villefort's family is divided. Valentine, his daughter by his first wife, stands to inherit the entire fortune of her grandfather and of her mother's parents (the saint-mérans), while his second wife, héloïse, seeks the fortune for her small son edward. Monte cristo is aware of héloïse's intentions, and "innocently" introduces her to the technique of poison. Héloïse fatally poisons the saint-mérans, so that valentine gets their inheritance. Then she attempts to murder valentine's grandfather, nortier, but his servant accidentally drinks the poisonous draught and dies. Nortier is coincidentally saved from a second attempt when he disinherits valentine as a ploy to stop villefort from forcing valentine to marry franz d'epinay. Héloïse then targets valentine, so that edward would get her fortune. Meanwhile, monte cristo haunts villefort with his past affair with danglars' wife and the son they had. Years before, mme. Danglars bore a child by villefort, at a house in auteuil. Villefort had buried the child, thinking it was stillborn. However, the boy was rescued from his grave and raised by bertuccio, an enemy of villefort who attempted to kill the judge on the night of his child's birth. Monte cristo, whom bertuccio now serves as a paid servant and who now owns the house in auteuil, is able to use them against villefort. As a grown man, the son enters paris in disguise as prince andrea cavalcanti (sponsored by the count) and cons danglars into betrothing his daughter. Caderousse blackmails andrea, threatening to reveal his past, and andrea murders caderousse. Andrea is arrested and about to be prosecuted by villefort.
After monte cristo learns that his old friend morrel's son is in love with valentine, he saves her by making it appear as though héloïse's plan to poison valentine has succeeded and that valentine is dead (although actually in a drugged sleep caused by a mixture of hashish and opium prepared by monte cristo). Villefort learns from noirtier that héloïse is a murderer. Villefort confronts héloïse, giving her the choice of a public execution or committing suicide by poison. Then he goes off to andrea's trial. There, andrea reveals that he is villefort's son, and rescued after villefort buried him alive. Villefort admits his guilt and flees the court. He feels he is as guilty as his wife, and rushes home to stop her suicide. He finds she has poisoned herself and "taken her son with her." dantès confronts villefort. Villefort shows dantès his dead wife and son, and becomes insane. Dantès tries to resuscitate edward, fails, and is remorseful that his revenge has gone too far.
Redemption
matters, however, are more complicated than dantès had anticipated. His efforts to destroy his enemies and reward the few who had stood by him become horribly intertwined. Not having foreseen the child's death, dantès begins to question his role as an agent of a vengeful god. This temporarily deters him from his course of action. During this period of doubt, he questions himself. Dantès comes to terms with his own humanity and is finally able to forgive both his enemies and himself. It is only when he is sure that his cause is just and his conscience is clear, that he can fulfill his plan. It is thus that dantes shows some mercy to danglars, his final victim and the instigator of the plot that had him imprisoned to begin with. Several months after the count's manipulation of the bond market, all danglars is left with is a good reputation and some five million francs. The count asks for the five million to fulfill their credit agreement. Danglars is forced to pay the money, but he then proceeds to embezzle five million francs from the hospitals, and flees to rome to live in anonymous prosperity. On the way, he is kidnapped by the count's agent, the celebrated bandit luigi vampa. There, in an ironic twist, danglars is imprisoned the same way that monte cristo once was, and experiences for himself the horrors of imprisonment. Told that he will not be fed unless he is paid, the miserly danglars is starved into giving up all but 50,000 francs, which monte cristo has returned to the hospitals. Nearly driven mad by his ordeal, danglars finally repents his crimes to monte cristo. His vengeance now tempered by mercy, monte cristo forgives danglars, and allows him to leave with his freedom and the 50,000 francs he has left. Maximilien morrel is distraught because he believes his true love, valentine, to be dead. He contemplates suicide after witnessing her funeral. Monte cristo reveals himself to be the person who rescued mr. Morrel from suicide years earlier. Maximilien is grateful and is persuaded by monte cristo to delay his suicide for a month. A month later, on the island of monte cristo, the count presents valentine to maximilien and reveals that he saved her from the poison attempt. Monte cristo then leaves the island and sends his friend jacopo to deliver a letter to them which reveals that he has bequeathed the monte cristo island and his paris mansions to maximilien. Haydée offers edmond (monte cristo) a new love and life.
Characters
there are a large number of characters in this book, and the importance of many of the characters is not immediately obvious. Furthermore, the characters' fates are often so inter-woven that their stories overlap significantly.
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Edmond dantès and his aliases
edmond dantès — dantès is ruggedly handsome and initially an experienced, generally well-liked sailor who seems to have everything going for him, including a beautiful fiancée (mercédès) and an impending promotion to ship's captain. After transforming into the count of monte cristo, his original name is revealed to his main enemies only as each revenge is completed, often driving his already weakened victims into despair.
Number 34 — when a new governor arrives at the château d'if early in dantès's stay there, he does not feel it worth his time to learn the names of all the prisoners, instead choosing to refer to them by the numbers of their cells. Thus, dantès is called number 34 during his imprisonment.
