The Lady of the Camellias

Roles

• Marguerite
• Gautier
• Armand
• Duval

About this piece

Armand Duval meets Marguerite Gautier

Summary

Set in Paris in the mid 1800s, the play is about the tragic love story between Marguerite Gautier, a free-spirited, emotionally detached courtesan, and Armand Duval, a young man who is obsessed by her but not rich enough to maintain her extravagant lifestyle. The story follows them as Marguerite eventually gives up her lifestyle and her many wealthy clients to live with Armand. Armand is not able to handle the situation as he is constantly judged for his choice and he is also not able to support her. His father begs her to leave him and she does and goes back to her old ways. They meet years later and are reunited but she abandons him again to keep her promise to his dad. Armand humiliates her in public and Marguerite is eventually abandoned by her friends, loses her money and dies of tuberculosis. This scene is the first of the play. We are at Marguerite's place where some friends are visiting her. Among them is Armand Duval, her admirer. After dancing, Marguerite is short of breath and rests. Armand Duval approaches her..

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