Man of Honor

On 22 December 1873, “A Man of Honor” opened at Wallack’s Theatre in New York City. The five-act play was an acknowledged rewriting of “Le Fils Naturel,” written fifteen years earlier by Alexandre Dumas fils, although Boucicault defended his actions in an article published after the premiere in the Detroit Tribune. “I happen to be the only dramatist living,” he boasted, “capable of writing legitimate comedies.” He then added, “it was clear one man could not supply the whole world single-handed. In such a task some assistance is needed. So I brought in two of the most distinguished dramatists of France to help me…not furtively, but openly.” Despite all his bluster, “A Man of Honor” was a failure, and, although it packed the house on opening night and received some lukewarm reviews, it only remained on the boards until 17 January 1874.

USF Special Collections is home to the only known copy of “A Man of Honor,” a handwritten manuscript in five parts with occasional emendations by Boucicault throughout. There are several blank spaces in Act V that have been reproduced in the transcript; these are likely caused by the copyist not being able to read Boucicault’s often opaque handwriting. Further, we have had to make some educated guesses as to Boucicault’s wording at the end of Act V. As such, researchers should consult the manuscript copy as well as the transcript where required.