Scaramouche
Idealism can be transferred from one person to another on a vehicle called revenge. [from Wikipedia: Scaramouche tells the story of a young lawyer during the French Revolution. In the course of his adventures he becomes an actor portraying "Scaramouche" (a roguish buffoon character in the commedia dell'arte). He also becomes a revolutionary, politician, and fencing-master, confounding his enemies with his powerful orations and swordsmanship. He is forced by circumstances to change sides several times. The book also depicts his transformation from cynic to idealist.]
Themes & atmosphere
What you might want to know about Scaramouche
The questions readers send us most often, answered without spoilers.
On the eve of the French Revolution, idealistic young Andre-Louis Moreau watches his best friend killed in a rigged duel by a marquis. He turns actor, then duelist, and rises through the chaos to take revenge.
Scaramouche was written by Rafael Sabatini and published in 1921. Sabatini also wrote Captain Blood. Both are classic swashbucklers and helped define the modern adventure novel.
Yes. Scaramouche was published in 1921 and is in the public domain in the United States. Free editions are available legally through Project Gutenberg.
Scaramouche is 394 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, Scaramouche takes most readers 6 to 9 hours to finish.
Scaramouche is a standalone novel by Rafael Sabatini, not part of a series.
Scaramouche is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.