La Reine Margot
 A Queen, a King, and her cabinet. | |
| Written by: | Alexandre Dumas |
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| Central Theme: | |
| Synopsis: | |
| Genre(s): | Historical fiction |
| Series: | The Valois trilogy |
| Followed by: | La Dame de Monsoreau |
| First published: | 1844- 1845 |
La Reine Margot (A.K.A "Queen Margot", "Marguerite de Valois") is the first novel of The Last Valois series written in 1845 by Alexandre Dumas, père. The series next books are La Dame de Monsoreau and Les Quarante-Cinq.
During the reign of Charles IX and the French Wars of Religion, the throne of France had several suitors and every one try their hardest to keep it. Marguerite de Valois, better known as Margot, marries Henry de Navarre to bring peace to this chaotic country. Margot, who does not love Henri, begins a passionate affair with La Môle, a noble Huguenot, who was saved by her during the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre.
Beside the famous Huguenot decimation, the plot contains murders by poisoning, court intrigues and several attempts of murder.
The full text of the novel is available at Project Gutenberg, under the title Marguerite de Valois. It has been adapted to a movie in 1994 with Isabelle Adjani, Daniel Auteuil, Virna Lisi and Vincent Pérez.
Tropes used in La Reine Margot include:
- Alas, Poor Yorick: Margot kept rather grisly souvenir.
- Apothecary Alligator: René's laboratory had an assortment of odd tools, that include a yawning alligator.
- Arranged Marriage: Margot and Henri de Bourbon.
- Balcony Escape: The way La Môle saved his life, when the royal siblings meant to off him.
- Begone Bribe: Charles IX got the Duke of Anjou the crown of Poland in exchange for some peace.
- Beneath the Mask: Charles IX goes forward, even when he knew he was dying.
- Beta Couple: The duchesse de Nevers and Coconnas fill the spot, but they are less peaceful than Margot and La Môle.
- Chekhov's Gun: A sort of Voodoo Doll used for a Love Spell was presented as an evidence of crime.
- Closet Shuffle: Once Margot hide her husband and her lover in the same cabinet, at the same time.
- Deadly Decadent Court: The French court.
- Defeat Means Friendship: Coconnas and La Môle need to fight twice before they achieve friendship.
- Edible Ammunition: The characters hiding in Rue Cloche Percée defended themselves with the rests of their dinner.
- Finger-Licking Poison: a poisoned book is used in attempt on King Henri of Navarre's life, but the plan backfires with disastrous results.
- Gambit Pileup: Henri of Navarre is the center of all plans of the French royal court: the King trying to destroy their religion, the queen mother trying to ruin his marriage, and the Duke of Alençon trying to take his kingdom.
- God Save Us From the Queen: Queen Catherine
- Good Scars, Evil Scars: They don't call the Duke of Guisa "Le Balafré" (Scarface) for nothing.
- Kill'Em All: The St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre.
- Kiss of Death: The even more devious plan to poison Henry via his paramour's lipstick is employed but thwarted by the would-be poisoner who couldn't murder said paramour in cold blood.
- Historical Villain Upgrade: Possibly Dumas was influenced too much by the propaganda against Catherine of Medici. In the book she didn't stop short of murder to help her son Henri.
- Hunting Accident: Charles IX would have died in such an accident, if it wasn't for Henry of Navarre.
- Master Poisoner:
- Réné the Florentine,
- and Queen Catherine, to some degree.
- The Mistress: Charlotte de Sauvre was one for Henri de Bourbon
- Marie Touchet was a real nice one.
- Nice to the Waiter: and Maître Caboche remember it.
- Off with His Head: The last favor of M. de Coconnas' friend.
- Perfect Poison: Ghastly subverted in the poisoned book mentioned above
- Parental Substitute: Charles claims Coligny is like a father to him.
- Charles's Huguenot nurse was the mother Catherine would never be to him.
- Professional Killer: Maurevel started his career killing De Mouy's father and from that point, he get some other jobs, until De Mouy stop him.
- Public Secret Message: Delivered by Margot, in Latin, in a formal ceremony to announce to her husband's allies that the escape was impossible.
- Puppet King: Charles was this until recently, while his mother wielded the true power in France. He credits Coligny with freeing him from Catherine's control.
- Royal Blood: Why Henri de Bourbon is so dangerous to Queen Catherine.
- Royally Screwed-Up: All the Queen Catherine's children fit the trope in different degrees.
- The Scapegoat: Coconnas and La Môle took the fall for Queen Catherine.
- Scylla and Charybdis: Henri de Bourbon, to avoid death during the massacre was forced to choose between convert or being locked into the Bastille.
- Succession Crisis: The whole point of the novel. Charles IX had a marked predilection over Henri de Bourbon, over his brothers of Anjou and Alençon. Queen Catherine works to ensure Henri de Bourbon doesn't get the crown of France.
- Torture Always Works: Played with when Coconnas gave them a good amount of information under false torture. Averted when La Môle never speak under real torture.
- Torture Technician: Maître Caboche is the Chief executioner of the provostry of Paris and had some apprentices, but he does the whole work for folks of quality.
- Wig, Dress, Accent: It's amazing how far a cherry-colored cloak can take you.
- Window Pain: Used as a way to arrange a Balcony Escape.