The Scarlet Pimpernel

• Genre: Fiction; historical romantic adventure
• Originally Published: 1905
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 1140L; college/adult
• Structure/Length: 31 chapters; approx. 250 pages; approx. 8 hours, 19 minutes on audio
• Protagonist and Central Conflict: The Scarlet Pimpernel is an elusive hero, the daring and cunning rescuer of nobles in 1792 revolutionary France. Marguerite St Just, pro-revolutionary and recently wed to English aristocrat Sir Percy Blakeney, discovers that her husband is the Scarlet Pimpernel in disguise.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Potential antisemitic depiction and treatment of a Jewish character; violence

Baroness Emma Orczy, Author

• Bio: 1865-1947; born in Hungary but fled with family during the Hungarian revolution in 1868; studied art in London and showed work at the Royal Academy; began writing stories and novels to ease financial burdens for herself and her husband; she and her husband worked together on a dramatized version of the story of the Scarlet Pimpernel, which was successful in London; met with great popular success with the publication of the novel version of The Scarlet Pimpernel; went on to write sequels to the story as well as dozens of other novels
• Other Works: The Emperor’s Candlesticks (1899); In Mary’s Reign (1901); The Elusive Pimpernel (1908); The Honourable Jim (1924); The Uncrowned King (1935)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit: