Hello Listers,
As Bob has already posted, our Fall Classic meeting to discuss The Count of
Monte Cristo is tonight in the AccessibleWorld Book Nook room at 8:30
Eastern, 7:30 Central time.
My sense is that not many have actually read the book based on the lack of
comments on DEB-Review and what I've heard in the various book groups I
attend. I don't know if this was mainly due to the book's length or its
content but I still hope folks will attend tonight's discussion. So that
those who haven't read the book can attend with some knowledge about it, I'm
including a summary and character list of The Count of Monte Cristo
following my signature.
I hope to see you tonight.
Alan Lemly
Summary
Edmond Dantès, a competent and well-liked first mate, takes over command of
the Pharaon after the ships captain dies. The ship sails safely into
Marseilles harbor in 1815. The pleasant, unassuming young man is unaware
that enemies surround him. M. Danglars, the agent of the ships owner, M.
Morrel, is jealous of Morrels affection for Edmond and covetous of the
young sailors impending appointment as captain of the Pharaon. A fisherman,
Fernand Mondego, wishes to wed Mercédès, who is betrothed to Edmond.
Danglars and Fernand, under the guise of a jest, compose a note accusing
Edmond of conspiracy. They write that Edmond, in carrying out the last
orders of his captain, had unwittingly conveyed a letter to the Bonapartist
committee in Paris, which is trying to restore the exiled Napoleon Bonaparte
to power. Caderousse, a drunkard, witnesses the writing of the note, but
keeps silent out of cowardice. On his wedding day, Edmond is arrested and
taken before an ambitious deputy kings attorney named M. Villefort, who, to
protect himself from association with his Bonapartist father,
Noirtierimplicated in the letter Edmond carrieshas Edmond secretly
imprisoned in solitary confinement within the dank dungeons of the imposing
Château DIf.
Napoleon escapes from Elba to reign briefly again, but Edmond lies forgotten
in his cell as his psyche undergoes a series of changes: from hope, because
he knows he is innocent of any crime; to despair, because the future looks
hopeless; to anger at the people who placed him in his predicament. The
cannonading at Waterloo dies away. Years pass. Then, one night, Edmond hears
the sound of digging from an adjoining cell. He breaks a water jug and uses
a fragment of the pottery to assist in the excavation. Soon, a narrow tunnel
is completed, and Edmond meets an old man, a fellow prisoner named Abbé
Faria, whose misguided attempt to dig his way to freedom has led him to
Edmonds cell. Thereafter the two meet daily, and the old man teaches the
uneducated Edmond history, mathematics, languages, and etiquette.
In Edmonds fourteenth year of imprisonment Faria, mortally ill, tells
Edmond where to find a tremendous fortune should he escape after the old
mans death. When death comes, Farias body is placed into a sack prior to
being heaved into the sea. Edmond, desperate to escape, changes places with
the dead man, whom he drags through the tunnel into his own bed. Jailers
throw the sack into the sea. Edmond rips the cloth and swims through the
darkness to an islet in the bay.
At daybreak a gang of smugglers rescues him. Edmond works with the smugglers
until a stroke of luck brings him to the island of Monte-Cristo, where
Farias fortune is supposedly concealed. He lands on the island with the
crew of the ship and, feigning injury in a fall, persuades the crew to leave
him behind until their return trip from a smuggling rendezvous. Edmond
explores the island and finds the treasure hidden in an underground cavern.
He stuffs his pockets with jewels and returns to the mainland to sell some
of the precious stones and gain the money necessary to carry out his plans
to bring the treasure from Monte-Cristo. Edmond buys a boat and a title and
sets himself up as the fabulously wealthy count of Monte-Cristo, one of many
aliases he will hold while putting together an elaborate plot to gain
revenge against those who wronged him. Edmond soon learns that his father
had died of starvation and that his intended bride, Mercédès, despairing of
Edmonds return, had married Fernand.
Disguised as a priest, Edmond visits Caderousse to seek information about
those who caused his imprisonment. Villefort had gained a fortune and risen
in legal circles. Danglars is now a wealthy banker and baron. Fernand,
formerly a humble fisherman, later a military general, has won wealth and a
title in the Greek war and is now count de Morcerf. For this information,
Edmond gives Caderousse a valuable diamond.
Edmond also learns that his old shipping master, Morrel, a true friend who
frequently questioned the authorities about Edmonds fate, has suffered the
loss at sea of most of his ships and is on the verge of bankruptcy. In
gratitude, because Morrel had helped the elder Edmond, Edmond saves Morrels
shipping business and befriends Morrels son, Maximilian.