Chief clerk of thomson and french — shortly after edmond escapes and learns of morrel's sorry state of affairs, he disguises himself as an english senior agent of the banking firm of thomson and french, with whom morrel deals, and in this form sees morrel for the first time in fifteen years. Precise and formal, this persona is a phlegmatic, serious banking officer.
Count of monte cristo — the persona that edmond assumes when he escapes from his incarceration and while he carries out his dreadful vengeance. This persona is marked by a pale countenance and a smile which can be diabolical or angelic. Educated and mysterious, this alias is trusted in paris and fascinates the people.
Lord wilmore — the english persona in which dantès performs seemingly random acts of generosity. The englishman is eccentric and refuses to speak french. This eccentric man, in his kindness, is almost the opposite of the count of monte cristo and accordingly the two are supposed to be enemies.
Sinbad the sailor — the persona that edmond assumes when he saves the morrel family. Edmond signs a letter to mlle julie using this persona, which was accompanied by a large diamond and a red satin purse. (sinbad the sailor is the common english translation of the original french simbad le marin.)
abbé busoni — the persona that edmond puts forth when he needs deep trust from others because the name itself demands respect via religious authority.
Dantès's allies
abbé faria — italian priest and sage; befriends edmond while both are prisoners in the château d'if, and reveals the secret of the island of monte cristo to edmond. Becomes the surrogate father of edmond, while imprisoned, digging a tunnel to freedom he educates edmond in languages, and all the current sciences (including chemistry which comes to his aid greatly during his revenge plan) and is the figurative father of the count of monte cristo. He dies from the third attack of a mysterious hereditary disease.
Bertuccio — the count of monte cristo's steward and very loyal servant; in the count's own words, bertuccio "knows no impossibility" and is sure of never being dismissed from the count's service because, as the count states, the count will "never find anyone better." he had declared vendetta against monsieur de villefort, for refusal to avenge bertuccio's brother's murder. Before ever meeting edmond, he stabs villefort, believing him to be dead, but becomes involved in villefort's personal life by rescuing his illegitimate newborn, later named benedetto by bertuccio.
Luigi vampa — italian bandit and fugitive; owes much to the count of monte cristo, and is instrumental in many of the count's plans.
Haydée — the daughter of ali pasha is eventually bought by the count of monte cristo from a sultan. Even though she was purchased as a slave, monte cristo treats her with the utmost respect. She lives in seclusion by her own choice, but is usually very aware of everything that is happening outside. She usually goes to local operas accompanied by the count. At the trial of fernand mondego, she provides the key evidence required to convict fernand of treason. She is deeply in love with the count of monte cristo, and although he feels he is too old for her, he eventually reciprocates.
Ali — monte cristo's nubian slave, a mute (his tongue had been cut out as part of his punishment for intruding into the harem of the bey of tunis; his hand and head had also been scheduled to be cut off, but the count bargained with the bey for ali's life). He is completely loyal and utterly devoted to the count and is trusted by him completely. Ali is also a master of horses.
Baptistin — monte cristo's valet-de-chambre. Although only in monte cristo's service for little more than a year, he has become the number three man in the count's household and seems to have proven himself completely trustworthy and loyal.
Morcerf family
mercédès mondego — (née: Herrera) edmond's fiancée at the beginning until their planned marriage is interrupted by edmond's imprisonment. Eighteen months later, she marries cousin fernand mondego (while still pledging eternal love to dantes) because she believes edmond dead and feels alone in the world. Thus, she lives as mme the countess de morcerf in paris and bears a son. At dantes' release and reappearance as the count, their love is still evident and passionate but circumstances (including her own marriage and edmond's involvement with haydée) dictate that they cannot marry. In the end, she returns to marseille with edmond's respect and admiration.
Fernand mondego — later known as the count de morcerf. Edmond's rival and suitor for mercédès; will do anything to get her, including bearing false witness against edmond. He is overall a representation of evil, as he lies and betrays throughout his military career for his own personal gain. But, when confronted by his nefarious acts, disgraced in public and abandoned by his wife and son, he commits suicide.
Albert de morcerf — son of mercédès and the count de morcerf. Befriends monte cristo in rome; viewed by monte cristo as the son that should have been his with mercédès, but does not have as strong a filial bond with him as does maximillien morrel. At the end, he realizes his father's faults and, along with his mother, mercédès, abandons him and his name.
Danglars family
baron danglars — initially the purser on the same ship on which dantès served as first mate, he longs to be wealthy and powerful and becomes jealous of dantès for his favor with pierre morrel. He also developed a grudge against dantès with whom he has had some arguments regarding the accuracy of his accounting. The source of his wealth is not clear but is possibly due to unscrupulous financial dealings while in the french army and has reportedly been multiplied by speculation and marriage. His intelligence is only evident where money is concerned; otherwise he is a member of the nouveau riche with only superficial good taste (he cannot even tell the difference between original paintings and copies) and no true family feelings.
