The Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas [PDF]

Information: The Black Tulip

• Author: Alexandre Dumas
• Publication Date: 1850
• Main Characters:
  • Cornelius Van Baerle: A young, wealthy tulip grower and the novel's protagonist. Apolitical and gentle, he is falsely accused of treason and imprisoned, where his love for tulips and for Rosa keep him alive.
  • Rosa Gryphus: The jailer's daughter who falls in love with Cornelius. Resourceful and determined, she secretly tends the black tulip bulbs and becomes the emotional heart of the story.
  • Isaac Boxtel: Cornelius' envious neighbor and fellow tulip grower. His jealousy drives him to betray Cornelius and steal the black tulip, making him the novel's primary antagonist.
  • Gryphus: Rosa's father and the prison warden at Loevestein. A gruff, suspicious man who distrusts Cornelius and complicates the lovers' plans.
  • William of Orange: The historical Prince of Orange who plays a pivotal role in the novel's resolution, representing political authority and justice.
• Brief Summary: The Black Tulip follows Cornelius Van Baerle, a wealthy and apolitical tulip enthusiast in 1672 Holland. When his godfather, the politician Cornelius de Witt, entrusts him with secret letters, Van Baerle becomes the target of both political persecution and his jealous neighbor, Isaac Boxtel. Imprisoned for life, Cornelius finds an unlikely ally in Rosa, the prison warden's daughter, and together they attempt to grow the elusive black tulip. The novel explores how obsession, envy, and love intersect against a backdrop of real historical violence.
• Thematic Analysis: At its core, the novel examines how envy can destroy lives and how love can restore them. Dumas uses the black tulip as a symbol of purity and single-minded devotion, contrasting it with the political corruption and mob violence that surrounds it. The tension between private passion and public chaos gives the book a timeless quality that still resonates.
• Historical Context: The story opens with the historical lynching of Johan and Cornelius de Witt in The Hague on August 20, 1672, during the political crisis that brought William III of Orange to power. Dumas also draws on the real phenomenon of tulip mania in the Netherlands, where rare tulip bulbs commanded extraordinary prices. Published in 1850, the novel reflects Dumas' interest in how political upheaval disrupts ordinary lives.