Edmondas the count of Monte-Cristomoves to Paris, where he dazzles the
upper echelons of the citys society with his mysterious background,
fabulous wealth, and impeccable social graces. He and his protégé, a
beautiful girl named Haidée, an Albanian slave he had bought during his
travels in Greece, became the talk of the boulevards. He is invited into all
the best homes and salons. Meanwhile, he slowly plots the ruin of those who
caused him to be sent to prison.
Caderousse is first to be destroyed. His greed had awakened with Edmonds
gift of the diamond. Soon, Caderousse had committed robbery and murder and
had been condemned to the galleys. Now, he escapes with the assistance of
Edmond in another guise as a wealthy Englishman, but Caderousse does not use
the opportunity to become an honest citizen. Instead, he attempts to rob
Monte-Cristo. An escaping accomplice mortally wounds him. As Caderousse lies
dying, Monte-Cristo reveals his true identity.
In Paris, Monte-Cristo ingratiates himself with banker Danglars, who loses
heavily by following the investing example of the count, and so faces
bankruptcy. The next victim is Fernand, who gained his wealth by betraying
Pasha Ali in the Greek revolution of 1823. Monte-Cristo persuades Danglars
to send to Greece for confirmation of Fernands operations there. Fernand is
exposed, and at a trial conducted by his peers, Haidée, daughter of the
Pasha Ali, confronts him with the story of her fathers betrayal.
Albert, son of Mercédès and Fernand, challenges Monte-Cristo to a duel to
avenge his fathers disgrace. Monte-Cristo, an excellent shot, intends to
make his revenge complete by killing the young man, but Mercédès visits him
and begs for her sons life. Aware of Monte-Cristos true identity, she
intercedes with her son as well. When the duelists meet, Albert publicly
declares that his fathers downfall is justified and apologizes to
Monte-Cristo. Fernand, with no way to salvage his name, commits suicide.
Mercédès and her son renounce their ill-gotten fortune and leave Paris,
almost penniless.
Monte-Cristo has also become an intimate of Madame Villefort and encourages
her desire to possess the wealth of her stepdaughter, Valentine. The count
has slyly directed Madame Villefort in the use of poisons, and the depraved
woman murders three people. When Valentine, too, is poisoned, Maximilian
Morrel, son of the shipping master and in love with Valentine, goes to
Monte-Cristo for help. Monte-Cristo vows to save the young girl, but Madame
Villefort has marked her for death, and Valentine apparently dies of
poisoning. Despite this seemingly distressing turn of events, Monte-Cristo
promises future happiness to a deeply depressed Maximilian, who is like a
son to him.
Danglarss masculine daughter, Eugénie, rejects several potential
matrimonial matches. Disguised as a man, she runs off with her female
piano-teacher to seek her fortune. Danglars, facing ruin for
misappropriating funds, deserts his wife and flees the country to escape
prosecution. When Villefort discovers his wifes treachery and crimes, he
threatens her with exposure. She then poisons herself and her young son,
Edward, for whose sake she had poisoned the others. Monte-Cristo reveals his
true name to the already unhinged Villefort, who subsequently goes
completely insane. Edmonds revenge is complete.
Monte-Cristo sails to his rocky island with Maximilian, who is suicidal
because he believes his beloved Valentine is dead; but she is not dead.
Monte-Cristo has rescued Valentine through the use of a death-simulating
drug and spirited her to safety from her tomb and away from the turmoil that
arose in the wake of the counts machinations against his enemies. Now he
reunites the two lovers, who become beneficiaries of the counts immense
wealth. Edmond, with Haidée, who professes her love for him, sails away,
never to be seen again.
Character List
1. Ali
Ali is Monte Cristos mute valet. He is totally loyal to his master, who
saved his life.
2. Beauchamp - (boh-SHAHN)
Beauchamp is a radical journalist and a loyal friend of Albert de Morcerf.
He is one of Alberts seconds in the duel with Monte Cristo.
3. Benedetto - (bay-nay-DAY-toh)
Benedetto is the son of de Villefort and Madame Danglars. Villefort buried
him at birth, believing he was dead. He was found by Bertuccio, who raised
him. Benedetto grows up to be a scoundrel. Because of who Benedetto is,
Monte Cristo uses him in his plot against Villefort, giving him a new
identity as an Italian nobleman, Andrea Cavalcanti. Andrea becomes engaged
to Eugénie Danglars, but he is then arrested for the murder of Caderousse.
