The Count of Monte Cristo
At the conclusion of a long build-up and unimaginable suffering, an ending that warms the heart is worth the investment. Although I want to draw a parallel between what felt like 14 years of imprisonment during the pandemic to the dynamic evolution of Edmond Dante, it would simply not due. The conclusion drawn from such a tumultuous time is that it was revitalizing to read a redemption story, off the cuff of the pandemic, with the novel, The Count of Monte Cristo. The book exemplifies suffering turned into blessings, a hard worker reaping the benefits worthy of him, and all displayed through the complexities of interwoven storylines.
The plot of The Count of Monte Cristo is the foundation for all vengeance-based storylines with the beginning capturing the unjust treatment of Edmond Dante. A young sailor in love with a young woman embodying purity, he is bound for success and is beloved by all around him but three. Those three, unfortunately, interrupt Dante’s life with their jealous ruthless intentions. The unimaginable injustice wrought upon him leads to the greatest comeuppance that can be studied in literature, with the transformation of Edmond Dante becoming the Count of Monte Cristo.
The takeaway of The Count of Monte Cristo is a lesson that came at a time that I needed, “Wait and hope.” Edmond Dante finds himself stripped of everything he holds dear, but yet, is blessed with more than he could imagine. Although the triumphs of the future don’t always surpass the pain of the past, suffering may turn into blessings, and if one waits and hopes, as Edmond once did, results unimaginable may be attained. The often discouraging realities of the natural world were distinguished through the fictional transformation of a broken man.
It is noteworthy to contextualize that during the time period of 1844-1846, Alexandre Dumas was being paid by the word, so anticipate some long drawn-out, Charles Dickens-like sentences. Is it completely unbearable? No, although a commitment, it is of the time and a rich reading to take on. If anything, because of the serial nature of the book's publishing, this novel can be seen as a TV show with an unstoppable amount of episodes to accompany it. Unlike a TV show though, it is nearly impossible to binge the massive epic within a 48-hour time stamp, think more, 48 days, and if accompanied by an audiobook on 2x speed, even less.
Yet another benefit of serial publishing of The Count of Monte Cristo is the plotlines subtly being knit together to create such an epic. Not only does the novel thoroughly explore Edmond Dante, but also those of his rivals, his rivals’ children, characters not necessarily known to have any importance, and the complexities of characters even lacking the Count’s presence. The author, Alexandre Dumas, created interesting characters already heavy in relation to one another, and then with the presence of the Count, the weight begins to cave in on those relations. By the end of the novel, not only did I walk away satisfied with every conclusion, but astounded at how each character ended up being connected to one another.
To surmise the value of reading a classic novel while also tackling a beast, The Count of Monte Cristo is worthy of its praise and long-lasting categorization as a must-read in the literary canon. Not only does it bring in characters engrossing you in action, but it treads a fine line of calling everyone to a greater moral standard that simultaneously begs how far the hand of morality can stretch in achieving its goal in the hands of a mortal.
