Isabel de Baviere (Dumas)

Overview

Isabel de Baviere (also Isabelle de Baviere) is a historical novel by Alexandre Dumas, published in 1835 under the full title Chroniques de France: Isabel de Baviere. It is Dumas's first historical novel, set during the reign of the mad King Charles VI and the controversial Queen Isabeau of Bavaria.

Relevance to Marie

Marie reads Isabelle de Baviere with Olga Sapogenikoff in October 1875. She finds it poorly written: "Isabelle de Baviere est si mal ecrite, les scenes si mal liees que c'est pitie" (046.0265). Despite the literary criticism, she persists in reading it, using it as a shared activity with Olga that she hopes will draw out the girl's romantic confidences.

Historical Context

The novel was Dumas's first attempt at historical fiction, before the success of The Three Musketeers (1844). It covers the turbulent late 14th/early 15th century period of French civil war between the Armagnacs and Burgundians. The novel dramatizes scenes from Barante's Histoire des Ducs de Bourgogne.

References in Diary

• 1875-10-06 (046.0189): Marie reads it with Olga
• 1875-10-08 (046.0265): Marie criticizes its poor writing