• The Count of Monte Cristo (French: Le Comte de Monte-Cristo) is an
adventure novel by French author Alexandre Dumas completed in 1844. It is
one of the author's most popular works, along with The Three Musketeers.
Like many of his novels, it is expanded from plot outlines suggested by his
collaborating ghostwriter Auguste Maquet.
• The story takes place in France, Italy, and islands in the Mediterranean
during the historical events of 1815–1839: the era of the Bourbon
Restoration through the reign of Louis-Philippe of France. It begins just
before the Hundred Days period (when Napoleon returned to power after his
exile). The historical setting is a fundamental element of the book, an
adventure story primarily concerned with themes of hope, justice,
vengeance, mercy, and forgiveness. It centres around a man who is
wrongfully imprisoned, escapes from jail, acquires a fortune, and sets about
getting revenge on those responsible for his imprisonment. However, his
plans have devastating consequences for the innocent as well as the guilty. In
addition, it is a story that involves romance, loyalty, betrayal, and
selfishness, shown throughout the story as characters slowly reveal their
true inner nature.
ALEXANDER DUMAS (24 JULY 1802- 5 DECEMBER 1870)
• He was a French writer. His works
have been translated into nearly 100
languages, and he is one of the most
widely read french authors.
• Many of his historical novels of high
adventure were originally published
as serials, including The Count of
Monte Cristo, The Three
Musketeers, Twenty Years After and
The Vicomte de Bragelonne: Ten
Years Later.
Characters
Edmond Dantès and his aliases
Edmond Dantès: A sailor with good prospects, engaged to
Mercédès. After his transformation into the Count of Monte
Cristo, he reveals his true name to his enemies as each revenge
is completed. During the course of the novel, he falls in love with
Haydée.
The Count of Monte Cristo: The identity Dantès assumes when
he emerges from prison and inherits his vast fortune. As a
result, the Count of Monte Cristo is usually associated with a
coldness and bitterness that comes from an existence based
solely on revenge.
Zatarra: the name Jacopo gave Dantés as an alias.
Lord Wilmore: An Englishman, and the persona in which Dantès
performs random acts of generosity.
Sinbad the Sailor: The persona that Dantès assumes when he saves
the Morrel family and assumes while mixing with smugglers and
brigands.
Abbé Busoni: The persona of an Italian priest with religious
authority.
Monsieur Zaccone: Dantès, in the guise of the Abbé Busoni, and
again as Lord Wilmore, tells an investigator that this is the Count
of Monte Cristo's true name.
Number 34: The name given to him by the new governor of Château
d'If. Finding it too tedious to learn Dantès' real name, he was
called by the number of his cell.
The Maltese Sailor: The name he was known by after his rescue by
smugglers from the island of Tiboulen.
Dantès' allies
Abbé Faria: Italian priest and sage. Imprisoned in the Château d'If.
Giovanni Bertuccio: The Count of Monte Cristo's steward and very loyal
servant; foster father of Benedetto.
Luigi Vampa: celebrated Italian bandit and fugitive.
Peppino: Formerly a shepherd, he is later a bandit and full member of
Vampa's gang.
Ali: Monte Cristo's mute Nubian slave.
Baptistin: Monte Cristo's valet-de-chambre.
Jacopo Manfredi: A poor smuggler who helps Dantès win his freedom. When
Jacopo proves his selfless loyalty, Dantès rewards him with his own ship and
crew.
Haydée: Monte Cristo's young, beautiful slave. She is a major part of
Dantes' plan to get revenge on Fernand. At the end, she and Monte Cristo
become lovers.
Morcerf family
Mercédès Mondego (née Herrera): Edmond Dantès' lover and
fiancée at the beginning of the story. She later marries
Fernand and they have a son named Albert. Despite being
Fernand's wife, she remains in love with Edmond.
Fernand Mondego: Count de Morcerf, Dantès's rival and cousin
of Mercédès, whom he eventually marries. Fernand helped
frame Edmond in order to get Mercédès and would later
become a general in the army, which leads to his betrayal of
Haydée's father and sells Haydée and her mother to gain the
title "Count".
