Transcript The Count of Monte Cristo

The Count of Monte Cristo
Alexandre Dumas
Meet the Author
Alexandre Dumas
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One of the most famous French
writers of the 19th century, Dumas is
best known for historical adventure
novels. A “historical novel” is a novel
set fifty or more years in the past, and
one in which the author is writing
more from research rather than
personal experience.
Dumas’ works are fast-paced
adventure tales that blend history and
fiction, as well as entangled
melodrama that is not entirely faithful
to the historical facts.
Interesting Fact: Dumas also wrote
the famous adventure novels The
Three Musketeers and The Man in the
Iron Mask!
Alexandre was the son of Napoleon’s
famous mulatto general Dumas.
Dumas was the son of a French
aristocrat and a Haitian black slave.
1802-1870
Alexandre Dumas
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When Dumas was 4, his father died.
His family was very poor, and Dumas’
education was very minimal. Dumas,
however, loved to read extensively.
Growing up, his mother's stories of his
father's brave military acts during the
glory years of Napoleon I of France
spawned Alexandre's vivid imagination
for adventure and heroes.
Dumas’ literary career began in Paris
where he began writing articles for
magazines and plays for the theatre.
In 1829 his first solo play, Henry III
and his Court, was produced, meeting
with great public acclaim. The
following year his second play,
Christine, proved equally popular, and
as a result, he was financially able to
work full time at writing.
A common practice of the day, Dumas
had several collaborators on the
majority of his works, none of whom
ever received credit.
Alexandre Dumas
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Interesting Fact: In 1830, Dumas
participated in the revolution that
ousted King Charles X and replaced
him on the throne with Dumas's
former employer, the duc d'Orléans,
who would rule as Louis-Philippe,
the last king of France.
After writing more successful plays,
he turned his efforts to novels.
Dumas is credited with
revolutionizing the historical novel
in France. He was also among the
first to fully use the possibilities of
roman feuilleton, the serial novel.
A serial novel is a single story told
in continuous installments that are
printed in a newspaper or
magazine.
The COMC was originally published
in 18 installments!
Alexandre Dumas, pere
The “Playa”
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Dumas’s house called The Chateau de
Monte Cristo. There is a separate building
where Dumas could work privately called
the Chateau d’If. Short of money, Dumas
had to sell the house after living in it only
2 years. Today it is a museum.
Known as the “King of Paris,”
Dumas earned fortunes and
spent them right away on friends,
art, and mistresses. In fact,
Dumas’ illegitimate son
Alexandre Dumas fils was also a
famous writer!
Dumas lived as adventurously as
the heroes of his books. He took
part in the Revolution of July
1830, caught cholera during the
epidemic of 1832, and traveled to
Italy to recuperate.
Dumas died a pauper, but
happy. Dumas suffered a stroke
and died on December 5, 1870.
The Count of Monte Cristo
A Tale of Justice, Revenge, Mercy, and Forgiveness
The Count of Monte Cristo
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Marseilles. The first island in the center is
the Chateau d’If
The story takes place in France,
Italy, islands in the Mediterranean
and the Levant during the
historical events of 1815–1838.
(This is just after the French
Revolution has ended).
Interesting Fact: Dumas got the
idea for The Count of Monte Cristo
from a true story, which he found
in a memoir written by a man
named Jacques Peuchet. Peuchet
related the story of a shoemaker
named Pierre Picaud, who was
living in Paris in 1807. Picaud was
engaged to marry a rich woman,
but four jealous friends falsely
accused him of being a spy for
England. He was imprisoned for
seven years. During his
imprisonment, a dying fellow
prisoner bequeathed him a
treasure hidden in Milan. When
Picaud was released in 1814, he
took possession of the treasure,
returned under another name to
Paris and spent ten years plotting
his successful revenge against his
former “friends.”