At his trial he identifies Villefort, who is prosecuting him, as his father,
thus ruining Villefort.
4. Giovanni Bertuccio - (joh-VAHN-nee behr-TEWT-chyoh)
Bertuccio is a Corsican who swears a vendetta against Villefort because
Villefort made no effort to find the murderer of Bertuccios brother. Later,
Bertuccio is wrongly arrested for the murder committed by Caderousse and his
wife. Monte Cristo, in the guise of Abbé Busoni, manages to arrange his
release. Bertuccio then enters the service of Monte Cristo.
5. Abbé Busoni
See Dantès
6. Gaspard Caderousse - (gahs-PAHR ka-deh-ROOS)
Gaspard Caderousse is a greedy and untrustworthy neighbor of Dantès. He is
present, and drunk, when Fernand writes the note accusing Dantès of treason.
Caderousse knows Dantès is innocent but does nothing to help him. Many years
later, when Caderousse is an innkeeper, Dantès visits him, disguised as the
Abbé Busoni. Caderousse tells him the entire story of why Dantès was
imprisoned and what has happened to the conspirators since. Busoni rewards
him with a diamond. But after Busoni has gone, Caderousse and his wife
murder a jeweler who offered to buy the diamond. Caderousse is arrested and
sentenced to hard labor. He escapes but continues a life of crime. His end
comes when he burgles Monte Cristos house. Monte Cristo, in disguise as the
Abbé Busoni, catches him red-handed, but then lets him go, guessing
correctly that he will be immediately killed by his accomplice, Benedetto.
7. Andrea Cavalcanti
See Benedetto
8. Cloclès
Cloclès is a loyal elderly employee of Morrel.
9. Count of Monte Cristo
See Dantès
10. Doctor dAvrigny
Doctor dAvrigny is physician to the Villefort family. He suspects that the
mysterious deaths of several family members are murder, but he says nothing
to the authorities.
11. Franz dEpinay - (day-pee-NAY)
Franz dEpinay is a young nobleman who visits Rome with his friend Albert de
Morcerf. Later, Franz engages to marry Valentine de Villefort, but he
cancels the engagement when he discovers that Valentines grandfather,
Noirtier, was the man who killed his father, a royalist general, many years
earlier.
12. Baron Danglars - (dahn-GLAR)
As a young man, Danglars is a sailor on the Pharaon. He is envious of Dantès
and writes a note falsely accusing him of being a Bonapartist conspirator,
causing Dantès to be imprisoned. Using unscrupulous means, Danglars pursues
a career as a banker. He becomes rich and marries an aristocrat. The
marriage is an unhappy one, however. Monte Cristo arranges for Danglarss
downfall by plotting a series of financial disasters for him. Danglars
leaves his wife, and his daughter runs away from their home. Eventually,
when Danglars has only fifty thousand francs left, Monte Cristo forgives
him, but Danglars is completely shattered by his financial ruin and his hair
turns white.
13. Eugénie Danglars - (dahn-GLAR)
Eugénie Danglars is the daughter of the Danglars. She is horrified at the
thought of marriage and is pleased when herfiancé, Andrea Cavalcanti, is
arrested for murder. Deciding to live independently, she disguises herself
as a man and runs away with her friend, Louise dArmilly.
14. Madame Danglars - (dahn-GLAR)
Madame Danglars comes from an ancient family and was married to a marquis.
After his death, she married Danglars. However, the marriage is not a happy
one, and the couple live largely separate lives. Madame Danglars takes
lovers, including Villefort, with whom she has a child, and later Debray.
After her husband leaves her, she is also abandoned by Debray.
15. Edmond Dantès - (ehd-MOHN dahn-TEHS)
Edmond Dantès is a highly capable and goodhearted young man of nineteen who
is on the brink of great success and happiness. He is about to be promoted
to captain of a commercial trading ship and to marry the girl he loves. But
the envy and treachery of Fernand, Danglars, Caderousse and Villefort result
in his being falsely imprisoned for treason for fourteen years. On his
escape, he vows to reward those who in his absence were kind to his father
and punish those who conspired against him. Dantès acquires great wealth by
finding the treasure that his fellow prisoner, the Abbé Faria, told him was
buried on the island of Monte Cristo. Giving himself the title of Count of
Monte Cristo, as well as several aliases, he then rewards his friends in the
Morrel family and pursues his enemies with single-minded determination and
great ingenuity. He sees himself as the agent of divine Providence. However,
he comes to doubt this when his scheme against Villefort results in the
death of the innocent boy, Edouard. He overcomes his doubts when he makes a
trip to the chateau where he was imprisoned, which rekindles his memories of
the injustice he suffered. He can then pursue his vengeance against his
final enemy, Danglars.
