The Count of Monte Cristo By: Alexandre Dumas

Author Information Born on 24 July 1802 just outside of Paris, France Alexandre’s grandfather married a slave he fell in love with in San Domingo (now Haiti) named Marie Louise Césette Dumas (She was black, he was white) Alexandre's mother set her best efforts to providing an education for her son although he proved to be less than enthusiastic about it In 1822 Dumas set off for Paris and was soon immersed in literary life Had a son, Alexandre, with his mistress; married; and had at least three other illegitimate children On 21 July 1832 he left Paris and embarked on his first of many travels which took him to such countries as Austria, the Netherlands, Spain, England, Germany, and North Africa

More on Dumas During his time in Paris, he wrote many plays and was accepted into literary circles thanks to their success During his travels, he began to write short stories and novels, his two most popular being The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo Dumas‘ writing earned him a great deal of money, but Dumas was frequently insolvent as a result of spending lavishly on women and sumptuous living He bought land and built the Château de Monte Cristo (nicknamed Château d'If) in Port Marly, Yvelines, France, now a museum Despite Alexandre Dumas' success and aristocratic background, his being of mixed race affected him all his life. Alexandre Dumas died on 5 December 1870 at his son's villa in Puys, near Dieppe, France

The Count of Monte Cristo (French: Le Comte de Monte-Cristo) An adventure novel by Alexandre Dumas. It is often considered to be, along with The Three Musketeers, Dumas's most popular work. He completed the work in 1844. The story takes place in France, Italy, and islands in the Mediterranean, during the historical events of 1815–1838. The historical setting is a fundamental element of the book. An adventure story primarily concerned with themes of hope, justice, vengeance, mercy and forgiveness, it tells of a man who is wrongfully imprisoned, escapes from jail, acquires a fortune and sets about getting revenge on the men who destroyed his life. However, his plans also have devastating consequences for the innocent as well as the guilty. Chateau D'If George Saintsbury stated that "Monte Cristo is said to have been at its first appearance, and for some time subsequently, the most popular book in Europe. Perhaps no novel within a given number of years had so many readers and penetrated into so many different countries.“ This popularity has extended into modern times as well. The book was "translated into virtually all modern languages and has never been out of print in most of them. There have been at least twenty-nine motion pictures based on it ... as well as several television series, and many movies [have] worked the name 'Monte Cristo' into their titles."

Napoleon Bonaparte As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815. He is best remembered for his role in the wars led against France by a series of coalitions, the so-called Napoleonic Wars. In the first decade of the 19th century, the French Empire under Napoleon engaged in a series of conflicts involving every major European power. After a streak of victories, France secured a dominant position in continental Europe. In 1813, the Sixth Coalition defeated his forces at Leipzig; the following year the Coalition invaded France, forced Napoleon to abdicate and exiled him to the island of Elba. Less than a year later, he escaped Elba and returned to power, but was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815. Napoleon spent the last six years of his life in confinement by the British on the island of Saint Helena.

Bonapartism Bonapartism was the adaptation of principles of the French Revolution to suit Napoleon's imperial form of rule. After the arrest of Bonaparte, anyone considered in league with him or participating in “Bonapartism” was considered a traitor to France. Many were imprisoned or put to death because of these charges.

Plot Overview In 1815 Edmond Dantès, the young and successful merchant sailor recently granted his own command by his dying captain Leclère, returns to Marseille to marry his fiancée Mercédès. Leclère, a supporter of the exiled Napoléon I, has charged Dantès to deliver two objects: a package to Maréchal Bertrand (exiled with Napoleon Bonaparte on Elba), and a letter from Elba to an unknown man in Paris. On the eve of his wedding to Mercédès, Fernand (Mercédès' cousin and a rival for her affections) and Danglars (who is jealous of Dantes' rapid rise to captain) send an anonymous note accusing Dantès of being a Bonapartist traitor. Villefort, the deputy crown prosecutor in Marseille, normally a just man, destroys the letter from Elba because it is addressed to his father who is a Bonapartist and he fears that it will harm his career. In order to silence Dantès, he condemns him without trial to life imprisonment.

Plot Continued The novel tells of Dantes’s escape from prison and eventual revenge on those who wronged him and his family It also tells of him helping those who were kind to him and his father with his newly acquired money and title of Count of Monte Cristo

Main Characters Edmond Dantes A sailor with good prospects, fiancé to Mercédès Becomes the Count of Monte Cristo, English Chief Clerk of the Thomson and French banking firm Lord Wilmore: English persona in which Dantès performs random acts of generosity Sinbad the Sailor: The persona that Dantès assumes when he saves the Morrel family and assumes while mixing with smugglers and brigands Abbé Busoni: The persona of religious authority Monsieur Zaccone: Dantès, in the guise of both Abbé Busoni and Lord Wilmore, tells an investigator this is the Count of Monte Cristo's true name

Main Allies Abbe Faria – Italian Priest Haydee – Dantes’s “slave” Many servants and associates – Luigi Vampa, Peppino, Ali, Baptistin, Jacopo Albert de Morcerf – son of Mercedes The Morrel Family – Maximilien, Julie

Main Villians Fernand Mondego – Count de Morcerf – marries Dantes’s fiancé, Mercedes Baron Danglars – Dantes’s junior officer on the ship, very jealous of him. Becomes a wealthy banker Gerard de Villefort – Chief prosecutor of Marsailles, imprisons Dantes

Themes Revenge Fate vs. Free Will Perserverance Justice and Judgement Transformation Hatred Ambition Manipulation

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