Madame danglars — full name is hermine de nargonne or hermine danglars. Was independently wealthy before marrying danglars. With help from her close friend (and presumed lover) lucien debray, madame danglars invests the money of danglars and is able to amass over a million francs for her own disposal. Once had an affair with gérard de villefort, whom she had an illegitimate son with (see benedetto).
Eugénie danglars — the daughter of danglars engaged at first to albert de morcerf and later to "andrea cavalcanti" but who would rather stay unwed, living "an independent and unfettered life" as an artist. She is presented as a lesbian and runs away with another girl; these connotations were considered scandalous.
Villefort family
gérard de villefort — a royal prosecutor who has even denounced his own father (noirtier) in order to protect his own career. He is responsible for imprisoning edmond dantès to save his aspirations for his career.
Valentine de villefort — the daughter of gérard de villefort, the crown prosecutor and enemy of edmond. She falls in love with maximilien morrel, is engaged to baron franz d'epinay, is almost poisoned by her stepmother, saved once by her grandfather, noirtier, and is finally saved by dantès. Valentine is the quintessential (french, nineteenth century) female: Beautiful, docile, and loving. The only person she feels that she can confide in is her invalid grandfather.
Noirtier de villefort — the father of gérard de villefort and grandfather of valentine. After suffering an apoplectic stroke, noirtier becomes mute and a quadriplegic, but can communicate with valentine and his servant barrois through use of his eyelids and eyes. Although utterly dependent on others, he saves valentine from the poison of her stepmother and her undesired marriage to baron franz d'epinay. Throughout his life he was a bonapartist – an ardent french revolutionary. Gérard de villefort had realized that edmond intended to fulfill his dying captain's last wish by conveying a letter from the imprisoned napoleon to noirtier, and therefore imprisoned edmond in order to hide that fact, which might have hindered gérard's advancement.
Héloïse de villefort — the murderous second wife of villefort who is motivated to protect and nurture her only son and his inheritance.
édouard de villefort — the only (legitimate) son of villefort who is unfortunately swept up in his mother's greed. (his name is sometimes translated as edward de villefort.)
benedetto — illegitimate son of de villefort and hermine de nargonne (now baroness hermine danglars); raised by bertuccio (monte cristo's servant) and his sister-in-law, assunta. Murderer and thief. Returns to paris as andrea cavalcanti.
Other important characters
gaspard caderousse — a tailor and originally a neighbour and friend of dantès, he witnesses while drunk the writing by danglars of the denunciation of dantès. After dantès is arrested, he is too cowardly to come forward with the truth. Caderousse is somewhat different from the other members of the conspiracy in that it is what he does not do, rather than what he actually plans, that leads to dantès' arrest. He moves out of town, becomes an innkeeper, falls on hard times, and supplements his income by fencing stolen goods from bertuccio. After his escape from prison, dantès (and the reader) first hear the fates of many of the characters from caderousse. Unlike the other members of the conspiracy, monte cristo offers caderousse a chance to redeem himself, but the latter's greed proves his undoing.
Pierre morrel — edmond dante's patron and owner of the major marseille shipping firm of morrell & son. While a very honest and shrewd businessman, he is very fond of edmond and eager to advance his interests. After edmond is arrested, he tries his hardest to help edmond and is hopeful of edmond's release when napoleon is restored to power, but because of his sympathies for the bonapartist cause is forced to back down and abandon all hope after the hundred days and second restoration of the monarchy. Between 1825 and 1830, his firm undergoes critical financial reverses due to the loss of all of his ships at sea, and he is at the point of bankruptcy and suicide when monte cristo (in the guise of an english clerk from the financial firm of thompson and french) sets events in motion which not only save pierre morrel's reputation and honor but also his life.
Maximilien morrel — he is the son of edmond's employer, pierre morrel, a captain in the spahi regiment of the army stationed in algiers and an officer of the legion of honor. After edmond's escape and the count of monte cristo's debut in paris, maximilien becomes a very good friend to the count of monte cristo, yet still manages to force the count to change many of his plans, partly by falling in love with valentine de villefort.
Julie herbault — daughter of edmond's patron, pierre morrel, she marries emmanuel herbault.
Emmanuel herbault — julie herbault's husband; he had previously worked in pierre morrell's shipping firm and is the brother-in-law of maximilien morrel and son-in-law of pierre morrel.
Louis dantes — edmond's father. After his son's imprisonment, he became ill with grief which led to his death.
Baron franz d'epinay — a friend of albert de morcerf, he is the first fiancé of valentine de villefort. Franz's father was killed in a duel by monsieur noirtier de villefort.
Lucien debray — secretary to the minister of the interior. A friend of albert de morcerf, and a close friend of madame danglars, to whom he funnels insider information regarding investments.
Beauchamp — a leading journalist and friend of albert de morcerf.
Le baron de château-renaud — another friend of albert de morcerf. Renaud's life was saved in africa by maximilien morrel.
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