The Night of Milady's Execution
The climax of the novel occurs when the musketeers, accompanied by Lord de Winter and the executioner of Lille, condemn Milady de Winter to death for her crimes and then oversee her execution. In order to heighten the dramatic tension and sinister mood for this scene, Dumas purposefully sets this scene on a dark and stormy night in a remote and foreboding location. He describes the sounds, sights, and smells of a sinister nighttime setting in order to make it clear that the execution is being carried out in a grim and nightmarish mood. Nothing about Milady's death is peaceful or comforting; she dies in terror, and the imagery of the night on which she dies makes it clear that she is a villain who meets a horrific end.
The First Time Buckingham Sees Queen Anne
Before Buckingham returns to England early in the novel, he has a private audience with Queen Anne (where a spy, reporting to the Cardinal, is actually present). During this conversation, Buckingham professes his love for the French queen and reminisces about the first time he saw her. Buckingham provides detailed imagery about this memory, describing Anne's beauty, and the details of her attire, and the setting in which they met. This imagery is important because it reveals the depths of Buckingham's love: only a man who is truly infatuated could recall all the minute details. At the same time, the imagery also hints that Buckingham's love for Anne might be more rooted in fantasy and reality. Because her reputation is so closely guarded, he has never had the opportunity to spend meaningful time with the Queen and get to know her inner qualities. Instead, he fixates on, and romanticizes, her beauty and outward appearance.
The Homes of the Musketeers
In Chapter 7, Dumas describes the lodgings where Athos, Porthos, and Aramis each live. He uses imagery to highlight the decor and overall mood of these spaces, noting how different they each are. This imagery is significant because it is used to reveal the character and inner nature of each of the musketeers. At this point, a reader is not yet familiar with the personalities of these important characters, but getting a chance to peek into their living spaces helps to highlight what their values are. For example, Athos keeps only a few expensive possessions which highlight his attachment to his family's ancient and noble history. Aramis, on the other hand, values simplicity and austerity because of his deep religious devotion.
The Rendez-vous at St. Cloud
After the ball, D'Artagnan receives a note inviting him to what he thinks is a romantic rendez-vous with Madame Bonancieux at St. Cloud. He eagerly goes and waits outside of a small pavilion under the cover of night. Dumas uses imagery of sight, sound, and smell to capture the vivid sensory experience of D'Artagnan's anticipation. The specific and detailed imagery reveals how eager and heightened D'Artagnan is at this point. The use of imagery also allows for a rapid shift of tone and mood to be conveyed to the reader. What starts off as a scene of romantic anticipation shifts in tone as time passes, and D'Artagnan starts to become concerned that something bad might have happened to the woman he loves. The nighttime scene begins as an alluring source of secrecy for a private tryst, but it becomes sinister and oppressive as D'Artagnan starts to become alarmed.