The Chateau d’If
TODAY
http://france-for-visitors.com/photogallery/marseille/chateau-if.html
The Count of Monte Cristo
Exploring the Plot
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Edmond Dantes, a dashing 19 year old
sailor, has everything going for him. He
returns home to Marseilles with the
promise of being made captain. He is
also looking forward to marrying his
beautiful, Catalan fiancé Mercedes.
Everything is about to change as
Edmond’s good fortune inspires
jealousy in those close to him.
Dantes’ promotion to captain has made
the ship’s purser, Danglars, jealous.
Dantes’ financial situation stuns his
neighbor, Caderousse, and Dantes’
relationship with Mercedes inspires the
jealousy of her cousin, Fernand
Mondego. An “anonymous” letter is
written to the deputy prosecutor,
Villefort, accusing Dantes’ of being a
Bonapartist - a traitor to the Royalists
who are in power.
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This adventure novel takes place between the years of
1815-1838. Because the historical setting is a
fundamental element of the story, it is vital to
understand the political situation in France at the time of
the story.
The French Revolution has ended, but the lasting effects
have not. So, to understand the current political
situation in our story, we must travel back to the French
Revolution.
The French Revolution 1789-1799
Noting a downward
economic spiral, King Louis
XVI brought in financial
advisers to review the
weakened French treasury.
 The advisers noted that a
radical change was needed in
the way the public was
taxed.
 King Louis XVI had them
kicked out.
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The French Revolution
I am a lord. I
I amlots
a lord.
have
of I
have lots
money
and of
do
money
do
not
wantand
to pay
any
not extra
wanttaxes
to
to
the
king!
pay any extra
taxes to the
king!
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I am a bishop
of the church.
I have lots of
money but I
do not want
to give the
king any extra
taxes either!
I am a peasant.
I have nothing.
When the crops
fail to grow the
prices rise and I
starve.
I am King Louis
XVI. I have run
out of money
fighting the
British. Perhaps
the lords and the
church could give
me some more
taxes?
Realizing that the taxation problem really did need to be addressed, King Louis
XVI brought in Charles de Calonne, the new controller general of finance, in
1783.
Calonne suggested taxing the nobility, who had been previously exempt from
taxation. The nobility refused.
The French Revolution 1789-1799
As a last attempt to amend the taxation problem, Louis
XVI convened the Estates-General in May 1789.
 They met to discuss the deep financial crisis the French
government was experiencing; however, they could not
even agree on how voting would proceed once
deliberations began.
 The bourgeoisie realized they would always be outvoted
by the nobility, thus, they walked out of the assembly
and established the National Assembly.
 They claimed to legitimately represent the people of
France. The French Revolution had begun!
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The French Revolution
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Louis XVI eventually lost his
power, and in August of 1792, he
became a prisoner of the
common people of Paris when
he tried to escape to England. In
1793, he died at the guillotine.
The son of King Louis XVI,
King Louis XVII was proclaimed
king but never ruled. He died in
prison at the age of 10 after his
father’s death.
Allies installed Louis XVI’s
brother the next king, Louis
XVIII.
Napoleon vs. Louis XVIII
Napoleon vs. Louis XVIII
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Louis XVIII moves around
Europe before settling in
England.
Napoleon becomes First Consul
for Life in 1802 and Emperor of
France in 1804. Essentially, he is
a dictator.
Napoleon went to war with
Russia in 1812. Unable to beat
the Russians, Napoleon’s
weakened army retreated back to
France.
On April 11, 1814 Napoleon
gave up rule of France. He went
into exile on the island of Elba.
Napoleon vs. Louis XVIII
Trying to reverse many of the
results of the French
Revolution made Louis XVIII
unpopular.
 Napoleon made a surprise
return to France on March 1,
1815. Joined by his former
troops, he again became ruler
of France for 100 days.
 The struggle for power between
Napoleon and Louis XVIII was
decided by the Battle of
Waterloo with the final
overthrow of Napoleon
Bonaparte.
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