16. Monsieur Dantès
Monsieur Dantès is Dantèss father. He lives in poverty, which worsens after
his sons imprisonment. Mercédès and Morrel try to look after him, but
eventually, overwhelmed by his misfortunes, he refuses to eat and starves
himself to death.
17. Albert de Morcerf - (mohr-SEHRF)
Albert de Morcerf is the son of the Count and Countess de Morcerf. Unlike
his father, Albert is a man of integrity and courage. His life is saved by
Monte Cristo when he is kidnapped by bandits in Rome, and Monte Cristo comes
to recognize Alberts essential goodness, even though they come close to
fighting a duel. When Albert learns of his fathers disgrace, he forgives
Monte Cristo for his part in making his fathers crimes public. He also
renounces his name and fortune and vows to make a fresh start in life by
joining the army.
18. Count de Morcerf - (mohr-SEHRF)
See Fernand Mondego
19. Countess de Morcerf - (mohr-SEHRF)
See Mercédès Herrera
20. Marquis de Saint-Méran - (sahn-may-RAHN)
Marquis de Saint-Méran is a wealthy royalist in high favor with the court.
His daughter Renée marries Villefort. He is later poisoned by Madame Héloïse
de Villefort.
21. Marquise de Saint-Méran - (sahn-may-RAHN)
Marquise de Saint-Méran is the wife of the Marquis de Saint-Méran. She and
her husband are poisoned by Madame Héloïse de Villefort.
22. Renée de Saint-Méran - (sahn-may-RAHN)
Renée de Saint-Méran becomes Villeforts first wife and the mother of
Valentine. She dies young.
23. Edouard de Villefort - (veel-FOHR)
Edouard de Villefort is the Villeforts young son. He is poisoned by his
mother just before she commits suicide. His death causes Monte Cristo to
reconsider whether his actions have been just.
24. Héloïse de Villefort - (veel-FOHR)
Héloïse de Villefort is Villeforts second wife, and the mother of Edouard.
She poisons the Marquis and Marquise de Saint- Méran, and Valentine, as part
of her plot to ensure an inheritance for her son. On being found out by her
husband and told to commit suicide or face prosecution, she chooses suicide,
and she also murders her son.
25. Monsieur de Villefort - (veel-FOHR)
Monsieur de Villefort is the twenty-seven-yearold deputy public prosecutor
in Marseilles who sends Dantès to prison unjustly. Villefort knows Dantès is
innocent, but he wants to protect his father, Noirtier, a Bonapartist, who
was the addressee of the letter that Dantès had been asked to deliver from
Elba. During Dantèss imprisonment, Villefort becomes the powerful Deputy
Minister of France in Paris. However, Villefort is guilty of one secret
crime. He had an affair with Madame Danglars, and he buried their baby
alive. However, the baby was rescued and was raised as Benedetto. When as a
young man, Benedetto is charged with murder, he exposes Villeforts crime in
court. Villefort goes home and finds his wife has committed suicide and also
killed their son Edouard. The shock of all these events drives him insane.
26. Valentine de Villefort - (veel-FOHR)
Valentine de Villefort is the daughter of Monsieur and Renée de Villefort.
She is in love with Maximilien, but she falls victim to the poison plot of
her stepmother, who wants Valentines inheritance to end up with her son
Edouard. Monte Cristo saves Valentines life and arranges for her to be
united with Maximilien.
27. Lucien Debray - (lew-SYAHN deh-BRAY)
Lucien Debray is the Secretary of the Minister of the Interior in Paris who
carries on an affair with Madame Danglars. She eventually finds out that
Debray is only interested in the money they are making from a profitable
joint business venture which has drained the fortune of her husband.
28. Abbé Faria - (fah-RYAH)
Abbé Faria is a learned and resourceful priest imprisoned in the Château
dIf. He and Dantès become close friends after Faria digs through to
Dantèss cell. Faria teaches Dantès languages, science, culture and
spirituality. He also tells him where to find buried treasure. Although
Faria dies before the two of them can put their escape plan into action, it
is Faria who equips Dantès with all he needs to successfully take on the
identity of the Count of Monte Cristo.
