Count of Monte Cristo

Alexandre Dumas

Alexandre Dumas Sr.

• July 24, 1802 – December 5, 1870

• French writer

• Part Haitian

•Historical novels of high adventure

Alexandre Dumas Sr.

• Born in a village northeast of Paris

• Father: He was a leading general in Napoleon's army, died (Dumas was almost 4 when this happened)

• By the time young Dumas was born his family had lost all pretensions to wealth, and his widowed mother struggled to give him a decent education.

Alexandre Dumas Sr.

• Even though he had barely any education, he read anything he could get his hands on

• His mother's stories of his father's brave military acts during the glory years of Napoleon I of France spawned his vivid imagination for adventure and heroes

Alexandre Dumas Sr.

• When he was older he began to write articles for magazines as well as plays for the theatre

• In 1829 his first solo play, Henry III and his Court, was produced, meeting with great public acclaim.

Alexandre Dumas Sr.

• Dumas believed in the principles of social equality and individual rights, and he tried to infuse his dramatic works with these principles.

Alexandre Dumas Sr.

• February 1, 1840, he married an actress, Ida Ferrier, born Marguerite-Joséphine Ferrand (1811 – 1859) but continued having numerous affairs with other women, fathering at least four illegitimate children.

Alexandre Dumas Sr.

• His writing earned him a great deal of money, but Dumas was frequently broke or in debt as a result of spending lavishly on women and high living.

• Love affairs, foreign adventures, and liked to spend money.

• Generous man

Alexandre Dumas Sr.

•Dumas suffered a stroke on December 5, 1870 in his son’s home in France.

The Count of Monte Cristo

• Dumas' most popular work

• Completed in 1844

• Story takes place in France, Italy, islands in the Mediterranean and the Middle East during the historical events of 1815–1838

The Count of Monte Cristo

• It is primarily concerned with themes of justice, vengeance, mercy, and forgiveness, and is told in the style of an adventure story.

• When first released, the Catholic church in France condemned it because of its powerful message it presented the reader.

The Count of Monte Cristo

• Force of divine justice

• Focuses on man-man hatred

• Monte Cristo's character does not arouse sympathy, yet somehow his actions are justified. He is almost a mythological hero.

Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte

• Key figure in French politics during the first quarter of the nineteenth century

• General who rose to prominence during the French Revolution

• Saved the revolutionary government from an angry mob and led the French army to victories

Napoleon Bonaparte

• French senate voted him emperor

•Widely beloved by the people

•He abolished serfdom and feudalism and guaranteed basic human rights

Napoleon Bonaparte

• He simplified the court system, took steps to make education universally available, and standardized national codes of law to ensure that the rights and liberties won during the French Revolution—equality before the law and freedom of religion—could not be taken away.

• Dogged by an increasing number of enemies and looming military defeat, Napoleon was forced to step down from his throne

Napoleon Bonaparte

• He was exiled to the Mediterranean island of Elba

• Napoleon escaped from Elba, secretly sailed to France, and marched on Paris, defeating the royal troops. (It is information about this return to power that is contained in the letter Dantès is caught conveying to Paris.)