class: HV: Social sciences: Social pathology, Social and Public Welfare, Release Date: Sep 22, 2004

Editor's review

Murat is also by Alexandre Dumas, released by Project Gutenberg as a public-domain ebook and classified under Social Pathology and Social Welfare. The work narrates around the historical figure Murat; Dumas excels at placing historical figures within dramatic plots and moral conflicts, letting readers feel the entanglement of power, ambition and fate as the story unfolds. Compared with Vaninka, this work leans more toward the historical-figure genre, with its narrative focus falling where character and the sweep of the times intersect. It is not long and serves well as an introductory read for understanding Dumas's historical narrative. The English original is freely available, and the reading threshold is moderate. It is best treated as a short sample of historical fiction: not as rigorous historiography, but as an experience of how popular literature shapes the image of historical figures and uses plot to heighten the sense of a character's fate. Readers with some familiarity with the Napoleonic era will find the reading experience smoother.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in historical figures of the Napoleonic era
Literature enthusiasts who want to understand Dumas's approach to historical narrative
Language learners in need of public-domain English short-form material
Readers who enjoy narratives centered on a character's fate

Not a good fit for

Academic researchers seeking rigorous historical scholarship
Readers who prefer modern fast-paced suspense or science fiction
People with no basic English reading ability who are unwilling to use tools

Reading tips

Spend ten minutes learning the basic historical background of Murat before reading; the character's motives will be easier to understand.
Read the work as historical fiction rather than as a historical source, focusing on how the author selects and dramatizes.
After finishing, compare the same figure as portrayed by other writers and compare differences in narrative stance.
In English reading, first grasp the character relationships and the main line of conflict, then return to the detailed descriptions.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this a historical work or a novel?

This is a historical narrative work by Alexandre Dumas, belonging to literary creation rather than rigorous historiography. It uses historical figures as material but arranges plot and shapes characters; it should be understood as a literary production, not cited as a historical source.

Do I need to know the Napoleonic era first?

Not mandatory, but some background knowledge will make it smoother. Murat was active during the Napoleonic period; after understanding the general historical framework, the character's situation and choices will be easier to understand. Those with no knowledge at all can also read the story first and then fill in the background.

Are there copyright issues with the ebook?

The book is released by Project Gutenberg and is a free public-domain ebook. Dumas's original work has long been in the public domain, and the English translation is provided on that platform under public-domain rules; there is no copyright obstacle for personal reading use.

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About the author

Dumas, Alexandre, 1802-1870 Author

Alexandre Dumas (1802–1870) was a major French novelist and playwright of the nineteenth century. The collection here holds 133 of his works, including editions in several languages, which shows how widely they have circulated. His best-known works include The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo, the latter often published in volumes such as Volume III, Volume II, Volume I, and Volume IV. His writing is usually set against historical backgrounds, with intricate plots and vivid characters, and he was skilled at unfolding grand narratives in serial form, combining adventure, rivalry, and legend. Both novels have been translated into many languages and frequently issued in illustrated editions, leaving a lasting influence on popular literature and on film and television adaptations. Public information is limited, so details of his life and critical assessments are not developed here; readers may discover his narrative appeal through the works themselves.