The Count of Monte Cristo Background Material Alexandre

The Count of Monte Cristo Background Material

Alexandre Dumas (père) MAJOR WORKS: • The Count of Monte Cristo (1844 -45) • The Three Musketeers (1844) • The Man in the Iron Mask (1846)

Romance Novel: First Characteristic • Must contain a noble hero who passes many tests.

Romance Novel: Second Characteristic • There is no deep character analysis. This means that the characters are flat. We feel sympathetic toward them or we are repulsed by them.

Romance Novel: Third Characteristic • The narrative (plot) is the most important aspect of the novel. This means that there will be such things as dangerous escapes and false identities.

Historical Background • The novel opens on February 24, 1815. This was an uncertain time in French history and politics, and that uncertainty is reflected in the novel—fears of plots and conspiracies were everywhere, and old loyalties could prove advantageous or fatal. • The uncertain political situation in the novel reflects the end of the French monarchy, its replacement by Napoleon, a strong-willed general, his overthrow and the restoration of the monarchy, Napoleon’s return for the brief period known as the Hundred Days, and the restoration, once again, of the king.

Historical Background, pt. 2 • Before the novel begins, France was ruled by Louis XVI, who was a member of the noble Bourbon family that had ruled since 1589. • Over-taxed and virtually bankrupt, France struggled to maintain its glittering reputation, but the nobles refused to give up privilege. Hunger and discontent spread among the people, and military disasters further weakened the government. • The French Revolution began in 1789, with the king becoming a figurehead and then a fugitive. He (and his queen, Marie Antoinette) were arrested in 1792 and executed in 1793. Their son, called the Dauphin or the heir to the throne, was given the title of king by his uncle, but remained in prison until his death in 1795. • After the death of Louis XVI, France was ruled as a republic, but the government was unstable and poorly financed; many political executions took place, and great uncertainty cloaked

Historical Background, pt. 3 • In 1799, Napoleon Bonaparte, who had led French armies to success in Italy (where he converted a ragtag assemblage into a proud and conquering army) and Egypt, returned to France and overturned the weak central government. • From then until the restoration of the Bourbon king, Louis XVIII (who appears in The Count of Monte Cristo), Napoleon ruled France with the support of his followers, the Bonapartists. • Napoleon moved quickly to centralize power, stabilize the economy, publish a new code of laws, and make taxation and administration major concerns of the central government. • Becoming increasingly autocratic, Napoleon moved from being consul to consul-for-life to emperor.

Bonapartists / Royalists • • • Bonapartists supported Napoleon Bonaparte. Girondins also supported Napoleon. Royalists supported King Louis XVIII. Napoleon and the king were virulent enemies. Napoleon is referred to as the usurper. (usurper: one who wrongfully or illegally seizes and holds the place of another) • