In the Count of Monte Cristo Who Took Villefort's Baby

The Count of Monte Cristo (French: Le Comte de Monte-Cristo) is an adventure novel by Alexandre Dumas, père. It is oft considered, along with The Three Musketeers, as Dumas' most popular work. The writing of the work was completed in 1844. Similar many of his novels, it is expanded from the plot outlines suggested by his collaborating ghostwriter Auguste Maquet.

The story takes identify in France, Italian republic, and islands in the Mediterranean during the historical events of 1815–1838 (from just before the Hundred Days through the reign of Louis-Philippe of French republic). It is primarily concerned with themes of justice, vengeance, mercy, and forgiveness, and is told in the manner of an adventure story.

Dumas got the idea for The Count of Monte Cristo from a true story, which he found in a memoir written by a man named Jacques Peuchet. Peuchet related the story of a shoemaker named Pierre Picaud, who was living in Paris in 1807. Picaud was engaged to marry a rich woman, but four jealous friends falsely defendant him of being a spy for England. He was imprisoned for seven years. During his imprisonment a dying boyfriend prisoner bequeathed him a treasure hidden in Milan. When Picaud was released in 1814, he took possession of the treasure, returned under another name to Paris and spent 10 years plotting his successful revenge against his onetime friends.

1 Plot summary
- 1.1 Escape to riches
- i.2 Revenge
- 1.three Redemption
2 Characters
- 2.1 Edmond Dantès and his aliases
- ii.2 Dantès' allies
- 2.3 Morcerf family
- 2.4 Danglars family
- 2.5 Villefort family unit
- 2.6 Other of import characters
3 Commentary and Analysis
- 3.1 Edmund & Mercedes
- 3.2 Edmund & Haydee
- 3.3 Vampa
- 3.4 Caderousse
- 3.5 Morrel
- 3.6 Bertuccio
4 Character of Life in the story
5 Online edition

Plot summary

Edmond Dantès, a 19-twelvemonth-sometime sailor aboard the ship Pharaon, returns abode to Marseille. He is excited to be reunited with his family and friends, and eager to ally his fiancée, the Catalan beauty Mercédès. He is likewise proud of his recent promotion to helm. At the aforementioned time, he is saddened by the recent decease of his friend Captain Leclère, his predecessor.

Captain Leclére, a supporter of the now exiled Napoléon, had charged Dantès on his deathbed to deliver a package to erstwhile Grand Marshal Maréchal Bertrand, who had been exiled to the isle of Elba. During the Pharaon's terminate at Elba, Dantès spoke to Napoléon himself, who asked the sailor to evangelize a confidential letter to a man in Paris.

Edmond'southward good fortune inspires jealousy in those close to him. His promotion to captain offends the ship'south purser, Danglars; his windfall stuns his neighbor, the impoverished tailor Caderousse; his relationship with Mercédès inspires the jealousy of her cousin Fernand Mondego, who wants Mercédès for his ain. Danglars writes an anonymous letter to the crown prosecutor accusing Dantès of being a Bonapartist, that is, a traitor to the Royalists who are in ability. Inflaming his jealousy, he instigates Fernand to send the letter, while Caderousse looks on in a drunken stupor.

Villefort, the deputy crown prosecutor in Marseille, assumes the duty of investigating the affair on Dantès' wedding day and on the day of his ain betrothal to Renee de Saint-Meran; he indeed finds an incriminating letter. Dantès knows nil of its contents, only that he was asked to evangelize it. Although at first sympathetic to Dantès' case, when Villefort questions Dantès equally to where and to whom the letter was to be delivered, he discovers to his horror that it is addressed to his own male parent, Noirtier de Villefort.

Due to the political climate created by the restoration of King Louis XVIII, Villefort wants to altitude himself from his Bonapartist father. The deputy crown prosecutor burns the letter, which has the potential to fatally hinder his success. Although Villefort would rather not imprison an innocent man, he ultimately chooses to relieve his political career rather than properly exercise justice and condemns Dantès to life imprisonment in the isle prison of the Château d'If, using his knowledge of the letter of the alphabet's contents to accelerate himself and his career at the courtroom of Louis XVIII.

Escape to riches

While in prison house, Dantès slowly sinks into despair and finally looks to God for salvation. After years of alone solitude in a small, fetid dungeon, Dantès loses all hope and contemplates suicide by ways of starving himself. His will to live is restored, however, by faint sounds of earthworks. Dantès soon begins his own tunnel to reach that of his swain prisoner, the Abbé Faria, an Italian priest whose escape tunnel has strayed in the incorrect management. The two prisoners eventually connect and quickly become inseparable friends.

The old man, a gifted scholar as well equally a priest, provides Edmond with a comprehensive educational activity in subjects including languages, history, economics, philosophy, and mathematics. Edmond also learns the manners of polite society, growing in conviction and sophistication. Aside from the lessons, the 2 discuss Edmond's betrayal and piece together the events that placed the boyfriend in his fell predicament.

Both men proceed to work assiduously on their tunnel, merely the elderly and infirm Faria does not survive to encounter its completion. Knowing that he would soon dice, Faria confides in Dantès the location of a great enshroud of treasure on the Italian islet of Monte Cristo.

After his mentor dies, Dantès uses the opportunity to escape. He moves Faria's body into his own jail cell and and then slips into Faria'southward trunk bag. To Dantès surprise, instead of conveying him to the burying ground, equally he had expected, the prison guards attach a cannonball to Edmond's anxiety and throw him into the sea. Edmond plummets, fearfully, from the cliff side, crashing into the cold Mediterranean Bounding main.

Remarkably, and with the help of a crewman'due south grooming, Dantès frees himself and swims toward a nearby isle. A great tempest rages, and Edmond is nearly drowned. The adjacent day, Edmond discovers a shipwreck from the previous evening'due south storm. Cleverly, Dantès flags downward a passing ship and pretends to be its sole survivor. He boards the new vessel and quickly realizes that his comrades are actually a grouping of smugglers. Subsequently months of gaining their trust and respect, Edmond suggests the island of Monte Cristo as an ideal location to trade smuggled goods. Once on the islet, Edmond feigns an injury, asking to exist left backside until the crew tin can render to choice him up. Although reluctant to get out Edmond, the crew departs. Dantès, alone on the island, is gratis to search for his hidden treasure.

