The Scarlet Pimpernel
Old-fashioned romantic swashbuckler a riveting classic.
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Based on 1 review
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that more than a century after it first appeared in 1905, The Scarlet Pimpernel remains one of the great romantic swashbucklers of all time and still inspires readers and storytellers. There's the unlikely hero, who faces constant peril as he snatches hapless prisoners to safety during the French Revolution's Reign of Terror; his outwardly frivolous wife, who rushes right into the same peril to save him from a disaster of her making; and the wily, fanatical villain, who poses a mortal danger to them and their loved ones and who always turns up at the worst possible moment. The biggest issues for today's readers are the book's flowery, old-fashioned language and outmoded attitudes, from sexism to the cartoonish portrayal of Jews. There's a lot of romantic tension between the married but estranged protagonists, but decorum prevails. A single "damn!" occurs at a memorable moment.
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What's the Story?
The Reign of Terror rages in France, and many an innocent aristocrat falls prey to the guillotine. But quite a few seem to be miraculously escaping their fate, thanks to an enigmatic rescuer who always leaves his calling card: a drawing of a little red flower, THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL. His identity's a secret to everybody except the 19 young gentlemen who've sworn allegiance to him, but all of England cheers him on -- including Lady Blakeney, formerly Marguerite St. Just of the Comedie Française, married to the rich, handsome, fashionable, but dimwitted Sir Percy Blakeney, who's been politely detached since their wedding day. Her brother Armand, still in France, falls into the hands of murderous revolutionaries, and the villainous Chauvelin gives her a choice: Help Chauvelin catch the Pimpernel and send him to certain death, or let the hero stay free at the cost of her brother's life. What the reader knows but she doesn't: The Pimpernel is none other than Sir Percy, who loves her madly but doesn't trust her a bit because of something in her previous life. Suspense, romantic misunderstandings, dramatic reversals, and epic adventures ensue.
Is It Any Good?
A hit with readers and audiences for more than a century, The Scarlet Pimpernel remains not only a ripping adventure and a swoony romance but also a lasting, influential pop-cultural creation. Generations of superheroes took the lead of the Pimpernel, who pioneered the concept of the secret identity, and a swarm of deceptively dim aristocratic detectives (such as Lord Peter Wimsey) hark back to Sir Percy. The Kinks' pop song "Dedicated Follower of Fashion" takes its verse form and its lyrics from the tale. The story itself is such a classic that it's being "reimagined" to this day.
When The Scarlet Pimpernel first appeared in 1905 (as a stage production; the book came out later that year), critics panned it as "old-fashioned," but audiences loved it. They also loved the two movies it spawned and the numerous sequels the Baroness Orczy produced for the next 40 years. Today, it's even more old-fashioned, from its flowery language to its outmoded prejudices -- and still a riveting page-turner with constant danger, impossible ethical quandaries, a dastardly villain, a resourceful and brave hero, and determined Marguerite trying to sort it all out before it's too late.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why stories of the French Revolution have always been popular. How might they be relevant to today's world?
Do you know any other stories about people who faced danger and death to save innocents from their would-be killers? Do you have any favorite characters? What do you like about them?
If you could go back in time and become a character in historical events, where would you go? Whom would you be? What would you do?
Book Details
- Author: Baroness Orczy
- Genre: Historical Fiction
- Topics: Adventures, Brothers and Sisters, History
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Signet
- Publication date: March 1, 1905
- Number of pages: 288
- Available on: Paperback, Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: August 8, 2015
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