The story about Edmond Dantes is one of the most famous novels by Alexandre Dumas, a nineteenth-century writer from France. The plot of the story presents many ideas related to justice, revenge, retribution, and forgiveness. The novel begins with a betrayal of a sailor Dantes by those who were jealous of his fortune in life: Caderousse, Mondego, Villefort, and Danglars. Mercedes Mondego, Edmond’s fiancee, is a key to his downfall, but also an entirely innocent woman who played a key role in Dantes’ return to his old self. This paper will provide a short summary of The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.
The story begins with the main character being sent to jail for crimes he did not commit, as Dantes is imprisoned for many years in one of the worst French prisons. After years of suffering, he escapes with an idea and tools to bring vengeance upon four men guilty of his situation. The determination of this man is genuinely astounding and must be discussed separately. The scene where Edmond escapes the prison by hiding in a body bag is not only a sight of a strong-willed man but a point of rebirth for Dantes into The Count of Monte Cristo. Dumas sets up the end goal of Dantes when the character states that he wishes “to reconquer the happiness that has been taken from [him]” (145). His determination drives him to great lengths throughout the rest of the book. He succeeds at his tasks with a cold calculation that leaves the lives of his adversaries in ruins. As Dantes uses his newfound wealth to put down those who he promised to hurt in retaliation, he also causes harm to those who were not involved in this endeavor. Ultimately, the main character slips too far and finds himself on the brink of chaotic descent.
The second scene that is worth noting is the return of Dantes to his initial promise of happiness. Dumas shows the second breaking point for Dantes when he realizes that he can no longer say that “God is for [him] and with [him]” (637). The damage he had caused to those he did not intend to harm was too much, leading to a second transformation of the character. In conclusion, this work of Dumas is an astounding story of self-discovery that is filled with breathtaking scenes.
Work Cited
Dumas, Alexandre. The Count of Monte Cristo. Penguin Classics, 2003.