Edmond'south sufferings have had a profound effect on him and fifty-fifty changed his concrete appearance--to the extent that fifty-fifty his closest friends and former associates would not recognize him. Intellectually, his studies with the Abbé give him a much greater depth and breadth of knowledge, and his wealth grants him access to the highest levels of society. Perhaps the greatest alter to Dantès is psychological. His betrayal by men whom he had trusted removes the naiveté of his idealistic youth and replaces it with the pessimism of biting experience.

Revenge

10 years after his return to Marseilles, Dantès puts into action his plan for revenge. He reinvents himself as the Count of Monte Cristo, a mysterious, fabulously rich aristocrat. He surfaces starting time in Rome, where he becomes acquainted with Franz d'Epinay, a young aristocrat, and Albert de Morcerf, Mercédès'south and Mondego's son. He subsequently moves to Paris, where he becomes the sensation of the metropolis. Due to his knowledge and rhetorical power, fifty-fifty his enemies find him mannerly, and considering of his status, they all desire to exist his friend.

Traveling in disguise under the allonym of the Abbe Busoni, Monte Cristo offset meets Caderousse, now living in poverty, supposedly being punished by God for his jealousy and cowardice in not acting to salve Dantès. Playing on Caderousse's greed, Monte Cristo learns well-nigh what has happened since his arrest, and how his other enemies take all go wealthy and prosperous. Since Caderousse has already been punished to some extent, Monte Cristo gives him a diamond that tin be either a chance to redeem himself, or a trap that volition lead his greed to ruin him. Caderousse's greed leads him into murder, until Monte Cristo frees him and gives him another gamble at redemption. He does not take it, and becomes a career criminal. Caderousse's greed is the death of him when he is murdered by a amalgamated - actually the illegitimate son of Villefort (encounter below) - while trying to rob Monte Cristo's house.

Monte Cristo then meets Danglars, who has get a broker. Monte Cristo dazzles him with his seemingly endless wealth, eventually persuades him to extend him vi,000,000 francs credit, and withdraws ix hundred thousand. Under the terms of the arrangement, Monte Cristo tin can demand access to the remainder of the 6 million francs (5,100,000 francs) at whatever fourth dimension. The Count manipulates the bond market and quickly destroys a large portion of Danglars' fortune. Afterwards a few months, all Danglars is left with is a good reputation and five million francs he is well-nigh to repay to a hospital. The Count asks for the five 1000000 to fulfill their credit agreement. Danglars' reputation is ruined. He must either default to the Count or default to the hospital. He chooses the latter, giving the Count the v million francs in exchange for a note for 5,000,000 francs. Danglars flees to Rome to redeem the note for greenbacks and alive in bearding prosperity. Simply he is intercepted by the Count's agent, the historic bandit Luigi Vampa, and starved into giving upwardly all but l,000 francs. Dantès confronts Danglars, leaving him shattered but alive.

Monte Cristo owns an Albanian slave, Haydée. Her noble begetter, Ali Pasha, the ruler of Janina, had implicitly trusted Fernand, simply to be betrayed by him in a war. Later his death, she and her mother were sold into slavery. The Count manipulates Danglars into researching the event, which is published in a newspaper. Every bit a result, Fernand is brought to trial for his crimes. Haydée testifies against him, and Fernand is disgraced.

Mercédès had married Fernand and borne him a son, Albert. She alone recognizes Monte Cristo. When Albert blames Monte Cristo for his father's downfall and publicly challenges him to a duel, she goes secretly to Monte Cristo and begs him to spare her son. During this interview, she learns the entire truth nigh why Edmond Dantès had been arrested and imprisoned, and later to save both Monte Cristo and Albert reveals the truth to Albert, which causes Albert to make a public apology to Monte Cristo. Albert and Mercédès disown Fernand, who after commits suicide. The mother and son depart to build a new life free of disgrace, he to Africa as a soldier to rebuild his life and honor under a new family name Herrera given to him by his mother, and she to a solitary life back in Marseilles.

Last to feel Monte Cristo'southward vengeance is Villefort. Villefort'southward family unit is divided. Valentine, his daughter by his kickoff married woman, stands to inherit the entire fortune of her grandfather and of her mother's parents (the Saint-Mérans), while his second wife, Héloïse, seeks the fortune for her small son Edward. Monte Cristo is aware of Héloïse's intentions, and "innocently" introduces her to the technique of poison. Héloïse fatally poisons the Saint-Mérans, so that Valentine gets their inheritance. And so she attempts to murder Valentine'due south grandfather, Nortier, only his retainer accidentally drinks the poisonous draught and dies. Nortier is coincidentally saved from a second attempt when he disinherits Valentine every bit a ploy to stop Villefort from forcing Valentine to marry Franz d'Epinay. Héloïse then targets Valentine, so that Edward would go her fortune.

Meanwhile, Monte Cristo haunts Villefort with his past thing with Danglars' wife and the son they had. Years before, Mme. Danglars bore a child by Villefort, at a house in Auteuil. Villefort had buried the kid, thinking it was stillborn. However, the male child was rescued from his grave and raised by Bertuccio, an enemy of Villefort who attempted to impale the judge on the night of his child'due south birth. Monte Cristo, whom Bertuccio now serves as a paid servant and who at present owns the house in Auteuil, is able to apply them confronting Villefort. As a grown man, the son enters Paris in disguise equally Prince Andrea Cavalcanti (sponsored past the Count) and cons Danglers into betrothing his daughter. Caderousse blackmails Andrea, threatening to reveal his past, and Andrea murders Caderousse. Andrea is arrested and nigh to be prosecuted by Villefort.

After Monte Cristo learns that his sometime friend Morrel'southward son is in love with Valentine, he saves her by making it announced equally though Héloïse's plan to poison Valentine has succeeded and that Valentine is expressionless (although actually in a drugged slumber caused by a mixture of hashish and opium prepared by Monte Cristo). Villefort learns from Noirtier that Héloïse is a murderer. Villefort confronts Héloïse, giving her the option of a public execution or committing suicide by poisonous substance. And then he goes off to Andrea'south trial. There, Andrea reveals that he is Villefort'southward son, and rescued after Villefort buried him alive. Villefort admits his guilt and flees the courtroom. He feels he is as guilty as his wife, and rushes home to stop her suicide. He finds she has poisoned herself and "taken her son with her." Dantès confronts Villefort. Villefort shows Dantès his dead married woman and son, and becomes insane. Dantès tries to resuscitate Edward, fails, and is remorseful that his revenge has gone too far.

Redemption

Matters, however, are more complicated than Dantès had predictable. His efforts to destroy his enemies and reward the few who had stood by him become horribly intertwined. This trouble reaches its zenith when Edmond learns that Maximilien Morrel, the son of 1 of his steadfast friends, is in beloved with Valentine de Villefort, and soon thereafter that the child Edward de Villefort has been poisoned past his mother. These tragic complications, especially the latter, cause Dantès to question his role as an amanuensis of a vengeful God. This temporarily deters him from his course of action. During this period of uncertainty, he questions himself and subsequently a visit to the Château d'If he finds the answer. The guide of the quondam prison, grateful for the generous gift from the Count after providing a tour, gives him the old Abbe's memoirs. Dantès comes to terms with his own humanity and is finally able to forgive both his enemies and himself. It is only when he is sure that his cause is but and his conscience is clear, that he can fulfill his plan.

Maximilien Morrel is distraught considering he believes his true honey, Valentine, to be expressionless. He contemplates suicide after witnessing her funeral. Monte Cristo reveals himself to exist the person who rescued Mr. Morrel from suicide years earlier. Maximilien is grateful and is persuaded by Monte Cristo to delay his suicide for a month. A calendar month later, on the isle of Monte Cristo, the count presents Valentine to Maximilien and reveals that he saved her from the poisonous substance endeavor. Monte Cristo then leaves the island and sends his friend Jacobo to deliver a letter to them which reveals that he has ancestral much of his treasure to Maximilien. Haydée offers Edmond a new beloved and life. The two leave together, seemingly to begin afresh.

Source:Wikipedia

Characters

There are a large number of characters in this book, and the importance of many of the characters is not immediately obvious. Furthermore, the characters' fates are often then interwoven that their stories overlap significantly.

Edmond Dantès and his aliases

Edmond Dantès — Dantès is ruggedly handsome and initially an experienced, generally well-liked sailor who seems to have everything going for him, including a beautiful fiancée (Mercédès) and an impending promotion to send'due south captain. After transforming into the Count of Monte Cristo, his original name is only revealed to each of his main enemies equally each revenge is completed, often driving his already weakened victims into despair.

Number 34 — When a new governor arrives at the Château d'If early in Dantès'due south, he does not feel it worth his fourth dimension to learn the names of all the prisoners, instead choosing to refer to them by the numbers of their cells. Thus, Dantès is called Number 34 during his imprisonment.

Count of Monte Cristo — The persona that Edmond assumes when he escapes from his incarceration and while he carries out his dreadful vengeance. This persona is marked past a pale countenance and a smile which can be diabolical or angelic. Educated and mysterious, this alias is trusted in Paris and fascinates the people.

Lord Wilmore — The English persona in which Dantès performs seemingly random acts of generosity. The Englishman is eccentric and refuses to speak French. This eccentric human, in his kindness, is about the opposite of the Count of Monte Cristo and appropriately the 2 are supposed to be enemies.

Sinbad the Sailor — The persona that Edmond assumes when he saves the Morel family. Edmond signs a letter to Mme Julie using this persona, which was accompanied by a big diamond and a red satin purse. (Sinbad the sailor is the mutual English translation of the original French Simbad le marin.)

Abbé Busoni — The persona that Edmond puts forth when he needs deep trust from others because the name itself demands respect via religious authority.

Dantès' allies

Abbé Faria — Italian priest and sage; befriends Edmond while both are prisoners in the Château d'If, and reveals the secret of the island of Monte Cristo to Edmond. Becomes the surrogate father of Edmond, while imprisoned, digging a tunnel to liberty he educates Edmond in languages, and all the current sciences (including chemical science which comes to his aid greatly during his revenge plan) and is the figurative male parent of the Count of Monte Cristo. He dies from his third attack from a disease.

Bertuccio — The Count of Monte Cristo's steward and very loyal servant; in the Count's own words, Bertuccio "knows no impossibility" and is certain of never being dismissed from the Count's service because, as the count states, the count will "never find anyone meliorate." He had declared vendetta confronting Monsieur de Villefort, for refusal to avenge Bertuccio'southward blood brother's murder. Before ever coming together Edmond, he stabs Villefort, believing him to exist expressionless, but becomes involved in Villefort's personal life past rescuing his illegitimate newborn, subsequently named Benedetto by Bertuccio.

Luigi Vampa — Italian brigand and avoiding; owes much to the Count of Monte Cristo, and is instrumental in many of the Count'southward plans.

Haydée — The daughter of Ali Pasha is eventually bought by the Count of Monte Cristo from a Sultan. Even though she was purchased every bit a slave, Monte Cristo treats her with the utmost respect. She lives in seclusion past her ain choice, but is usually very aware of everything that is happening outside. She unremarkably goes to local operas accompanied by the Count. At the trial of Fernand Mondego, she provides the key testify required to convict Fernand of treason. She is deeply in beloved with the Count of Monte Cristo, and although he feels he is too old for her, he eventually reciprocates.

Ali — Monte Cristo'south Nubian slave, a mute (his natural language had been cutting out as role of his punishment for intruding into the harem of the Bey of Tunis; his hand and head had besides been scheduled to exist cut off, but the count bargained with the Bey for Ali'southward life). He is completely loyal and utterly devoted to the count and is trusted by him completely. Ali is also a main of horses.

Baptistin — Monte Cristo'due south valet-de-chambre. Although only in Monte Cristo'due south service for little more than than a year, he has become the number three human in the Count's household and seems to have proven himself completely trustworthy and loyal.

Morcerf family unit

Mercédès Mondego — (née: Herrera) The fiancée of Edmond Dantès at the beginning of the story, she marries Fernand Mondego while Dantès is imprisoned. It must be noted this is not out of her dearest for Fernand, only for her desire to accept companionship. So, Dantès actually remains her true love. Later on marrying Mondego she is presumably rejected by Dantès. This complicates matters as her honey for him is evident. Simply, at the end of the story, Dantès comes to realize that it is Haydée he loves. He has a respect for Mercédès, but leaves her to live her life in Marseille, where he bought the house in which he lived every bit a beau.

Fernand Mondego — Afterwards known equally the Count de Morcerf. He is too in love with Mercédès and will practise annihilation to become her. He is overall a representation of evil, as he lies and betrays throughout his life for his ain personal gain. Merely, when confronted by his nefarious acts, disgraced in public and abandoned by his wife and son, he commits suicide.

Albert de Morcerf — Son of Mercédès and the Count de Morcerf. Befriends Monte Cristo in Rome; viewed by Monte Cristo every bit the son that should take been his with Mercédès. At the end, he realizes his father's faults and, along with his mother, Mercédès, abandons him and his name.

Danglars family

Businesswoman Danglars — Initially the purser on the same send on which Dantès served equally get-go mate, he longs to exist wealthy and powerful and becomes jealous of Dantès for his favor with Pierre Morrel. He too developed a grudge confronting Dantès who, having Morrel'south trust, told the shipowner about Danglars' dishonest accounting. The source of his wealth is non clear only is possibly due to unscrupulous financial dealings. His intelligence is only axiomatic where money is concerned; otherwise he is a member of the nouveau riche with simply superficial expert gustatory modality (he cannot fifty-fifty tell the difference between original paintings and copies) and no true family feelings.

Madame Danglars — Was independently wealthy before marrying Danglars. With assist from her close friend (and presumed lover) Lucien Debray, Madame Danglars invests the money of Danglars and is able to amass over a million francs for her own disposal.

Eugénie Danglars — The daughter of Danglars engaged to Albert de Morcerf but who would rather stay unwed. She is presented as a lesbian, and the connotations at this and her running abroad with another daughter were considered scandalous.

Villefort family

Gérard de Villefort — A royal prosecutor who has even denounced his own father (Noirtier) in order to protect his own career. He is responsible for imprisoning Edmond Dantès to save his aspirations for his career.

Valentine de Villefort — The daughter of Gérard de Villefort, the crown prosecutor and enemy of Edmond. She falls in dear with Maximilien Morrel, is engaged to Baron Franz d'Epinay, is nigh poisoned past her stepmother, saved once past her grandfather, Noirtier, and is finally saved by Dantès. Valentine is the quintessential (French, nineteenth century) female person: beautiful, docile, and loving. The just person she feels that she can confide in is her invalid grandfather.

Noirtier de Villefort — The male parent of Gérard de Villefort and grandfather of Valentine. After suffering an apoplectic stroke, Noirtier becomes mute and a quadriplegic, only can communicate with Valentine and his servant Barrois through use of his eyelids and eyes. Although utterly dependent on others, he saves Valentine from the poisonous substance of her stepmother and her undesired marriage to Baron Franz d'Epinay. Throughout his life he was a Bonapartist – an agog French Revolutionary. Gérard de Villefort had realized that Edmond intended to fulfill his dying helm's last wish by conveying a letter from the imprisoned Napoleon to Noirtier, and therefore imprisoned Edmond in club to hide that fact, which might have hindered Gérard's advancement.

Héloïse de Villefort — The murderous 2d wife of Villefort who is motivated to protect and nurture her only son and his inheritance.

Édouard de Villefort — The simply (legitimate) son of Villefort who is unfortunately swept upwardly in his female parent's greed. (His name is sometimes translated as Edward de Villefort.)

Benedetto — Illegitimate son of de Villefort and Hermine de Nargonne (now Baroness Hermine Danglars); raised by Bertuccio (Monte Cristo's servant) and his sis-in-police force, Assunta. Murderer and thief. Returns to Paris as Andrea Cavalcanti.

Other of import characters

Gaspard Caderousse — A tailor and originally a neighbor and friend of Dantès, he witnesses while drunk the writing by Danglars of the denunciation of Dantès. After Dantès is arrested, he is too cowardly to come forwards with the truth. Caderousse is somewhat unlike from the other members of the conspiracy in that information technology is what he does not do, rather than what he actually plans, that leads to Dantès' arrest. He moves out of boondocks, becomes an innkeeper, falls on difficult times, and supplements his income by fencing stolen goods from Bertuccio. After his escape from prison, Dantès (and the reader) first hear the fates of many of the characters from Caderousse. Unlike the other members of the conspiracy, Monte Cristo offers Caderousse a chance to redeem himself, simply the latter's greed proves his undoing.

Pierre Morrel — Edmond Dante's patron and possessor of the major Marseille shipping house of Morrell & Son. While a very honest and shrewd businessman, he is very fond of Edmond and eager to accelerate his interests. After Edmond is arrested, he tries his hardest to help Edmond and is hopeful of Edmond'south release when Napoleon is restored to power, merely considering of his sympathies for the Bonapartist cause is forced to back down and abandon all hope afterward the Hundred Days and second Restoration of the monarchy. Between 1825 and 1830, his firm undergoes critical financial reverses due to the loss of all of his ships at sea, and he is at the point of bankruptcy and suicide when Monte Cristo (in the guise of an English language clerk from the fiscal firm of Thompson and French) sets events in move which not only save Pierre Morrel's reputation and honor but too his life.

Maximilien Morrel — He is the son of Edmond's employer, Pierre Morrel, a helm in the Spahi regiment of the Ground forces stationed in Algiers and an Officeholder of the Legion of Honor. Subsequently Edmond'due south escape and the Count of Monte Cristo'due south debut in Paris, Maximilien becomes a very adept friend to the Count of Monte Cristo, all the same still manages to strength the Count to change many of his plans, partly by falling in dearest with Valentine de Villefort.

Julie Herbault — Daughter of Edmond's patron, Pierre Morrel, she marries Emmanuel Herbault.

Emmanuel Herbault — Julie Herbault'due south husband; he had previously worked in Pierre Morrell's aircraft firm and is the blood brother-in-law of Maximilien Morrel and son-in-law of Pierre Morrel.

Louis Dantes — Edmond's father. Died curt time after Edmond'southward imprisonment, in a sort of hunger strike masked as a diet.

Baron Franz d'Epinay — A friend of Albert de Morcerf, he is the first fiancé of Valentine de Villefort. Franz's begetter was killed in a duel by Monsieur Noirtier de Villefort.

Lucien Debray — Secretary to the Government minister of the Interior. A friend of Albert de Morcerf, and a close friend of Madame Danglars, to whom he funnels insider data regarding investments.

Beauchamp — A leading announcer and friend of Albert de Morcerf.

