DUMAS, ALEXANDRE (the elder). — Novelist and playwright, b. at Villers-Cotterets on 24 July 1803, d. at Puy (Dieppe) on 5 Dec. 1870. He left no fewer than 257 volumes of novels and 25 of plays, largely ghost-written by his secretaries. His novels, lacking historical accuracy and of a popular type, rich in adventure and peopled with characters who have remained famous, such as *Les trois mousquetaires*, devoid of profound thought or moral, indeed often reflecting the author’s cynicism, were all placed on the Index of Prohibited Books (Decree of 22 June 1863).
BIBL.: Very many studies, including: Ch. Glinel, *A. D. et son oeuvre*, Paris 1884; A. F. Davidson, *A. D. père*, 11/1921; H. Lecomte, *A. D. sa vie, son oeuvre*, 11/1923; L. Treich, *L'Esprit d'A. D.*, 11/1926; J. Lucas-Dubreton, *La vie d'A. D. père*, 11/1928. Giovanna Fusco