Which Musketeer Contributed the Most to the Story?

[AthosESK]

Am I the only person whos see Athos as the guiding force after all his nobility serves as a model for all

Oh no, I'm right there with you (of course, my handle is giving me away). Athos is the man all women want (but can't have unless they are apparently dressed as a man - see "Twenty Years After") and all the men want to be (with?). Seriously though, our side needs two more votes and we're going to tie this d'Artagnan fellow and bring him down to the apprentice level where he belongs .

Cheers!

P.S. Aramis rules too, but we all have to have our loyalties.

[Madame la Fere]

I am new to the Literature Network, and just stumbled on this one.
I must admit that I more or less lean towards Athos as the hero, at least in The Three Musketeers. I am in the middle of Twenty Years after, and am still holding the same views after having read chapter 30 where Athos is the one who keeps them together. I agree that without the other 3 and their unique personalities that the story would not be the same.

[kiki1982]

In my opinion, I think that four musketeers are all heroes within the tale! Without one of them then I think that the heroes could not have done everything that they did do! But that is just my opinion, of course!.

I agree! In the beginning the three original musketeers Athos, Porthos and Aramis are called 'les inséparables' - 'the inseparables'. I believe that Dumas intended to make three different characters, each with one good quality (virtue?): Athos being noble, intelligent and wise; Aramis being cunning and able to make plots; Porthos being of great strength and blind devotion. They are all brought together in our hero d'Artagnan, who Athos, Porthos and Aramis certainly admire. He has everything that they have and tops them even.
Actually I find Aramis the worst of all. He is really two-faced and deceitful, which is further developed in Vingt Ans Après - Twenty Years Later, when he becomes a Jesuite of all monks, and has affairs during the night.
In dutch the expression 'you are a Jesuite' is even synonym for being two-faced, deceitful, etc. Because in the days the book played, the 17th century, people used to eat no meat every Friday and fast before Easter. Jesuits were very particular abut that... for others, as they used to eat meat all year round, even on Fridays and lived decandently inside their convents...
Of course the negativity of his deeds is always put in a good light by Dumas, cleverly so. In The Three Musketeers he has an affair with Mme de Chevreuse, who helps the queen, so his plotting is actually fruitful, and in Twenty Years Later, also like that, which I will now not get into, but still, I find him the most negative character of them all.

[fulyaoktem]

For the records: I must admit that this was the tough question I've ever heard

Anyway, when I read the question I remembered the motto of the muskeeteers... One for all and all for one.
Abstraction is impossible. I can not think one muskeeter apart from others. All of them are virtious, noble, bold and faithful. Heroism arises in Dumas's four muskeeters. Musketeer by musketeer each one of them are awesome but when they act together you think they will always succeed. This tells everyone the worth of friendship and loyality. Friendship is the real fortune they have.

"Which muskeeeter contributed the most to the story?"
-Depends on personalities answering...
Let me change the question as "which musketeer would be your soul mate?"
-Comte de la Fere aka Athos off course.
I realised that I've been in love with Comte de la Fere from the beginning.
Answer to all expectations even going the extra mile.
You will all remember; D'artagnan tells Anne D'Autriche that Comte de la Fere is demigod in Twenty Years After!

Note:
The beginnig: I've first read The Three Muskeeters (shorten edition for kids) at the age of seven.

[fulyaoktem]

As I'm reading The Three Musketeers (I just finished the first book in the series), I'm drawn toward Athos. I think he really is the leader of the group, and prevents D'Artagnan from making any rash decisions.

I would say that Athos is the true, "original" hero. D'Artagnan may be the main character, but there is no rule that states the main character = hero. Sometimes the protagonist turns out to be a villain, or even someone who is saved by someone else.

I have a question for you, though...Who do you think is the sexiest Musketeer?

Comte de la Fere off course...


In Three Musketeers and in Twenty Years After we continiously read that Aramis is the one who is much liked by women therefore we never inform about any details.

But everybody knows the details of the feverish love night of Comte de la Fere and -the most beautiful woman of D'artagnan Romances- Madam de Chevreuse.
They gave life to Vicomte de Bragelonne at that admirable passionate night...

[JohnK]

Hello everybody.

Vote: Athos.

Char description:
----------------------------------------------
Athos: is a genius.
D'Artagnan: is Athos' canvas.
Porthos: is a kind hearted brute.
Aramis: is hard to "figure out" for me.

Motivations/Reasons for joining the service:
----------------------------------------------
Athos: not a clue.
D'Artagnan: fame and fortune.
Prothos: fame and fortune.
Aramis: not a clue.

[kiki1982]

Athos did have a reason for joining the musketeers: forgetting his past and hopefully be killed, I think, on campaign. SLIGHT SPOILER Unfortunately that never materialised. SLIGHT SPOILER OVER

Aramis also had his reason to join: I think it had something to do with someone who once insulted him and he wanted to get satisfaction, but as he had grown up in a convent, he was not able to fight, neither with a sword, nor with pistols, so he decided to join the musketeers in order to get practice and then to kill the man . I don't remember whether that ever materialsed...

Other than that, it was a done thing as a gentilhomme (man of low nobility) to join the musketeers as it awarded you honour and showed you weren't a sissy. I don't think you had to go there for fortune, but I suppose a select few went up the ladder and thus got some fortune (like d'Artagnan). They did get a wage but nothing to write home about, and they had to buy their own equipment, so they were rather relying on their allowances from home or the ones from mistresses () than on their own ability. And think about it, in order to gamble and do all what our friends did... Some money must have flown!