Le Baron de Château-Renaud — Another friend of Albert de Morcerf. Renaud's life was saved in Africa by Maximilien Morrel.

Commentary and Analysis

Captain Le Clerc develops encephalon fever while arranging to evangelize the letter to Napoleon and dies presently after. Information technology indicates the dangerous intensity continued with the mission which results in Dante's imprisonment. Dantes is overjoyed at the proficient fortune issuing from Le Clerc's expiry – his joy is premature and unwise and later frustrated.

Danglars, Caderousse and Fernand are overtly and explicitly jealous of Dantes and resentful of his happiness and prosperity. This atmosphere around him, unwilling to support his joy, brings him misery instead. Dantes clearly feels Caderousse's hostility backside his dissimulating friendship. Although Caderousse tries to dissuade Danglars and Fernand from their plot confronting Dantes, in fact he is the i who brings them together and feels an intense jealousy because Dantes is rising in life. His inner feeling is equally evil equally theirs, though his outer activity is apparently positive. Caderousse loses his first married woman and he ends up marrying a devil every bit Villefort does. Likewise, Villefort has non just sacrificed Dantes to protect his father, Noirtier. He could have only burned the letter and cautioned Dantes to silence for that. He has sacrificed Dantes to his appetite for the male monarch's attending. Caderousse'south outer beliefs is ane of goodwill and friendship for Dantes but conceals envy and ill-will. Therefore, though Dantes outwardly helps him past giving the jewel, the result is Caderousse'due south downfall. Dantes invites Caderousse, Danglers and Fernand to his betrothal despite their ill will. He sits Danglers on his left. Mercedes sits Fernand on hers. Their ill will destroys the occasion.

Mercedes was a Catalan and an orphan. By custom the Catalans do not intermarry with the population of Marseille. Fernand calls information technology a sacred law. Being an orphan, Mercedes' need for physical companionship and security is far greater than normal. That need attracts Fernand despite her mental purity to Edmund. Fernand reminds Mercedes that his love of her had Mercedes' mothers' sanction. They are cousins. Mercedes' mother died a year ago when she was sixteen, leaving a small inheritance of a hut. Mercedes and Edmund disapproved of beingness called Madame and Captain Dantes by their evil wishers, since to be called by a title before it is attained is an evil omen. Mercedes is beautiful, but not capable of true loyalty while Edmund is essentially loyal; therefore their marriage was cleaved. Mercedes who betrayed her adjuration never to marry any man just Edmund, is married to Fernand who betrays his oath of loyalty to Napolean (deserting to England during the 100 days) and Ali Pasha.

The betrothal party for Edmund and Mercedes occurs the very same night as the betrothal party for Villefort and Renee. Edmund loses his bride to his enemy, Villefort loses his married woman to an early on death and ends up marrying a devil. Renee's female parent, the Marquise, urges Villefort to prosecute and punish without mercy any Bonapartist. Her instinctive response to Dante'southward arrest is negative, whereas her daughter regards the news as a bad omen for their marriage (which information technology is since she dies within ten years) and pleads for mercy. The Marquise is poisoned by Madame Villefort; Renee's daughter Valentine is spared. Because Renee pleads mercy for Dantes without even knowing him, xx years later Dantes saves Renee's girl Valentine from poisoning past her stepmother.

Edmund had smuggled a minor chest of coffee and tobacco on the ship for his male parent. A small illegal human activity on his part is sanction for legal action against him. Like Othello, Edmund achieves a height of joy which becomes unbearable and unsustainable and calls into play the other side of his nature. In Othello'south case it is the impure vital depths that rise in jealousy. In Edmund the inner content is pure and skilful (eastward.yard.: he first seeks his father, but then Mercedes), just the outer nature is naïve and unsuspecting. He lacks the wisdom and alertness to protect himself, his woman, and his position from attack. The years in prison impart that mental capacity which he lacked every bit a youth. At the age of 20, Edmund who was good, honest and noble, lacked the cognition of man nature, alacrity, sagacity, and cunningness necessary to marry a beautiful woman and assume a captaincy, both coveted by others with less scruples than him. His arrest and imprisonment are a direct consequence of this weakness in his grapheme.

Morrel's principal business organisation on the inflow of his ship is for his cargo, only secondarily for the dead Le Clerc. Years later on when the same ship is sunk, his concern is for the crew rather than the ship, though its loss means his sure ruin. His years of crises have brought out his goodness, while Caderousse'south years of suffering brought out his evil. (A human being who is more than concerned with his cargo than with his crew is one who will lose cargo). When Dantes escapes and returns xx years subsequently, Morrel loses the Pharaon which Dantes had sailed on and becomes bankrupt. This time he is able to limited genuine business for his crew rather than his cargo and his wealth comes back to him. He has acquired real goodness. Morrel and his son both undergo prolonged suffering earlier Dantes restores practiced fortune to them (Morrel 90 days till the pro notes expire and Maximilien 30 days during which he believes Valentine dead) – this indicates their goodness was not an inherent natural possession, but something acquired. Therefore life'due south response is non immediate.

On board Dantes quarrels with Danglers and proposes they end at the isle of Monte Cristo to settle their differences, but Danglers refuses. It forebodes the importance of this isle in their later life and the greater quarrel to ensue. The death of Captain Le Clerc before he could deliver the letter to Napoleon reflected the weight of that mission. Le Clerc was not potent enough to accomplish it, Dantes was. Le Clerc paid with his life; Dantes retained his life only lost everything else – his job, his dearest, his proper noun. Dantes could not suppress his joy at Le Clerc's death which made his promotion to Captain certain. His joy brought Le Clerc'south misfortune on Dantes in a different class. His premature joy evokes a hostile reaction that deprives him of even what he had. Dantes, like Othello, was overwhelmed past the ecstatic practiced fortune that greeted his return to French republic – captaincy at the age of twenty and wedlock to a cute girl. He too could not support that meridian of joy and swiftly turned into an equal intensity of despair.

There was a close parallel betwixt Dantes and Villefort. Both were at the start of a bright career. Both met on their betrothal days. What should accept ended Villefort's career and matrimony plans he used it to fulfill his highest ambitions past simultaneously destroying Dantes' life and union. The letter Dantes received from the hands of the Emperor brought Villefort into the presence and graces of King Louis Xviii. One man'south fortune was another's disaster. What brought virtually Dantes' fall? The negative atmosphere around his life, the jealousy of Danglars for his chore and Fernand for his would-be wife (and perhaps Caderousse for his wealth). Dantes' father nearly starved for want of money during Dantes last voyage. It was an omen of things to come up, for his male parent did starve to decease. Edmund failed to meet the danger.

