Nov 16, 2009

The Count of Monte Cristo | Introduction

The Count of Monte Cristo (Paris, 1844–45), by French novelist and playwright Alexandre Dumas, is one of the most popular novels ever written. Set in Marseilles, Rome and Paris in the nineteenth century, it tells the story of Edmond Dantès, a young sailor who is falsely accused of treason and imprisoned in a dungeon for fourteen years. A fellow prisoner tells him where to find treasure buried on a Mediterranean island called Monte Cristo. On Dantès’s escape, he acquires the treasure, gives himself the name Count of Monte Cristo, and ruthlessly goes about the slow destruction of his enemies.

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 Francois Picaud, who was living in Paris in 1807. Picaud was engaged to marry a rich woman, but four jealous friends falsely accused him of being a spy for England. He was imprisoned for seven years. During his imprisonment a dying fellow 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 ten years plotting his successful revenge against his former friends.

Generations of readers have responded to Dumas’s riveting, romantic tale of revenge by a man who believes he acts as the agent of Providence. The story has adventure, intrigue and romance in full measure, and also presents a vivid portrait of France from the end of the Napoleonic years to the early 1840s.

The Count of Monte Cristo Summary

Imprisonment and Escape
The Count of Monte Cristo begins with the arrival of a ship in Marseilles, France. One of the crew is a young sailor named Edmond Dantès. Dantès seems to be on the threshold of great happiness. Morrel, the shipowner, promotes him to captain, and he is about to marry a beautiful girl named Mercédès. However, at the feast before the wedding Dantès is arrested for treason. He is innocent, but has been entrapped by a plot hatched by Danglars, a fellow sailor who is jealous of Dantès’s promotion, and Fernand, who was his rival for the love of Mercédès. The plot is aided by Villefort, a corrupt prosecutor, and Dantès is imprisoned in the Château d’If. He is not told why he is imprisoned. He remains in the Château d’If for fourteen years. During this time he meets the Abbé Faria, a fellow prisoner who has been digging what he hoped would be a tunnel to freedom, but which leads instead to Dantès’s cell. The Abbé is a learned man, and he teaches Dantès everything he knows. He also tells Dantès the location of a secret treasure, which is buried on an uninhabited island called Monte Cristo, in the Mediterranean. When the Abbé dies, Dantès switches places with the corpse and is carried out of the prison for burial. He plans to escape from the grave. But instead of burying him, the jailers toss him into the sea. Even so, he manages to swim to safety. He makes his way to Monte Cristo and discovers the treasure.

Dedication to Revenge
Now a rich man, Dantès dedicates himself to gaining revenge on those who wronged him. Taking on the first of many disguises, as the Abbé Busoni, he tracks down Caderousse, a former untrustworthy neighbor who is now an impoverished innkeeper. Caderousse tells him the story of Dantès’s arrest and what has happened since. Villefort, Danglars and Fernand are all now powerful men. Dantès rewards Caderousse and his wife with a valuable diamond. Based on what Caderousse told him, Dantès, now disguised as an Englishman, Lord Wilford, rewards the ship owner Morrel, who had tried many times to intercede with the authorities on Dantès’ behalf. Morrel has suffered many losses at sea and is on the verge of bankruptcy. He is about to commit suicide when his daughter Julie brings proof that all his debts have been paid by a mysterious benefactor, who has also given Morrel a diamond for his daughter’s dowry.

The scene switches to Rome, where two young Frenchmen, Baron Franz d’Espinay and Viscount Albert de Morcerf (Fernand’s son) attend the carnival. They meet Dantès, who... » Complete The Count of Monte Cristo Summary