The Black Tulip

Alexandre Dumas pere Other

La Tulipe Noire
(1850)
A deceptively simple story and the shortest of Dumas's most famous novels, The Black Tulip weaves historical events surrounding a brutal murder into a tale of romantic love. Set in Holland in 1672, this timeless political allegory draws on the violence and crimes of history, making a case against tyranny and creating a symbol of justice and tolerance: the fateful tulipa negra. The 20th of August 1672 is an important date in Dutch history: the brothers De Witt are brutally lynched by the crowd, allegedly for high treason where they were only trying to negotiate a peace treaty with France to protect their little country. However, their deaths meant that William of Orange (later also King of Great-Britain) could become king. With this backdrop, Dumas creates a story, not about the brothers, but about one of their godchildren: Cornelius Van Baerle, who is saddled with a jealous neighbour Isaac Boxtel. Why is he jealous? He is envious because Cornelius is having some success in discovering The Black Tulip which is awarded a prize of 100,000 florins, and thought impossible. Just at the point where the black tulip is well on its way to coming into existence, Van Baerle is compromised and thrown into prison where he is sentenced to death. Somehow, though, God has mercy and he is granted a perpetual prison sentence instead. As the story continues, a love affair emerges between the jailer's daughter and Van Baerle who gave her his three bulbs in his testament. The black tulip is not only a symbol for justice and tolerance, but also a symbol for the most perfect and divine love of two people. It can be prosecuted, attempted to be destroyed, killed, trodden on, but it will never give up, and eventually it blooms despite all those obstacles. A wonderful, gentle, tender and placid love story without huge declarations, but none-the-less powerful. A great novella.--Submitted by kiki1982 ~

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