From the moment of his arrest until his decision to starve to death in prison several years afterwards his arrival, Dantes life was in a steep decline. Suddenly when he was nearly his very last breath, nearly dead, the pendulum began its upward swing showtime with the sound of the Abbe's digging. From then on the climb was steady – the meeting with the Abbe, friendship, conquering of knowledge, the hope of the treasure, his escape to the island, the wreck of the ship providing him wood to float on, the arrival of the smugglers' ship merely before the discovery of his escape, his acceptance and survival with the smugglers, the smugglers' plan to land at Monte Cristo, the discovery of the treasure.

Napoleon was a behemothic and an enemy of the state imprisoned on Elba. The moment Dantes lends himself to aid the Emperor he lands in prison, every bit Napoleon was. When he emerges, he also like the Emperor is a man whose ability and stature are larger than life. Dantes is charged with conspiring for Napoleon'southward return. In fact information technology is true that he did serve that purpose. The letter he delivered to the Emperor helped Napoleon gain freedom from his island prison for a hundred days. The price Dantes paid was years of imprisonment on an island similar Napoleon. Napoleon'due south letter to Noirtier never reached its destination. Information technology foreshadowed the failure of Napoleon'south return. For a few moments in his life a sailor named Dantes came face up to face with Napoleon. Dantes' afterwards life – the noesis and wealth he attained – were reminiscent of a souvenir from the Emperor who possessed both in swell measure. When Napoleon returns to power, Morrel tries to assert his ability as a Bonapartist over Villefort in gild to assistance Dantes. Only Villefort is cleverer than Morrel and matches his social assertion with a social bluff.

Jacobo is the one who pulls the drowning Dantes out of the water, saving his life, and lends him some dress. When Dantes is wounded by a customs officeholder's bullet while trading smuggled goods, Jacobo leaps to attend on him with greatest concern. Dantes tests him by offering to give half his prize money from the raid, simply Jacobo refuses information technology. He is attracted to Dantes as a superior human and natural leader. When Dantes is evidently injured on Monte Cristo, Jacobo offers to relinquish his share in the smuggling venture to remain and care for him. Dantes is struck past the loyalty and affection of the smugglers for him. Afterwards Jacobo becomes captain of Dantes gunkhole.

When Dantes is wounded, he feels the joy of strength and says "Pain, thou fine art not evil." Pain has been the teacher that gave him knowledge, force and wealth. Therefore, in trying to help others—Morrel and Maximilien, Dantes resorts to the but teacher he knows—pain. The treasure belonged to Cardinal Spada who dies of poisoning. It serves Dantes and Haydee primarily as an instrument for vengeance. After escaping from prison, Dantes in disguise as the Abbe Busoni meets Caderousse and tries to reward the outer activity by presenting Caderousse with the diamond. It brings out the evil in Caderousse and his married woman and he responds direct by murdering the jeweler. Caderousse ends up in prison and lives the rest of his life every bit a criminal. For trying to requite Caderousse what he did not deserve, Caderousse tries to have his life when he stabs Abbe Busoni during his attempted robbery of the Count's firm in Paris.

Mercedes' son Albert had an aristocratic Parisian friend, Franz, who stumbled on Monte Cristo's island while in search of hazard and was entertained by the Count in his grotto paradise. Later one nighttime in the Coliseum, Franz overheard the Count arranging with the outlaw Vampa for the release of a peasant who was sentenced for execution in Rome. A day later Franz recognized the Count in a box at the opera and learned that the Count was living on the same floor of the same hotel as he and Albert in Rome. Still later, Albert is kidnapped by Vampa. Past what mechanism of life was Albert, Fernand's son, put in intimate contact with his begetter'southward biting enemy? The link was always a smuggler or outlaw. Franz's adventure on the Isle of Monte Cristo was after warnings that it was a smuggler's haven and with the intention of dining with the smugglers on the shore to share their roast caprine animal. He dined with the Count instead, who befriended smugglers and thieves. The night he overhead the Count and Vampa at the Coliseum, it was subsequently he and Albert had been expressly warned of the danger of Vampa by their hotel patron and they chose to ignore it. Franz had been farther warned of the Count's links by the patron'south story of the Count's initial encounter with Vampa within hours before Vampa became main of the bandits. Meeting the Count and exchanging gifts with him propelled Vampa from mere shepherd to the tiptop of the criminal profession!

The Countess Chiliad'southward prescient fear of the Count and alert to Franz and Franz's own anxiety and discomfort with the Count did not forestall him and Albert from availing of the Count's hospitality. Albert was finally committed to return the Count'south kindness after the Count saved him from Vampa and got him released. The Count had innumerable links with the underworld including his rescue past the smugglers after his escape from prison and the smuggler who employed equally a steward. Every bit an outcast and escaped criminal, Dantes felt a natural affinity with criminals. The young men's thirst for adventure brought them into bear on with that world and through it with the Count. The Countess' instinctive repulsion to the Count who she feels is a Vampire is actually an unconscious attraction. In Paris she unknowingly supports the Count'due south entry in the equus caballus race which wins the loving cup and is intrigued when she finds the cup waiting for her at her dwelling house. Albert'southward search for an illicit underground love affair led him into Vampa's trap – sexual practice and law-breaking are so closely linked. From Edmund's side his very deep and intense craving to avenge the evil done to him past Albert's begetter and the others was an all-powerful force that attracted the proper circumstances for their fulfillment.

