Georges is a novel by Alexandre Dumas, père set on Isle de France, from 1810 to 1824. This novel is of particular interest to scholars because Dumas reused many of the ideas and plot devices later in The Count of Monte Cristo, and because race and racism are at the center of this novel, and this was a topic on which Dumas, despite his part-African ancestry, rarely wrote. Georges was first published in 1843. It has been republished in English as George; or, the Planter of the Isle of France. A new translation by Tina Kover, edited by Werner Sollors and with an introduction by Jamaica Kincaid, was published by Random House, Inc./Modern Library in May 2007.
Plot
The novel concerns the life of Georges, the son of a wealthy mulattoplantation owner named Pierre Munier, on Mauritius. While part-black, Georges is very light-skinned, if not white. As a child, he witnesses the British invasion of Isle de France. Because Georges' father is a mulatto, the other plantation owners refuse to let him fight alongside them. Instead, Georges' father leads the blacks and delivers a crushing blow against a British column. Refusing to acknowledge that a man of colour saved them, M. Malmédie and the other white plantation owners ignore the accomplishment. M. Malmédie's son Henri mocks Georges because of this, resulting in a fight between the two. Afterward, worried about any retaliation from M. Malmédie, Georges' father sends Georges and his older brother Jacques to Europe to be educated. In Europe, the brothers are separated when the older brother gets a job on a sailing ship. Georges becomes cultured, deeply educated, and popular in Parisian circles. Through numerous tests of will Georges overcomes his weaknesses and becomes skilled in a variety of fields, ranging from hunting to the art of seducing women. Upon his return, he finds that the plantation owners have forgotten who he is. In little time he becomes the toast of society, and a beautiful woman falls in love with him. He also discovers that his brother has become the captain of a slave-ship. However, Georges cannot tolerate the injustice of slavery, so he conspires to lead a slave revolt. When this revolt fails, he is incarcerated and condemned to death. While Georges is being brought to be executed, Jacques and his men save him, Sara, who has married Georges, and Pierre. They then sail off, pursued by the British Royal Navy. After a naval engagement the British ship is sunk and they escape.
Characters
Georges: Georges is the protagonist of the novel. He is a light-skinned mulatto who is easily mistaken as white.
Munier: The father of Georges. A wealthy mulatto plantation owner, and slave-owner.
Jacques: The older brother of Georges. He becomes a slave-trader and a pirate captain.
M. Malmédie: A jealous and racist man who despises Georges.
Henri Malmédie: A spoiled and racist young man the same age as Georges.
Sara: She is Henri Malmédie's cousin. M. Malmédie raises her to become Henri's wife. However, she falls in love with Georges, leading to conflict between the two men.
Antonio Malai: A power-hungry slave who, angry because he was not elected leader of the slave revolt, betrays the rebellion. His betrayal results in the failure of the rebellion.
Laiza: An African slave leader and a man of exemplary courage, loyalty, and honor who dies trying to protect Georges.
Miko-Miko: A Chinese merchant and friend to Georges.
