“All human wisdom is contained in these two words - Wait and Hope”
The newspaper “Journal des débats” published this Alexandre Dumas’ novel periodically, in 18 segments, starting in August 1844 and ending in January 1846. The Count of Monte Cristo became the most popular book in Europe.
Dumas based this story on the real account od Pierre Picaud who was charged of treason by 3 friends that coveted his rich fiancée. When he got out, he started working with a cleric that, when he died, left Pierre all of his fortune. Pierre tricked one of his friends, faking his death, so that he can give out the names of his traitors. When he got what he wanted, he punished them all (fiancée included). After the revenge, Picaud was killed by the friend who told him the names.
All the Bonapartist references, including the representation of some of the characters, is based on Dumas’ father, a general under Napoleon’s command.
As you have heard of, the novels is about the wrongly imprisonment of Edmond Dantès, for carrying a letter of a bonapartist conspiracy – treason. That conspiracy was the one that Napoleon took the throne away from Louis XVIII for a 100 Days.
Dantès, after he escaped from prison, takes revenge on those who betrayed him, using the fortune and knowledge that his prison mate, Abbé Faria, left him.
“Learning does not make one learned: there are those who have knowledge and those who have understanding. The first requires memory and the second philosophy.”
For taking place between 1815 and 1844, we see several references of Napoleon’s exile and his return on March 1815 (the 100 Days). Auguste Maquet helped writing this novel by intertwining characters and basic plot while Dumas wrote dialogues and details putting his magic in there. Was also Maquet that verified every historical reference so that the plot was precise. For example, there was a real Ali Paxá of Tepelene, her spouse and his assassination were real, only Haydée wasn’t (unfortunately!).
Facts aside… This is my book. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book.
For me, it isn’t about revenge. It’s about pain, forgiveness and it’s about hope.
Told in a third-person narrative, and through an extensive timeline in the present, we’re spectators of a story that leaves us hooked beginning to end.
Dumas writes it in a simple, light, intuitive and romanticized way, with sopa opera kind of drama and humour (Cavalcanti’s interview is hilarious!). I know that the book seems intimidating for its size, but once we get into the story, we don’t notice time passing by.
Since Dumas wrote the novel periodically, got paid by line, that’s why so many dialogues and short answers.
Witnessing Dantès’ plan mastery was absolutely mesmerizing and fascinating. Puts any thriller and psychological drama writer to shame, with all that creativity.
Dantès is moved by religion, and refers himself as an instrument of the Providence, using it as justification for his actions. We see a long transformation from what means to be Dantès and what it means to be The Count, while he tries to find redemption through warm feelings and emotions.
To seek revenge, Dantès creates various personalities and disguises, one of them Abbé Busoni, an Italian priest. Thus, during the 10 years since the prison escape until the beginning of the plan (meeting in Rome with one of the characters), he studied everything about the participants of his demise, elaborated a plan predicting every contingent and using an extreme level of manipulation.
The main issues in this book are justice and hope.
What is the difference between them?
How far revenge is fair?
Never.
We aren’t more than others nor others more than us.
Our decision does not fit in the decisions of the other, but in us.
Justice fits in the system it respects to, and revenge in nowhere. Following that Light place, absent of darkness, takes time and patience but we end up having realisations that we never thought that we ever will have – and that’s hope.
Hope that happiness will prevail over the suffering.
Modernist thoughts are very present in the book, created by minds that, in the XIX century, lived in a conservative culture, and those types of mindset are still talked about to this day.
Feminism, maternity, justice, slavery, racism, homosexuality, media/journalist values, social hierarchy, forgiveness and corruption.
We’re talking about two writers from the XIX century talking of homosexuality acceptance, for example.
We’re talking about two writers from the XIX century that empower women and the right to be free, in every way.
We’re talking about two writers from the XIX century that stand against racism and value slaves as human beings.
Dumas writes so beautifully that we finish this book with a feeling of inner peace. Dumas writes emotions and transmits so much strength through adversities, that is inspiring.
There’s always something that brings clarity to the reader, to the reader’s life and own mistakes.
A Must-read.
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
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