Albert de Morcerf: Son of Mercédès and the Viscount de
Morcerf, later becomes fond of Monte Cristo and sees him as
a friend.
Danglars family
Baron Danglars: Dantès' jealous junior officer and
mastermind behind his imprisonment, later a wealthy
banker.
Madame Hermine Danglars (formerly Baroness Hermine
de Nargonne née de Servieux): She had an affair with
Gérard de Villefort. They had an illegitimate son,
Benedetto.
Eugénie Danglars: Daughter of Baron Danglars. She is
free-spirited and aspires to become an independent
artist.
Villefort family
Gérard de Villefort: Royal prosecutor who imprisons Dantès, later
becoming acquaintances as Dantès enacts his revenge.
Renée de Villefort, née de Saint-Méran: Gérard de Villefort's first
wife, mother of Valentine.
The Marquis and Marquise de Saint-Méran: Renée's parents.
Valentine de Villefort: The daughter of Gérard de Villefort and his
first wife, Renée. In love with Maximilien Morrel. Engaged to Baron
Franz d'Épinay. She is 19 years old with chestnut hair, dark blue
eyes, and "long white hands".
Monsieur Noirtier de Villefort: The father of Gérard de Villefort
and grandfather of Valentine, Édouard (and, without knowing it,
Benedetto). A committed anti-royalist. He is paralysed and only able
to communicate with his eyes, but retains his mental faculties and
acts as protector to Valentine.
Héloïse de Villefort: The murderous second wife of Gérard de
Villefort, mother of Edouard.
Édouard de Villefort (Edward). The only legitimate son of Villefort.
Benedetto: The illegitimate son of de Villefort and Baroness Hermine
Danglars (Hermine de Nargonne), raised by Bertuccio and his sister-
in-law, Assunta, in Rogliano. Becomes "Andrea Cavalcanti" in Paris.
Morrel family
Pierre Morrel: Dantès's employer, owner of Morrel & Son.
Maximilien Morrel: Son of Pierre Morrel, an army captain who
becomes a friend of Dantès. In love with Valentine de Villefort.
Julie Herbault: Daughter of Pierre Morrel, wife of Emmanuel
Herbault.
Emmanuel Herbault: an employee of Morrel & Son, who marries Julie
Morrel and succeeds to the business.
Other characters
Gaspard Caderousse: Originally a tailor and later the owner of an
inn, he was a neighbour and friend of Dantès who fails to protect
him at the beginning of the story and then turns to crime.
Louis Dantès: Edmond Dantès' father, who dies from starvation
during his son's imprisonment.
Baron Franz d'Épinay: A friend of Albert de Morcerf, first fiancé
of Valentine de Villefort.
Lucien Debray: Secretary to the Minister of the Interior, a friend
of Albert de Morcerf, and a lover of Madame Danglars, whom he
provides with inside investment information, which she then passes
on to her husband.
Beauchamp: Journalist and friend of Albert de Morcerf.
Raoul, Baron de Château-Renaud: Member of a noble family and friend of
Albert de Morcerf.
Louise d'Armilly: Eugénie Danglars' music instructor and her intimate
friend (and it is strongly suggested, her lesbian lover).
Monsieur de Boville: Originally an inspector of prisons, later a detective
in the Paris force.
Barrois: Old, trusted servant of Monsieur de Noirtier.
Monsieur d'Avrigny: Family doctor treating the Villefort family.
Major (also Marquis) Bartolomeo Cavalcanti: Old man who plays the role
of Prince Andrea Cavalcanti's father.
Ali Tebelen (Ali Tepelini in some versions): An Albanian nationalist
leader, Pasha of Yanina, whom Fernand Mondego betrays, leading to Ali
Pasha’s murder at the hands of the Turks and the seizure of his kingdom.
His wife and daughter Haydée are sold into slavery by Fernand.
