Count of Monte Cristo: Edmond

¶ … Count of Monte Cristo: Edmond Dantes' vengeance

"While I was in a dark wood wandering." The French author Alexander Dumas named the central character of his novel The Count of Monte Cristo Edmond Dantes for a reason: it is a clear allusion to the Italian poet Dante, who traveled to hell and back again, as chronicled in his great poem the Inferno. In Dumas' novel, Dantes is falsely accused of treason and imprisoned for his crime. Dantes falls into a deep depression as a result of his isolation in solitary confinement. However, he is able to communicate with a priest, Abbe Faria, who helps him better understand the political machinations that brought him to the prison, and to a deeper understanding of faith. As a result of his interactions with Abbe Faria, Dantes comes to see his imprisonment in apocalyptic terms, and views himself as Divine Providence, punishing those who are evil and rewarding those who are good.

The providential nature of human existence is first evidenced in the story in the persona of Monsieur Morrel, the shipbuilder who promotes Dantes to the position of captain. This action inspires jealousy in the hearts of the rest of the crew members. However, despite the accusations leveled at Dantes, Morrel never loses faith in the young man's innocence. Morrel represents true human goodness and faith, which never wavers, even when the political leadership of a nation might change. Just as true faith is tested, but ultimately stays steadfast, so does Morrel's faith in Dantes. As the Count of Monte Cristo, Dantes eventually repays Morrel's faith, paying Morrel's debts at the end of the novel. Just as the Count was redeemed by the faith of Faria, he is able to redeem Morrel from desperate thoughts of suicide. "You who love, and are beloved; you, who have faith and hope, - oh, do not follow my example. In your case it would be a crime" (Chapter 117).

Caderousse represents the fact that not every human being can be redeemed. After Dantes takes on the alias of the Count of Monte Cristo, he finds Caderousse in a state of poverty and alcoholism. Caderousse is one of the most truly despicable characters in the novel because he merely acts the way he does out of jealousy and carelessness. Caderousse does nothing to prevent an innocent man from being accused. He has only a superficial role as part of the plot to frame the young man, and does not profit from it because of his incompetence and addiction. He even understands, however dimly, that Dantes will be able to take revenge, should the plot be discovered. When "one gets out of prison,' said Caderousse, who, with what sense was left him, listened eagerly to the conversation, 'and when one gets out and one's name is Edmond Dantes, one seeks revenge'" (Chapter 4). Caderousse eventually meets an untimely end, after murdering a man to whom he sold the jewel the Dantes deliberately gave to him, because Dantes knew that Caderousse's temper would result in the drunkard's destruction.

Villefort is perhaps the most complex character in The Count of Monte Cristo. At first, he states that he believes that Dantes is innocent, showing that he is capable of perceiving evidence in a logical rather than an emotional manner. However, the crown prosecutor is also cowardly. He fears that if he protects Dantes, he will suffer political repercussions. He decides to destroy all exculpating evidence because the letter Dantes is supposed to deliver is addressed to Villefort's father. This could implicate Villefort as a supporter of Bonaparte by association. Villefort represents the failure of legal justice, and its self-interested quality. Dantes admits that he is consumed with hatred for the man: "I wish to be Providence myself, for I feel that the most beautiful, noblest, most sublime thing in the world is to recompense and punish," he tells Villefort, when he meets the man responsible for his imprisonment face-to-face once again (Chapter 49).