Martin Guerre by Alexandre Dumas
The novel “The Return of Martin Guerre” by Alexandre Dumas is set in the 16th century in the small French village of Artigat. The story follows the life of Martin Guerre, a young man who returns to his home village after an eight-year absence. When Martin returns, he is welcomed back with open arms by his family and the villagers. However, soon after his return, strange things begin to happen. Martin’s behavior is not quite the same as it was before he left, and he seems to have a different personality. The villagers become suspicious of Martin and begin to question his identity. They eventually discover that the man claiming to be Martin Guerre is actually an impostor. The real Martin Guerre had been away for eight years, and the impostor had taken his place in the village. The novel follows the trial of the impostor, as well as the story of Martin’s life before and after his return. It explores the themes of identity, justice, and loyalty, as well as the power of love and family.
By Alexandre Dumas · First published 1839 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Adventure, Romance · 16,540 words
First lines
We are sometimes astonished at the striking resemblance existing between two persons who are absolute strangers to each other, but in fact it is the opposite which ought to surprise us. Indeed, why should we not rather admire a Creative Power so infinite in its variety that it never ceases to produce entirely different combinations with precisely the same elements? The more one considers this prodigious versatility of form, the more overwhelming it appears.
What this Textopian page supports
Martin Guerre is listed on Textopian as a novel by Alexandre Dumas, dated 1839 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: 1839 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Fiction, Adventure, Romance, Mystery
- Length: 16,540 words
- Structure: 1 section, 544 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
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- Work identity for Martin Guerre by Alexandre Dumas
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Historical Fiction — Martin Guerre is a historical novel based on the life of the 16th-century French peasant of the same name, written by Alexandre Dumas.
- Adventure — The novel follows Martin Guerre's adventures as he is forced to flee his home and seek refuge elsewhere.
- Romance — The novel also contains a romantic subplot between Martin Guerre and his love interest, Bertrande de Rols.
- Mystery — The novel follows the mystery of whether or not the man claiming to be Martin Guerre is actually him.
Tags
Biography · Crime · Crime Nonfiction · Criminals · Social Studies · arnauld · bertrande · child · continued · day · door · eyes