"when blows fell as thick as hail" (pg. 16) (Simile)
When introducing Treville's backstory and rise to power, Dumas uses this simile to describe the volatile political context of the era. For Dumas' readers, part of the novel's interest lay in the representation of another era where life was both more dangerous and more glamorous. This simile highlights how the era in which the novel is set differs from contemporary times: during the reign of Louis XIII, both physical and political conflicts happened much more regularly. By comparing "blows" to hail (a natural phenomenon), Dumas implies that during this time conflicts (even violent ones) were treated as a matter of course and something that was part of the natural order. By highlighting the regular and routine nature of violent disputes, Dumas creates a context in which the behavior of the musketeers makes much more sense, and also captures his readers' attention, drawing them deeper into the story.
"each meeting with you is a new jewel that I enshrine within the casket of my heart" (pg.119) (Metaphor)
Buckingham uses this metaphor when he is professing his love for Queen Anne, and explaining how much their infrequent meetings mean to him. Because it is rare for the two to actually be able to see each other, the meetings are very precious and treasured, which explains why Buckingham compares them to jewels. Because it is important for the relationship to stay secret, he also extends the metaphor to describe storing the jewels in a casket (a small box used to store valuable items). This aspect of the metaphor foreshadows the plot surrounding Buckingham storing the diamond studs he receives from the Queen in a casket. He will eventually make this metaphor literal in terms of treasuring a valuable and precious item, and hiding it away in order to keep it safe.
"a livid lightning flashed from her eyes" (pg. 573) (Metaphor)
This metaphor describes Milady's facial expression at the moment when she impulsively decides to poison and murder Constance. Milady had been hoping to take Constance with her when she fled the convent in order to avoid being captured by D'Artagnan and his allies. She knows that she will have a lot of power if she holds Constance hostage, but Constance becomes paralyzed by fear and is unable to leave. If Milady cannot use Constance to assert her own power, she would rather see Constance dead, since she is determined to hurt D'Artagnan as much as possible. The metaphor of lightning suggests the sudden and spontaneous nature of Milady's bloodthirsty decision, and also foreshadows the danger in which Constance is about to find herself. The comparison to a natural phenomenon also shows how innately evil Milady is: for her, the idea of killing an innocent person is as natural and ordinary as a storm breaking out in the sky.
"raging on the vessel's deck like an excited lioness" (pg. 453) (Simile)
This simile is used to describe Milady as she tries to sail from France to England. Her frustration and anger with the ship's delay leads her to behave in an animalistic way. By comparing her to a lioness, Dumas reveals that despite her outward beauty and charm, Milady is actually ruled by her instincts and impulses. She is not constrained by morality or any sense of what is right. The comparison to a lioness is also significant because lions are a species where the female is actually more deadly and more responsible for killing. Unlike the various male characters in the novel who only kill and fight in order to defend their honor or achieve specific goals, Milady is the most bloodthirsty and the most likely to kill impulsively and out of emotion. Comparing her to a lioness reveals that she is the most dangerous character in the novel.
"he shot forward to rush like an arrow between the two" (pg. 36) (Simile)
This simile is used to describe D'Artagnan trying to quickly slip past Porthos while pursuing the mysterious man from Meung, whom he has just caught sight of. The simile compares D'Artagnan to a weapon, highlighting his intention to capture and potentially harm his opponent. The simile shows that D'Artagnan is fast, stealthy, and a good fighter: he has the potential to be just as deadly as an arrow. On the other hand, the simile is also somewhat ironic in that D'Artagnan ends up getting tangled up in Porthos' cape. The man from Meung ends up escaping and will evade D'Artagnan many more times in future encounters. D'Artagnan may resemble an arrow, but he is also an arrow who misses his target.
