Marie Duplessis (see photo below) is a famous French courtesan, to whom many poems and works are dedicated. The most famous of them is The Lady of the Camellias. The first Parisian beauty, muse and lover of Franz Liszt, as well as Alexandre Dumas, son, she still amazes biographers with both external and internal inconsistency with these scandalous titles. In Marie, there was not even a particle of all-conquering beauty from a hardened priestess of love. The young, touching, almost ethereal nymph was more like a sensitive grisette, who did not want worship and passion, but participation, support and warmth. Unfortunately, she did not receive any of this during her lifetime.
It should be noted that Marie Duplessis and Fanny Lear were the most talked about girls of that era. And this is not at all surprising, because the first worked as a courtesan, and the second was an American dancer and mistress of Prince Nikolai Romanov. Fanny's biography deserves a separate article, and below we will tell in detail the life story of Marie Duplessis. So let's get started.
Childhood
Marie Duplessis was born into a farmer's family in 1824. But that was not her name at birth. The real name of the girl is Alfonsina Plessy. Since childhood, fate did not indulge her with her favors. The fate of the future courtesan was a beggarly existence, constant hunger, an empty house, a drunken father and an eternally crying little sister. Alfonsin's mother practically did not remember, since she ran away from home when the girl was not even five years old. But two things forever crashed into the memory of the future courtesan. She remembered her mother's name (Marie) and that she had promised to come back for her. The first years Alfonsina waited for her every day. But then the news came to the village - Marie Plessy, who worked as a maid in a rich house, died of consumption.
First love
Now the girl had only one chance to avoid begging - marriage with a decent person, albeit not rich. So thirteen-year-old Alfonsina seemed like a guy from a neighboring farm. For the first time in her life, the girl fell in love and completely trusted her chosen one, hoping for a quick wedding. But the young man was in no hurry to marry. Having had his fill, he not only abandoned Alfonsina, but also exposed her as an accessible girl in front of the whole village. This crossed out the future courtesan's dream of marriage. After all, no one in the district would go to woo a "walking" one.
Prostitution
Marin Plessy (Alfonsina's father) secretly rejoiced at the "fall" of his daughter. Of course, she looked after her sister and ran the household, but she was very fragile - no one would hire such a laborer for work. The family needed money: father- for a drink, and for the sisters - for bread. Now useless and "fallen" Alfonsina could only work as a prostitute. According to Marin, this is what God created women for.
Having found out what kind of "career" her father is preparing for her, Alfonsina was very indignant. But Marin did not start a debate. He immediately sold his daughter to a local innkeeper to pay off a loan for wine. Then the girl had to "work off" a few more of her father's debts. Realizing what awaits her in the future, Alfonsina fled to the capital of France. There she hoped to find a decent job.
Paris
But the capital did not meet the girl with open arms. She was not taken either as a saleswoman or as a servant - after all, Alfonsina was only fourteen years old. In addition, she looked too fragile and incapable of any physical labor. Alfonsina spent the night where she could, starved, and eventually returned to the craft of a courtesan.
True, the first income did not help her get out of poverty. After all, the clients of the night fairy were poor students who paid the girl mere pennies. To find rich admirers, a decent “facade” was required - a well-groomed look and a good dress. But Alfonsina barely had enough money for food. In addition, there was still a glimmer of hope in her that one of the young men would be able to see in her not only a body, but also a person. But each time, Alfonsina's expectations were not justified. The courtesan made sure that men crave only pleasure from her.
Big fish
But with the assimilation of this bitter truth, fate gave the girl a chance to get out of poverty. somehowAlfonsina walked with a friend in Paris. Seeing the restaurant, the courtesans decided to go into it in the hope of catching "big fish". Usually there was little chance: restaurateurs immediately put up night fairies. They made an exception only for those who paid them part of the proceeds. But now the host received the courtesans very graciously. He treated the girls to drinks and at the end of the conversation asked Alfonsina to come to him tomorrow - alone. Already seeing off, the restaurateur asked the name of the girl. “Marie Duplessis,” Alfonsina introduced herself. She understood that a melodic and noble name would give her mystery and charm. Suddenly, the courtesan realized that tomorrow she would start a comfortable life.
New boyfriend
Marie Duplessis was right. The restaurateur dressed the girl, rented her a house and wrapped her in such care that his lawful wife never dreamed of. But the courtesan quickly realized that she could get a lot more out of life. Once, dressed in the latest fashion, Marie went to the opera. From there, the girl left in the carriage of the first womanizer of the 1840s, Comte de Guiche.
The new boyfriend not only showered Duplessis with money, he also made her the most gorgeous lady in the capital. Now Marie dressed only with expensive tailors. Also, the girl did not deny herself jewelry, perfume, gourmet food and flowers. The courtesan was very partial to the latter. There were so many flowers in the chic Duplessis house that the guests who came had the impression that they were in a greenhouse. Marie also enjoyed showing off rare plants from America and India. In heronly roses were absent from the house - their smell made the girl dizzy. But quite unscented and modest camellias were in abundance. The courtesan commented on her addictions in a very specific way: “I love candied grapes, as they are tasteless, and camellias for their lack of smell. I also love rich people because they have no heart.”
