Coralie Casimir
Advance Placement English
Mr. George
July 13, 2009
Essay
Edmond Dante’s Vengeance
It is always hard for someone to turn the other cheek when they have been exploited or victimized. Most people take matters into their own hands to seek revenge. In Alexandre Dumas novel, The Count of Monte Cristo narrates the life of Edmond Dante a young sailor who had it all. At the age of nineteen years of age, Edmond Dante had things that most people work their whole life to obtain. His friends, who were overcome by jealousy, conspired against him. He was arrested for an act he did not commit. After spending fourteen miserable years in jail, Edmond breaks free. His only goal was to avenge his misfortune. Edmond who was honest, caring, and adored all transformed into a cold and bitter man who only desired vengeance. Edmond had every right to seek revenge against his enemies, they wrongfully made him serve fourteen years in jail, which led to him losing himself through misery and regret; due to Fernando, Danglars, and Caderousse's actions he lost his father and the love of his life, Mercédès.
Edmond Dante had it all, a great job, a beautiful fiancée and a bright future. He was one of the luckiest gentlemen, which incited jealousy. Edmond being a kind, honest, and naïve young man, thought no one was out to hurt him. He was warned by Monsieur de Villefort that many would envy him for what he has accomplished at such a young age: "Perhaps you have no enemy, but you may have aroused feelings of jealousy... good fortune may have been cause of envy" (Dumas 48). Surely jealousy aroused among three men, Fernando who wanted Mercédès to be his wife, Danglars who resented the fact he was going to be named captain of the Pharaon and also hated that he was well loved by the crew. Finally, Caderousse a neighbor just detested Edmond because he was more fortunate than he was. So, they set out to ruin him by denouncing him as a Bonapartist. At that time it was considered as an act of treason to favor the return of Napoleon Bonaparte. Together they came up with the scheme. Danglars wrote the letter, Fernando mailed it, and Caderousse did nothing to stop it. Together they sealed Edmond’s faith.
On the very day of his wedding, Edmond was arrested for conspiring against the King Louis the VXIII and presented to General de Villefort. However, Edmond’s charm quickly won over Monsieur de Villefort. He did not believe a boy like Edmond would do such a thing. Edmond was the guy who did not want to know who wrote the fictitious letter denouncing him as a Bonapartist: "If any of my friends cherish any such envious feelings toward me, I would rather not know lest my friendship should turn into hatred" (48). As Monsieur de Villefort was about to release him, Edmond mention a letter he had to deliver to Monsieur Noirtier who happened to be Monsieur de Villefort father. As an effort to cover up for his father which favored the return of Napoleon Bonaparte. After reading the letter, Monsieur de Villefort burned it. Fearing, that Edmond might denounce his father as a Bonapartist; Monsieur de Villefort sentenced him to many years in jail, without Edmond's knowledge.
Completely blindsided, Edmond was sentenced to jail. He barely knew for what reasons or for how long. Still young and hopeful, he thought he was going to get out in no time but over time Edmond lost all hope and his pride. After spending many years in jail, Edmond started to believe that he had to have done something because he did not understand why he was in jail: "He was so reduced that he began to doubt his innocence" (78). He spent his days in constant agony. Not being able to cope with the situation, Edmond called upon death as a savior: "He had sworn to himself that he would starve himself" (80). Nonetheless, he never accomplished that because he met Abbe Firia who gave him hope of a better future.
One day while in his cell Edmond heard a weird noise, like something was trying to get in his room. It was Abbe Firia who was trying to escape from his prison cell but miscalculated where he was going. Edmond was filled with excitement because he knew someone was at the other side of the wall. So he decided to help him, after spending long hours digging through the wall he meant Abbe who. They quickly became great friends. Abbe helped Edmond clarify why he was put in jail. Abbe loved Edmond as a son, he taught him everything he knew and told him about the treasure at the Island of Mont Cristo. They were planning to escape together. However, Abbe never made it out of the Chateau D' If because he died and shortly after before they were supposed to escape. Edmond escaped from prison, found the treasure, and emerged into society as the Count of Monte Cristo. His only goal was to avenge his father’s death and his imprisonment.
