The Man In The Iron Mask

Late in the novel, the narrator describes Aramis as a “soldier, priest, and diplomat; gallant, greedy, and cunning; Aramis took the good things in this life as steppingstones to rise to bad ones. Generous in mind, if not noble in heart, he never did ill but for the sake of shining a little more brilliantly” (287). This description perfectly encapsulates Aramis’s character, as it balances positive traits with unsavory ones to highlight how nuanced his development is throughout the novel. Aramis’s central conflicts are internal, such as his desire for power or grief over Porthos’s death. That said, one would not be wrong to wonder how much Aramis cared for his friends. Among the descriptors the narrator gives in the above quotation, not once does it mention devotion or loyalty. Aramis strives for greatness, and he uses his friendships as the means to get there. He lies to Porthos repeatedly until he dies; he promises Philippe love and camaraderie but abandons him as soon as their plot is discovered; and his brief reunion with Athos is only brought about because Aramis needed his horses, not because he missed him and wanted to catch up. That said, his grief when Porthos dies seems genuine, but the reader may never be certain.