Louise de la Valliere

Name: Louise de la Valliere
Author: Alexandre Dumas

Louise de la Valliere is a historical romance novel written by Alexandre Dumas, first published in 1843. The story follows the life of Louise de la Valliere, a young woman who becomes the mistress of King Louis XIV of France. The novel explores themes of love, betrayal, and power, set against the backdrop of the French Royal Court in the 17th century.

By Alexandre Dumas · First published 1843 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Adventure, Romance · 60 chapters · 211,719 words

First lines

During all these long and noisy debates between the opposite ambitions of politics and love, one of our characters, perhaps the one least deserving of neglect, was, however, very much neglected, very much forgotten, and exceedingly unhappy. In fact, D'Artagnan -- D'Artagnan, we say, for we must call him by his name, to remind our readers of his existence -- D'Artagnan, we repeat, had absolutely nothing whatever to do, amidst these brilliant butterflies of fashion. After following the king during two whole days at Fontainebleau, and critically observing the various pastoral fancies and heroi-comic transformations of his sovereign, the musketeer felt that he needed something more than this to satisfy the cravings of his nature. At every moment assailed by people asking him, "How do you think this costume suits me, Monsieur d'Artagnan?" he would reply to them in quiet, sarcastic tones, "Why, I think you are quite as well-dressed as the best-dressed monkey to be found in the fair at Saint-Laurent." It was just such a compliment D'Artagnan would choose where he did not feel disposed to pay any other: and, whether agreeable or not, the inquirer was obliged to be satisfied with it. Whenever any one asked him, "How do you intend to dress yourself this evening?" he replied, "I shall undress myself;" at which the ladies all laughed, and a few of them blushed.

What this Textopian page supports

Louise de la Valliere is listed on Textopian as a novel by Alexandre Dumas, dated 1843 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: Alexandre Dumas
Date: 1843 CE
Language: English
Genres: Historical Fiction, Adventure, Romance, French Literature
Length: 211,719 words
Structure: 67 chapters, 6,077 paragraphs
Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

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Work identity for Louise de la Valliere by Alexandre Dumas
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Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters

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How does this novel by Alexandre Dumas fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Historical Fiction first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Historical Fiction — The novel is part of Alexandre Dumas' historical epic series titled 'The Vicomte of Bragelonne: Ten Years Later'. It presents historical events and figures through a narrative fiction lens, making Historical Fiction the most relevant genre.
Adventure — Being a part of The d'Artagnan Romances, adventure is a significant part of the novel's plot. The characters navigate various challenges and undertake daring exploits, typical of the Adventure genre.
Romance — The novel depicts a love story between Louise de la Vallière and Louis XIV, bringing the genre of Romance into prominence.
French Literature — The novel was written by Alexandre Dumas, a French author, and it depicts events from French history, making French Literature a relevant genre.