Scaramouche

by Rafael Sabatini

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Scaramouche serves as both an adventure tale and a deep psychological exploration. The characters of Andre-Louis Moreau and Marquis de La Tour d'Azyr stand among Sabatini's most well-crafted figures. In fact, Scaramouche should be regarded as a journey of self-discovery.

A key trait of a Sabatini protagonist is "the vision" that "cuts through facades to grasp the essence of reality." Sabatini consistently used this as a measure of heroism. Captain Blood shares this quality with Moreau. Similarly, Cesare Borgia, a figure in many of Sabatini's works, possesses profound understanding of human motives.

Moreau is often seen as a cynic, a label he accepts. Yet, he is deeply caring—so much so that he conceals his emotions and what he values most. Consequently, he frequently adopts disguises. The character of Scaramouche is fitting, and when Moreau puts on the trickster's costume, he declares, "It is the first time in my life that I look what I am."

At the novel's start, Moreau uses revolutionary language cynically to pursue his own aim—the downfall of Marquis de La Tour d'Azyr. Over time, "he came fully to believe in those things in which he had not believed when earlier he had preached them."

Sabatini also meticulously crafted his portrayal of evil. He endowed Marquis de La Tour d'Azyr with a dignity that few antagonists achieve. Ironically, while Moreau exploits the revolution for personal revenge, the Marquis nobly asserts that his actions were not for self-interest but to protect his class, the aristocracy. He meets death as he lived, "without fear and without deception." Moreau even defends the Marquis by concluding that he was "nurtured upon a code of shams," and thus not entirely to blame.

The fact that Sabatini wrote more than just an adventure story becomes clear in the climax of Scaramouche. With Paris collapsing around them, Sabatini could have focused on the characters' escape from the city. However, recognizing that the true climax revolved around the revelation of Moreau's connection to the Marquis, Sabatini wisely chose to conclude the book quickly, overlooking the obvious dangers Revolutionary Paris posed. By doing so, he shifted the novel away from pure adventure and emphasized its psychological elements.

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