29. Haydée - (eh-DAY)
Haydée is the daughter of Ali Pasha, who was betrayed by de Morcef. As a
young girl, Haydée was sold into slavery and purchased by Monte Cristo, in
whose service she remained. Haydée testifies against de Morcerf at his
trial, which ensures his conviction.
30. Emmanuel Herbault - (ehr-BOH)
Emmanuel Herbault is a clerk who works for Morrel. He marries Julie Morrel.
31. Julie Morrel Herbault
Julie Morrel Herbault is the daughter of Morrel. Monte Cristo, calling
himself Sinbad the Sailor, uses her as the channel through which he pays
Morrels debts and restores the family fortunes. She marries Emmanuel
Herbault.
32. Mercédès Herrera - (mehr-say-DEHZ)
Mercédès Herrera is a beautiful young girl in Marseilles who is engaged to
marry Dantès. After Dantès is imprisoned, she is grief-stricken. Eighteen
months later, she agrees to marry Fernand, but she never ceases to love
Dantès. Although she ascends to a high social position in Paris, her
marriage is unhappy. Later, when Dantès as Monte Cristo visits her, she
recognizes him immediately, but says nothing. At another meeting, she
persuades him not to kill her son in a duel. When her husband commits
suicide, Mercédès renounces her title and her husbands wealth. Helped by a
monetary gift from Monte Cristo, she goes to live in the small house in
Marseilles which was once owned by Dantès father. She plans to spend the
rest of her life in prayer.
33. Jacopo
Jacopo is a sailor who saves Dantèss life after Dantès has escaped from
prison and is trying to swim to safety. Jacopo pulls him out of the water
just as Dantèss strength gives out. He becomes a loyal friend of Dantès and
stays devoted to him after Dantès becomes Monte Cristo. Monte Cristo rewards
him by making him captain of his yacht.
34. Fernand Mondego - (mohn-deh-GOH)
Fernand Mondego is a fisherman from Marseilles who is in love with Mercédès.
When he learns that Mercédès is to marry Dantès, he mails the letter
Danglars has written to the authorities accusing Dantès of being a
Bonapartist conspirator. After Dantès is imprisoned, Fernand joins the army,
and when he returns he marries Mercédès. Fernand rises in the world,
accumulates wealth by dubious means, and takes the title of the Count of
Morcerf. His wife and son are his pride and joy, but he loses them both
when it is revealed that many years earlier he betrayed a French ally, Ali
Pasha, and sold Pashas wife and daughter into slavery. In disgrace, de
Morcerf shoots himself.
35. Maximilien Morrel
Maximilien Morrel is the son of Morrel the shipowner. He is an upright young
man who becomes a captain in the army. He falls in love with Valentine de
Villefort, and after many twists and turns, Monte Cristo, who admires Morrel
and befriends him, arranges for them to be together.
36. Monsieur Morrel
Monsieur Morrel is a shipowner in Marseilles. He promotes Dantès to captain
of the Pharaon. After Dantèss arrest, he tries many times to intercede with
the authorities on Dantèss behalf, even though is it politically dangerous
for him to do so. Fourteen years later, after Dantès has escaped, Morrel
has fallen on hard times. His ships are lost at sea and his creditors are
pressing him for payment. He is about to commit suicide when Monte Cristo
intervenes and pays off his debts.
37. Monsieur Noirtier
Monsieur Noirtier is Villeforts father. He and his son are on opposing
sides politically. Noirtier is a prominent Bonapartist who kills a royalist
general in a duel. As an old man he suffers a paralyzing stroke, but he
still manages to save his beloved granddaughter Valentine from being
compelled to marry Franz dEpinay. He does this by producing an old journal
that records his duel with the royalist general, who was Franzs father.
38. Signor Pastrini
Signor Pastrini is the owner of a hotel in Rome. He arranges the meeting
between Monte Cristo and Albert de Morcerf.
39. Peppino - (pay-pee-NOH)
Peppino is a member of Luigi Vampas gang of bandits. He owes his life to
Monte Cristo, who used his wealth to buy a pardon for Peppino just before
Peppino was due to be executed.
40. Sinbad the Sailor
See Dantès
41. Luigi Vampa - (LWEE-jee VAHM-pah)
Luigi Vampa is a notorious bandit leader in Rome who is responsible for
kidnapping Albert de Morcerf. He releases Albert on the instructions of
Monte Cristo, to whom he owes friendship because the Count once declined to
hand Vampa over to the authorities when he had the opportunity. Vampas gang
later kidnaps Danglars and again follows the instructions given by Monte
Cristo.
42. Lord Wilford
See Edmond Dantès
