Dumas’ novel, The
Count of Monte Cristo, is set in 19th century Europe and depicts the
path of revenge Edmond Dantes takes after being framed by his enemies
and left to rot in jail for 14 years. The exciting dialogues,
extravagant language, and exhilarating plot make this an interesting
book to read.
Author's Thoughts
Though at first
glance this might seem like a simple drama about revenge, I believe
Dumas intended for his novel to convey more than what meets the eye.
Dumas used this book to unveil the darker side of human nature and
the destruction greed brings. He spoke through our protagonist,
Dantes, regarding how he finds the justice system insufficient. Dumas
also presented his ideals for a perfect gentleman and what he
considers to be admirable characteristics through the noble
protagonists he built.
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Dumas' Vigilante
Justice
The Count of Monte
Cristo was truly an amazing literature performance, and one of the
first novels to introduce vigilante justice. Dumas’ disdain for the
judicial system of that time can be clearly observed through the
words of Dantes himself. Feeling it incapable of producing a
sufficient method of punishment, Dantes took matters into his own
hands and became a vigilante of his time. Well-learnt, highly skilled
in combat, rich, and a heart filled with not only noble thoughts but
also vengeance, Dantes was the epitome of a superhero.
Some Thoughts on The
Book
What I found
intriguing about this novel is how it portrays the brittleness of the
human nature. The elegance and graceful nature fades away, revealing
the darkness of human nature as soon as personal interests are
involved. Greed driven, the antagonists pursuit their evil intentions
without any fear of their sins finding them out; they recognize what
they are doing as a heinous crime, yet carries on with their deed.
The acknowledgment that God is issuing the punishment they deserve is
a common reaction when they are being punished for their crimes,
which I find rather amusing, since their actions seemingly denies the
existence of a God. This novel truly brings some of the worst human
nature into sight, and even though it does shine light on some noble
characteristics, I find this exposure very depressing.
Some Thoughts on
Edmond Dantes
Edmond Dantes is a
character I have a few unconventional impressions on. A very
unpopular opinion I have of him is that he is actually very
egotistic. Why is this so? Until his last victim, Dantes seemed most
certain that he is send by God himself to punish the wicked and is
extremely self-righteous when ever defending his actions. It can be
observed through his speech and actions that he is very proud of this
vigilante justice, and does not even consider in the possibility of
him making a mistake. How did the meek nineteen year-old Edmond
Dantes turn into this egotistic Count of Monte Cristo? The answer is
simple, even he cannot escape the bad influences money and power
yields. The power he had over his enemies made him feel more and more
in control, invulnerable, and began slowly filling his mind with
delusions regarding the extent of his powers, his right to pass
judgments, and his place as man, not God.
The Count of Monte
Cristo is a book that deserves to be read carefully in order to
appreciate the eloquence of the language and the carefully
constructed plot, but moreover as a warning to one self. If you are
ever able to read this book, examine yourself and think if you are
slowly degenerating into the characters described.