Edmund & Mercedes

Mercedes is a good girl socially. She acts out with a sense of honesty, propriety and goodwill. She seeks to be honest and off-white with her cousin Fernand, she is caring and concerned virtually Edmund's father, she is affectionate with Edmund and longs and suffers for him also every bit herself when he is imprisoned. After hearing the report of his fall into the sea, she dreams of his death every night for years and subsequently has herself painted as the Catalan girl in front of a dark hillside. Why then does such a good, loyal girl end marrying a traitor like Fernand who is capable of whatsoever betrayal? The principle is that when we live on the surface we attract to ourselves that which is similar to our own nature. Thus, a socially good Mercedes is attracted to Edmund who is psychologically good. But her social goodness cannot fulfill his psychological need. Both he and she need to evolve beyond their present attainments and neither tin be the source of that development for the other. Mercedes must outgrow the social goodness of being a beautiful, happy loyal daughter to get a psychological person. That requires separation from that which would fulfill her socially. A deeper principle is that when we are making a progress across the level of our present endowment we attract that which is necessary to complete that progress, which is very often the opposite of that which we are or possess. Mercedes marries a treacherous, unscrupulous man incapable of the psychological feelings she is trying to evolve. She develops and expresses them in her relationship with her son. Her progress is from social goodness to psychological depth through a process of estrangement, a wedlock of form that lacks inner substance, the discovery of Fernand'southward betrayal and her renunciation of the title, wealth, property and security he had given her in favor of real psychological right or goodness. The forcefulness she confesses to Edmund that she lacked at the time of his imprisonment she acquired through her life and is now able to practise to exit Fernand. Had she possessed that inner goodness and strength at the showtime, she would not have needed to undergo that separation from Edmund. On his function, Edmund too needed to make a psychological progress from surface attachment to deeper emotions. He is separated from all that he loves and cherishes, but later forges a relationship with a existent psychological personality, Haydee, a woman capable of mature, deep emotions of loyalty and devotion. Edmund is forced to give upwards the social forms of recognition, wife, and career and becomes a true psychological individual. When he makes that progress, he meets and is loved by some other psychological individual.

Edmund & Haydee

Read the inspiring example of Haydee's devotional love for Edmund

Vampa

Cucumetto, the brigand chief, had raped Rita, the lover of his gang member, Carlina. Carlina and so killed Rita to salvage her the humiliation of farther molestation past the gang. Rita's father came and learning the facts killed himself. A few days later Cucumetto shot Carlina in the back anticipating Carlina's plan for revenge. Once when Cucumetto was escaping from the soldiers he was hidden by the shepherd boy Luigi Vampa and his girlfriend Teresa. Luigi refused to plow him in despite the offering of a big reward. Luigi and Teresa are invited to their master's, Comte de San Felice, masquerade ball. For want of a quaternary appropriate lady dancing partner, Teresa is invited to fill in and a nobleman extends an dotty proposition to her. Overcome with jealousy, that dark Luigi steals the Countess' precious gown and jewels for Teresa. When he gives the dress to Teresa, the Count happens to make it asking for directions. Luigi walks off to show him the style and they commutation gifts of friendship. On his render Luigi sees Teresa being carried off by Cucumetto and he kills Cucumetto with a bullet in the back merely equally Cucumetto had killed Carlina. Luigi decides to become an outlaw and is chosen every bit chief.

Carlina had learned that resorting to force as a manner of life also exposes what is dear to him to the same strength. He and his dearest die for it, since he is not stiff plenty for revenge. His revenge is fulfilled by Vampa when Cucumetto tries to repeat the act confronting Teresa. Vampa's initial encounter with the Count has 2 firsthand results. He loses Teresa only to recover her by homicide and he becomes chief of the bandits. Again the Count is linked to bandits. Erstwhile later Vampa and 10 of his gang try to capture the Count non recognizing him, but the Count captures Luigi and his men, then lets them go in a prove of friendship. The Count is the only 1 who has defeated the outlaw Vampa. Where does his power come up from? It comes from being an outlaw himself of greater free energy and purpose; though similar Luigi essentially not evil in nature. The Count cements their relationship when he arranges for the release of Pepino, an innocent shepherd boy who helped feed Vampa's gang and was sentenced to decease for complicity with the bandits. In render Vampa becomes an unconscious aid to the Count'southward scheme for revenge when Vampa kidnaps Albert and gives the Count the opportunity to save Albert's life by request Vampa to release him, which he does. The Count'due south life is in harmony with those of other underworld characters.

Caderousse

He felt and expressed strong jealousy toward Dantes when he returns to port and is likely to exist made Helm.He was not a witting participant in Danglars' plot against Edmund. He was drunk while the scheming took place, but protested against the very proposition of implementing information technology. When he realized Danglars has acted, he is restrained by Danglars' alert that he too may be arrested forth with Dantes.While Dantes was at bounding main, Caderousse demanded the return of his loan to Edmund from Edmund's begetter who past complying deprived himself of sufficient money and well-nigh starved to death. After Dantes' imprisonment, his male parent did dice of voluntary starvation of which Caderousse was an innocent by-stander. Later Caderousse'due south business failed, he bought the Port de Gard tavern and became bankrupt. After the death of his kickoff wife, he remarried and his 2nd wife got marsh fever which made her a one-half crippled, constantly suffering termagant.

At this moment when Caderousse had fallen to the very depths and had nothing more to lose, Edmund returned bearded as the Abbe Busoni and gave him the 50,000-franc jewel in return for the information about the others which Caderousse rendered with honesty. Instead of becoming a turning point in Caderousse's life leading to recovery and happiness as it did for Morrel'due south family, the jewel evoked their greed, and led to the jeweler's murder, his married woman'southward death and Caderousse'southward confidence for life imprisonment. Later he meets Benedotte and escapes. Why did Dantes' gifts have such a different event on Caderousse and Morrel? Because Morrel was essentially positive, Caderousse essentially negative.

Morrel

Similar Caderousse, M. Morrel suffered a long down spiral of fortune after Edmund's imprisonment. He made innumerable attempts to discover Edmund's fate and get him released, just to no avail. When Edmund'due south begetter was short of funds, Morrel left a bag of aureate on his curtain. Edmund returned fourteen years after when Morrel was on the verge of defalcation. By purchasing Morrel'due south pro notes from his creditors, Edmund saved him from the humiliation of dishonoring his debts. The very moment that they met, news came that Morrel's last send, the Pharaon - Edmund'southward own – had sunk, and that Morrel was broke. Edmund gave him 3 month's extension, then canceled the notes, gave a 100,000-franc diamond to Morrel's daughter as dowry and replaced the lost Pharaon with its cargo. Morrel'due south goodness is handsomely demonstrated not merely past his concern for Edmund' father, but at his great joy on learning the coiffure of the Pharaon had been saved at the very moment he believed he was totally ruined. Until his decease Morrel constantly sought to detect the identity of his benefactor and came to suspect it was none other than Edmund. So great was his want to notice and offer gratitude, that sure knowledge of that it was Edmund came as an inspiration the moment earlier his death.