The appearance of patrons
Soon de Guiche did not have enough funds to support such a luxurious woman. Therefore, he was forced to retire. Since then, the patrons in Marie's life began to change one after another. This was partly facilitated by the matchmaker hired by her, who collected information about prospective clients and negotiated with them about the content of Duplessis. In Paris, she had the "highest price tag". But it only spurred the fans on. Philosophers, musicians, poets and artists often visited the salon of Marie Duplessis. The portrait of the girl was just painted by one of her guests - a talented painter named Edward Vieno. He very reliably was able to convey on canvas the striking Victorian beauty of the girl. Her glossy black hair, ivory skin, oval face and sparkling eyes delight even the modern sophisticated viewer.
It is worth noting that not all guests of the courtesan had the status of lovers. Some came just to talk: sincere, witty and sensitive, Marie was considered an excellent conversationalist and admirer of everything beautiful. At the same time, she was coquettish and romantically sad.
Marie Duplessis and Dumas Jr
But the courtesan did not pursue "social chatter" and passions. The girl wanted devotion, understanding and love. She hoped that at least one of the suitors would see in her a person, and not an expensive trinket. As soon as the courtesan felt even a hint of tenderness and sympathy, hope appeared in her soul, which in most cases did not grow into something more. Therefore, Marie's romance with Alexandre Dumas Jr. ended in a breakup. The girl made a big mistake, mistaking his moralist pity for true love.
Dumas-son, or Ade (A. D.), as Duplessis called him, was the same age as a courtesan and not yet completely spoiled by high society. In addition, the writer was brought up only by his mother, so he knew better than others about the ruthlessness of public opinion towards women who had sinned. He sincerely admired Marie, was full of sympathy and understood that the girl was above her own destiny. That is, selling the body for money, she suffers a lot. And Duplessis believed in Ade's love, hoping for quick changes in her life.
End of romance
But, alas, this time the courtesan entertained herself with illusions. Of course, Dumas Jr. was sincerely passionate about her. However, the young man was not going to take care of Marie and become her "deliverer". Ade had neither the means nor the desire to link her fate forever with some courtesan. Instead, Dumas was jealous of the girl for we althy fans, appealed to her morality, and then left Paris altogether,leaving for Spain.
After that, Marie Duplessis, whose photo can now be seen on the cover of the book "The Lady of the Camellias", plunged even deeper into the abyss of pleasure. In fact, she could very well “tie up” with the profession and remain with only one fan who showered her with money - Stackelberg. Moreover, the latter needed only tenderness and attention - the count stepped over the eighth decade. But the courtesan no longer saw the point in changing her usual way of life. So the girl could more fully spend the few months measured to her, because she was diagnosed with consumption, which was incurable at that time.
Latest Hobbies
Before her death, Marie Duplessis, whose lifestyle discussion was then the main topic in many French salons, had two novels - with Edouard de Perrego and Franz Liszt. Some people who confuse the courtesan with Fanny Lear, mentioned at the beginning of the article, mistakenly attribute to her another affair - with the emperor's son Nikolai Konstantinovich. In fact, Marie Duplessis and Prince Romanov never met.
The last two hobbies of the courtesan ended unsuccessfully. With Edouard de Perrego, it came to marriage. But soon Marie found out about its illegality in France. Duplessis considered this a mockery and parted ways with the Count. And Franz Liszt left the courtesan immediately after completing his tour in the capital.
Death
Marie Duplessis, whose biography was presented above, died in Paris in 1847. In recent months, the girl lived in poverty. Also herpursued by creditors. And numerous lovers left the once brightest courtesan of the capital. And who needs a consumptive and dying girl? But such a person has been found. It was her "husband" Edouard de Perrego. He begged Marie for forgiveness and a meeting. But Duplessis did not agree. The most desirable courtesan in Paris died in the arms of a maid. Only two people came to the girl's funeral: Eduard de Perrego, who bought a place in the cemetery, and Count Stackelberg, who settled with creditors.
The news of the death of a former lover found Dumas Jr. in Spain. Arriving in Paris, he immediately went to the grave of Marie Duplessis. “The Lady of the Camellias” is exactly the novel that a shocked young man wrote “on fresh footsteps”. The work turned out to be lyrical and expressing sympathy for fallen women. There was also a noble hero who had nothing to do with Dumas the son. There was also great love, sacrificial, romantic, the kind that Duplessis had always dreamed of. But, unfortunately, she did not wait for her. The tragic life of the "lady of the camellias" has become an ordinary love story with sentiment and tears. Although … Alfonsine, who took the name Marie Duplessis, would certainly have liked the novel.
