|
The Count of Monte Cristo is a classic adventure novel by Alexandre Dumas, père. It is often considered Dumas's best work, and is frequently included on lists of the best novels of all time. The writing of the work was completed in 1844, and released as an 18-part series over the next two years. Dumas collaborated with other authors in the writing.
The story takes place in France, Italy, and islands in the Mediterranean during the historical events of 1814–1838 (the end of the rule of Napoleon I of France through the reign of Louis-Philippe of France). It is primarily concerned with themes of justice, vengeance, mercy and forgiveness, and is told in the style of an adventure story.
Plot Spoiler warning: Plot or ending details follow. The novel follows the adventures of the protagonist, Edmond Dantès. Dantès is a young, idealistic sailor with excellent prospects and a beautiful fiancee. However, a chance encounter brushes him with the edge of a larger framework of political machinations; and various individuals, for their own reasons, use these circumstances against him. The result of their various plots is that Dantès is thrown into prison indefinitely in the Château d'If, near Marseille.
In prison, Dantès encounters a fellow-prisoner, the Abbé Faria with whom he forms a deep friendship. Faria becomes his instructor in a number of subjects, ranging from history and mathematics to swordplay. As a result of his conversations with Faria, Dantès slowly begins to piece together the plots that put him in his current predicament. He and Faria work long hours on an escape tunnel, but the elderly and infirm Faria does not survive to see its completion. Knowing himself dying, Faria confides to Dantès the location of a great treasure on the islet of Monte Cristo. Dantès subsequently escapes by the simple expedient of taking the place of Faria's body.
Following his escape, Dantès retrieves the treasure and re-invents himself as the enigmatic Count of Monte Cristo. His long experience has changed him physically, aging him prematurely; mentally, giving him a much greater depth and breadth of knowledge; and socially, with his access to great wealth. Perhaps the greatest change is psychological, however; from an idealistic youth he has become a grimly intense man, near-obsessed with his plans to repay those who have done him both good and ill in kind.
The story then follows Dantès' efforts, first and more briefly to reward those who tried to help him, then an extended campaign to gain vengeance on those who had him imprisoned. Using his new persona he is able to ingratiate himself with his enemies, where he engineers a number of subtle schemes, all with the object of visiting poetic justice on the heads of those he hates. He sees himself a sort of avenging angel, doing God's work in his own revenge.
However, matters are more complicated than Dantès anticipates. The family of one of his enemies is connected to the family of one of his benefactors, so his dual campaigns of reward and punishment come into conflict. Seeing his vengeance begin to go farther than he had truly intended, he begins to doubt if he is really doing God's work. Dantès then forgoes the remainder of his plan and takes steps once more to balance matters. Though his revenge on his former foes is not quite complete, he releases his final enemy and makes restitution to those caught up in the resulting chaos, thereby applying his own standards of justice to himself as well. In the process, he comes to terms with his own history, and is able to find some forgiveness both for his enemies and for himself.
Influences Dumas had a number of direct influences from other texts and traditions in the writing of the novel. Much of the complicated plots, schemes and allusions to a romantic notion of the East is taken from the Arabian Nights. In the most direct reference, a character exists in much of the book with the alias Sinbad the Sailor, alluding to someone who has travelled to many exotic places.
Another possible influence is the notion of pseudo-poison as a pivotal element in the tale of two lovers. This has been a common theme in literature, especially Romeo and Juliet. The two young lovers are explicitly compared at one point to Pyramus and Thisbe.
Themes The book has a rich and complex plot, with a multitude of characters. While it was written as popular fiction, this does not mean that it lacks meaning beyond the story. Most of the thematic concerns of the novel are centered around loyalty, revenge and subservience to God. Because of his trials, Dantès becomes completely obsessed with meting out justice. To those who have aided him, he becomes a guardian spirit. To those who have harmed him, he becomes god's avenging angel. Each person who has betrayed him is bought to justice in a way that mirrors the original betrayal. However, the first time an innocent bystander is harmed in the course of his revenge, he realizes that only god is capable of dispensing justice and he ceases his attempts at retribution.
Screen adaptations The story has been adapted to many screen versions, including several movies and numerous TV series. It has been estimated that this story has been filmed once every eighteen months from 1920 on. Notable versions include:
Other adaptions Alfred Bester's science fiction novel The Stars My Destination (1956) was partially inspired by Dumas' novel.
The novel The Stars' Tennis Balls (2000) by Stephen Fry is a modern retelling of the story.
The anime TV series Gankutsuou (2004) is an animated adaption of the novel, set in a science fiction setting.
External links |
Feeds |
Contact