At first Edmond went to Marseille to see what became of his poor father and Mercedes. There he encountered Caderousse his neighbor and the one who did nothing to help Edmond. Caderousse told him about Danglars and Fernando who met with great success. Danglars married to a baroness and became a rich banker. Fernando was married to Mercedes and became a Count. Also told him what became of his old father he died of, "Of hunger … pure starvation" (155). However Caderousse was left in Marseille to perish. Nonetheless, his story touched Edmond’s heart, because he left him unharmed and gave him a diamond. Not all the conspirators will meet such luck because when the Count of Monte Cristo crosses their path their life would forever be wrecked.
The Count of Monte Cristo established himself into society by flaunting his money around gaining the trust of his enemies. First, the Count of Monte Cristo is in contact with Albert the Morcerf. He won his the trust by saving him from the bandit of Italy. Albert, who was so grateful offered to have the Count over his house in Paris to introduce him to the Parisian life. There lived Fernando Mondego who was Albert’s father, Baron Danglars, and Gerard de Villefort. There the Count of Monte Cristo put his plan in execution. The Count of Monte Cristo easily gained their trust because they were so blinded by his money. He went to all the right events and they could not get enough of him. At the summer ball they asked for him seventeen times: "Is the Count of Monte Cristo not coming the evening" (351). While everyone enjoyed his company, he was busy planting the seeds of his revenge.
The first seed the Count of Monte Cristo planted was in the Villefort house. When, he and Madame de Villefort were talking about poison. He played on her maternal love for her son and murderous side. Madame, the Villefort who was ready to do anything so her son could have an inheritance decided to poison anyone would get in his way. Four people in the Villefort where poisoned. She was caught Madame de Villefort committed suicide and also poisoned her son: “Since it was for my son’s sake that I became a criminal. A good mother never leaves her son!” (565). Madame de Villefort was driven by greed but it was Count who provided her with the poison. Gerard de Villefort lost his family, just like he made Edmond lose his.
Then the Count of Monte Cristo turned to Danglars and convinced him to write a letter to Janice denouncing Fernando Mondego’s actions as general. He mistreated the royal family, Janice by killing the king and selling the queen and her child, Haydee, to slavery. The Count of Monte Cristo bought Haydee as a young girl and raised her as his own. Because of the letter Fernando was sent to trial and Haydee went to testify against him. She accused him of taking her family apart: "It was you who sold my mother and myself to El Kobbir! Murder! Murder!" (454). Fernando who was guilty of the crime could not refuse the allegations. He was strip of his honor and his title as Count of Morcerf. He also lost his wife and son. They refused to stay in a house with a man who gained his fortune through lies and deception. Fernando was helpless and defenseless, not being able to deal with his misfortune he takes his life.
Danglars life was not going so well. He was losing his investments and was going bankrupt. The Count of Monte Cristo opened bogus credit accounts with the banker, and when he was going broke the Count took out five million dollars that the banker did not have. His daughter Eugenie was deceived by the Prince Cavalcanti who was hired by the Conte of Monte Cristo. Prince Cavalcanti did nothing but to trick the Danglars family: "He played his part well! To think that we had been entertaining a murderer, a thief, and an impostor" (523). Eugenie Danglars was so ashamed that she ran away and does not ever want to go back to France. Danglars was also very humiliated, he left his wife and ran away. He lost everything just like Edmond did many years ago.
Edmond vengeance was necessary because he showed people that took advantage of him a lesson. While he was spending so many years in misery they were enjoying their perfect lives. They had it all, not for one second they thought of the poor Edmond who was perishing in jail. Like any human being, he became angry at the world and only wanted to seek revenge. No one can really blame Edmond because Fernando, Caderousse, Danglars, and Monsieur de Villefort ruined his life. He lost his father and the woman he loved most in the world. Most importantly lost himself, the guy who was known as Edmond Dante died in the Chateau D’If a long time ago and the Count of Monte Cristo is what was left of him.