The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

In theaters

Plot (1 of 2) Edmond Dantes is leading a charmed life Dantes's friends become jealous of him Fernand Mondego covets Dantes's fiancee Danglars envies successful career Caderousse envies Dantes's apparent luck Dantes is framed for treason on his wedding day Villefort imprisons Dantes for life to save his father, Noirtier Dantes learns history, science, philosophy and language from Abbe Faria Faria bequeaths a large fortune to Dantes Dantes escapes and retrieves the fortune

Plot (2 of 2) Dantes (Abbe Busoni) learns the details of the plot to frame him from Caderousse Dantes (the Count of Monte Cristo) emerges in Rome (10 years later) Monte Cristo saves Albert de Morcerf from bandits No one recognizes Dantes except Mercedes Dantes plots the demise of his old cohorts Dantes exposes Mondego's (Count de Morcerf) darkest secret Villefort is exposed and driven insane Danglars is left penniless Dantes arranges for Maximilian Morrel and Valentine Villefort to be together Dantes falls in love with Haydee

Themes The limits of human justice - Dantes takes justice into his own hands Dantes does not believe their is adequate justice for the crimes committed against him Dantes realizes just human justice is limited by human compassion, tolerance and knowledge

Themes Relative versus absolute happiness - Characters are either sympathetic or unsympathetic What separates the good from the bad in the novel is that ability of the good to appreciate the good they have done The bad focus solely on what they lack Dantes is betrayed by his friends because of their envy

Themes Love versus alienation – Dantes exiles himself from humanity Dantes is obsessed with being the angel of Providence Dantes disconnected from society when Abbe Faria dies When Dantes learns of his father’s death and Mercedes’s marriage, his isolation becomes complete Dantes reconciles when he falls in love with Haydee

Major Characters Edmund Dantes A kind, innocent, honest, and loving man who becomes bitter and vengeful Disconnects from society Becomes the agent of Providence Reconnects with society when he falls in love

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