Setting

By: Mr. Malone

The Three Musketeers takes place in Paris, France, which was home to the French government. During this time, the French monarchy lived in Paris, as did major religious leaders and influential political advisers. The real Musketeers were stationed in Paris, as were the Cardinal’s personal guards.

17th Century Paris

Paris was the center for French culture and enriched living, but the novel makes Paris seem a bit downtrodden when d’Artagnan enters the city. The common citizens of Paris were more wealthy than the peasants that lived in the countryside of France, but Parisians during 1625 still ate simple meals like bread and cheese. Sanitation was extremely low, as plumbing and running water had yet to be refined.

Luxury Palace of 17th Century Paris

During the early 17th Century, Paris was experiencing an increase in its standard of living. Culture was booming, and France was becoming a major European power, as it started to battle with its neighboring nations. This meant that Paris was a center for literature, art, and educated thinking; the novel does not emphasize this fact.

The novel accurately describes the compact living space in Paris. It was densely populated and many people lived in multi-level, apartment-style buildings. Overall, Dumas wrote about Parisian lifestyle with accuracy.