Contents
Alexandre Dumas fils
Writing The Lady of the Camellias, the source of La traviata.
Camille · French theatre
- Born
- 27 July 1824
- Birthplace
- Paris, France
- Died
- 27 November 1895
More people
Alexandre Dumas fils
Alexandre Dumas fils was a French novelist and playwright whose work examined sexual morality, family and social judgement. His best-known story crossed from novel to stage and then into one of opera’s enduring works.
Early life
Paris childhood
The son of novelist Alexandre Dumas and dressmaker Marie-Laure-Catherine Labay was born outside marriage.
Education and separation
His father legally recognised him and arranged schooling, separating him from his mother.
Career
- 1840s
Early fiction
Followed his father into writing, developing his own themes and style.
- 1852
Theatrical breakthrough
His stage adaptation of The Lady of the Camellias established him as a playwright.
- 1850s–1880s
Social drama
Wrote plays and essays about marriage, money and paternal responsibility.
- 1874
Académie française
Was elected to the academy and formally received the following year.
Selected work
The Lady of the Camellias
A courtesan’s love is constrained by illness and respectable society’s demands.
Le Demi-Monde
Examines reputation and the social world surrounding marriage.
Le Fils naturel
Addresses the position of a child born outside marriage.
Beyond work
Marie Duplessis
His relationship with the courtesan helped inspire The Lady of the Camellias.
A different Dumas
The word fils means son and distinguishes him from the author of The Three Musketeers.
Sources & photo credit
Biography ↗Life and work ↗Photo: Unknown author Unknown author. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