Bertuccio

He was a Corsican smuggler whose blood brother, an officer in Bonaparte'due south army, was murdered by Royalists after the second restoration. When Bertuccio applied to Villefort for legal action against the murders, he was roughly rebuffed. Bertuccio swore revenge against Villefort. Three months later Bertuccio tracked Villefort to his country house at Auteuil where Villefort had gone for a rendezvous with Hermione de Nargonne (now Madame Danglars after her offset husband had died a few months earlier) who was about to requite birth to their illegitimate kid. When the child was born, Villefort idea information technology was stillborn or smothered it (?) and buried information technology in the garden. Bertuccio stabbed him, dug upwards the box and escaped just to discover he was carrying a most dead infant. Bertuccio'south sister-in-law (brother's widow) raised the child, Benedetto, with deep affection, just when the evil boy was in his late teens he and a few friends attacked the adult female who burned to decease and they stole all Bertuccio's money and disappeared. Unknowingly she was raising the means of avenging her husband's death.

Bertuccio, a lucky smuggler, was one day well-nigh caught and narrowly escaped to the Pont De Gard tavern run by Caderousse and concealed himself in a closet under the stairway just in fourth dimension to witness to inflow of Caderousse and the jeweler who offered to buy the F-50,000 diamond given to Caderousse by the Abbe (Edmund). Bertuccio overheard Caderousse'due south story and the theft which resulted in the death of Caderousse's wife and the jeweler while Caderousse escaped. Bertuccio was arrested past the community officers who overheard the shot nearby, was imprisoned for murder and released when the Abbe came to confirm his story, then on the Abbe'southward recommendation joined up with the Count. Benedetto became a criminal, joined the same prison as Caderousse and later escaped. Caderousse too later escaped and found Benedetto at Auteuil playing the role of Andrea Cavalcanti which the Count has established for him.

Villefort punished Edmund as a Bonapartist. Villefort is nearly assassinated and his matter with Hermane and infanticide are discovered when he allows the murderer of another Bonapartist to get complimentary, thus evoking Bertuccio'due south revenge. Bertuccio, suffering from a similar offense by Villefort, is a willing and suitable instrument for Edmund's revenge. Villefort's vulnerability arises from his own violation of law and morals past his affair and attempted infanticide.

Graphic symbol of Life in the story

Napoleon'due south alphabetic character which Dantes was carrying was for Villefort'southward father, Noirtier, making it imperative for Villefort to somehow conceal the fact and resulting in Edmund's imprisonment.
Just as Edmund is well-nigh to die of self-imposed starvation, he hears the sound of Abbe Faria'due south excavations and therefore decides to alive. Knowledge, freedom and wealth follow.
Dantes is rescued from the sea after his escape from prison house by the sudden wreck of a angling boat and the passing of a smugglers' ship.
Disguised as a representative of a Roman broker, Dantes meets Morrel on the very twenty-four hours Morrel's last ship, Pharaon, is lost and Morrel is ruined. (Dantes' desire to repay Morrel's help, brings him just at the most opportune moment.)
Bertuccio swears revenge against Villefort, the aforementioned homo Dantes seeks, and discovers Villefort's secret affair and infanticide
Bertuccio, trying to escape the community agent, witnesses the murder of the jeweler and Caderousse'southward wife's death. The storm outside conspires to aid Caderousse in his plot.
The Count meets Bertuccio and learns Villefort's secret through Bertuccio's chance encounter with Caderousse and Bertuccio's arrest.
The kid Bertuccio saved, Benedetto, killed Bertuccio'south sister-in-law equally Benedetto'southward begetter, Villefort, had condoned the murder of Bertuccio's blood brother.
Bertuccio meets Caderousse in prison.
Benedetto also meets Caderousse in prison and later once more in Paris.
Franz arrives by hazard at Monte Cristo isle and meets the Count – or is information technology by the Count's contrivance?
Albert and Franz reside on the same flooring of the same hotel in Rome as the Count - again perhaps the Count'due south dodge?
Franz overhears the Count'due south give-and-take with Vampa in the coliseum.
Vampa's meeting with the Count the first fourth dimension coincides with Cuccumetto's kidnapping of Teresa and Vampa's turning bandit.
Vampa'due south kidnapping of Albert and Albert'south release past the Count may take been contrived past the Count, just if so it is Albert who responds to the lure.
The flight of Madame Danglars' railroad vehicle with Madame Villefort and Edmund within which Ali halted – the Count's contrivance surely since he returned the aforementioned horses to Madame Danglars but hours before and he had Ali waiting for them to pass by.
In the early office of his life, Edmund is subject to the whims of life – his captain's expiry, Danglars' plot, Villefort's betrayal, Abbe's earthworks. Every bit the Count he learns to drive life and makes it respond to his wishes – Bertuccio, Albert, Franz, Benedetto all aid his plots.
Maximilien overhears the doctor inform Villefort that his mother-in-law died of poisoning, (a poisonous substance given to Villefort'due south wife by the Count).
Madame Villefort, Villefort's second married woman, poisoned Marquis Madame de Saint Meran, the parents of Villefort's first married woman, with poisonous substance that Madame Villefort obtained from the Count. The St. Meran's were nowadays at Villefort'due south betrothal to Renee St Meran at the time when Edmund was arrested. The parents instinctively urged a severe punishment for the unknown suspect, while the daughter who died later bearing Valentine, pleaded for mercy. Even at her death, Madam St. Meran sided with Villefort, urged Valentine'due south firsthand marriage to Franz which opposes Valentine's and Maximilien's hopes.
The news of Marquis de St. Meran's death came at the Mercerf'due south ball at the moment that Edmund and Mercedes are talking privately for the beginning time. Their coming together signals the beginning of calamity in Villefort'southward house.

Online edition

The Count of Monte Cristo bachelor at Project Gutenberg.

You are invited to create new articles, add new sections to this article, raise questions or comments on the discussion folio or projection/portal Forum page, or send feedback by email to humansciencewiki@gmail.com

http://server3.web-stat.com/4/humanscience.gif

mcgregorexperwas.blogspot.com

Source: https://humanscience.fandom.com/wiki/Count_of_Monte_Cristo