Georges (novel)
Encyclopedia
Georges is a short novel
by Alexandre Dumas, père
set on the island of Mauritius
, from 1810 to 1824. This novel is of particular interest to scholars because Dumas reused many of the ideas and plot devices later in The Count of Monte Cristo
, and because race and racism are at the center of this novel, and this was a topic on which Dumas, despite his part-African ancestry, rarely wrote.
Georges was first published in 1843. It has been republished in English as George; or, the Planter of the Isle of France.
A new translation by Tina Kover, edited by Werner Sollors and with an introduction by Jamaica Kincaid
, was published by Random House, Inc./Modern Library in May 2007.
). While part-black, Georges appears to be very light-skinned, if not white. As a child, Georges witnesses an attempt by the British to gain control of the island. Because George's father is a mulatto
, the other plantation owners refuse to fight alongside him. Instead, George's father leads the blacks and delivers a crushing blow against the invading forces. Refusing to acknowledge that a man of colour saved them, M. Malmedie and the other white plantation owners ignore the accomplishment.
M. Malmedie's son Henry mocks Georges because of this, resulting in a fight between the two. Afterward, worried about any retaliation on the behalf of the plantation owner's father, George's father sends Georges and his old brother to Europe to become educated.
In Europe, the brothers become separated when the older brother gets a job on a sailing ship. Georges becomes cultured, deeply educated and popular in Parisian circles. Through numerous tests of will Georges overcomes his weaknesses and becomes skilled in a variety of fields ranging from hunting to the art of seducing women.
Upon his return, Georges has found that the plantation owners have forgotten who he is. In little time he becomes the toast of society, and a beautiful woman falls in love with him. He also discovers that his brother has become the captain of a slave-ship. However, Georges can't tolerate the injustice of slavery, so he conspires to lead a slave revolt. When this revolt fails, he becomes incarcelated and condemned to die. While he is brought to be executed, he is saved by a gang of pirates led by his brother.
Munier: The father of Georges. A wealthy mulatto plantation owner. Interestingly enough, he is a slave-owner.
Jacques: The older brother of Georges. He becomes a slave-trader and a pirate captain.
M. Malmedie: A jealous and racist man who despises Georges.
Henry Malmedie: A spoiled and racist young man the same age as Georges.
Sara: She is the cousin of Henry Malmedie, and engaged to him. However, she falls in love with Georges leading to conflict between the two men.
Antonio Malai: A power-hungry slave who, angry because he was not elected leader of the slave revolt, betrays the rebellion. His betrayal results in the failure of the rebellion.
Miko-Miko: A chinese merchant and friend to Georges.
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by Alexandre Dumas, père
Alexandre Dumas, père
Alexandre Dumas, , born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie was a French writer, best known for his historical novels of high adventure which have made him one of the most widely read French authors in the world...
set on the island of Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
, from 1810 to 1824. This novel is of particular interest to scholars because Dumas reused many of the ideas and plot devices later in The Count of Monte Cristo
The Count of Monte Cristo
The Count of Monte Cristo is an adventure novel by Alexandre Dumas. It is often considered to be, along with The Three Musketeers, Dumas's most popular work. He completed the work in 1844...
, and because race and racism are at the center of this novel, and this was a topic on which Dumas, despite his part-African ancestry, rarely wrote.
Georges was first published in 1843. It has been republished in English as George; or, the Planter of the Isle of France.
A new translation by Tina Kover, edited by Werner Sollors and with an introduction by Jamaica Kincaid
Jamaica Kincaid
Jamaica Kincaid is a Caribbean novelist, gardener, and gardening writer. She was born in the city of St. John's on the island of Antigua in the nation of Antigua and Barbuda...
, was published by Random House, Inc./Modern Library in May 2007.
Plot
The novel concerns the life of Georges, the son of a wealthy mulatto plantation owner named Munier, in the Île de France (modern day MauritiusMauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
). While part-black, Georges appears to be very light-skinned, if not white. As a child, Georges witnesses an attempt by the British to gain control of the island. Because George's father is a mulatto
Mulatto
Mulatto denotes a person with one white parent and one black parent, or more broadly, a person of mixed black and white ancestry. Contemporary usage of the term varies greatly, and the broader sense of the term makes its application rather subjective, as not all people of mixed white and black...
, the other plantation owners refuse to fight alongside him. Instead, George's father leads the blacks and delivers a crushing blow against the invading forces. Refusing to acknowledge that a man of colour saved them, M. Malmedie and the other white plantation owners ignore the accomplishment.
M. Malmedie's son Henry mocks Georges because of this, resulting in a fight between the two. Afterward, worried about any retaliation on the behalf of the plantation owner's father, George's father sends Georges and his old brother to Europe to become educated.
In Europe, the brothers become separated when the older brother gets a job on a sailing ship. Georges becomes cultured, deeply educated and popular in Parisian circles. Through numerous tests of will Georges overcomes his weaknesses and becomes skilled in a variety of fields ranging from hunting to the art of seducing women.
Upon his return, Georges has found that the plantation owners have forgotten who he is. In little time he becomes the toast of society, and a beautiful woman falls in love with him. He also discovers that his brother has become the captain of a slave-ship. However, Georges can't tolerate the injustice of slavery, so he conspires to lead a slave revolt. When this revolt fails, he becomes incarcelated and condemned to die. While he is brought to be executed, he is saved by a gang of pirates led by his brother.
Characters
Georges: Georges is the protagonist of the novel. He is a light-skinned mulatto who is easily mistaken as being white. Georges exhibits many characteristics that Dumas would later give to Edmon Dantes in the Count of Monte Christo.Munier: The father of Georges. A wealthy mulatto plantation owner. Interestingly enough, he is a slave-owner.
Jacques: The older brother of Georges. He becomes a slave-trader and a pirate captain.
M. Malmedie: A jealous and racist man who despises Georges.
Henry Malmedie: A spoiled and racist young man the same age as Georges.
Sara: She is the cousin of Henry Malmedie, and engaged to him. However, she falls in love with Georges leading to conflict between the two men.
Antonio Malai: A power-hungry slave who, angry because he was not elected leader of the slave revolt, betrays the rebellion. His betrayal results in the failure of the rebellion.
Miko-Miko: A chinese merchant and friend to Georges.