The Companions of Jehu by Alexandre Dumas [PDF]

Information: The Companions of Jehu

• Author: Alexandre Dumas
• Publication Date: 1857
• Main Characters:
  • Morgan (Charles de Saint-Hermine): The charismatic and noble leader of the Companions of Jehu. A royalist aristocrat who robs government transports to fund the monarchist cause, yet maintains a strict code of honor.
  • Roland de Montrevel: Bonaparte's brave and reckless aide-de-camp. A melancholy soldier who seeks a glorious death in battle, torn between his duty to Napoleon and his sister's secret love for Morgan.
  • Amelie de Montrevel: Roland's sister who is secretly in love with Morgan. Her forbidden romance with the enemy creates the emotional heart of the novel.
  • Napoleon Bonaparte: The rising military leader who seizes power through the coup of 18 Brumaire. He orders Roland to crush the Companions, setting the central conflict in motion.
  • Sir John Douvres: A traveling English gentleman who befriends Roland and falls in love with Amelie, adding another layer of romantic complication to the story.
• Brief Summary: The Companions of Jehu follows a group of royalist highwaymen in post-Revolutionary France who rob government money transports to fund the restoration of the monarchy. The central conflict pits Roland de Montrevel, Napoleon's loyal aide-de-camp, against Morgan, the noble leader of the Companions, who happens to be in love with Roland's sister Amelie. Bonaparte himself tasks Roland with dismantling the group, creating an impossible situation where duty and family loyalty collide. The novel covers real historical events including the coup of 18 Brumaire and the Battle of Marengo, blending fact and fiction with Dumas' characteristic flair.
• Thematic Analysis: The novel explores the tension between political loyalty and personal bonds. Roland and Morgan respect each other deeply, yet history forces them into opposition. Dumas also examines whether the ends justify the means, as the Companions see themselves as noble patriots while the state labels them criminals.
• Historical Context: Published in 1857, the novel is set during 1799-1800, a pivotal moment when Napoleon Bonaparte overthrew the Directory government and established the Consulate. The real Companions of Jehu were royalist brigands active in southern France during the Revolution. Dumas took their story and wove it into a broader narrative about the political upheaval that reshaped Europe.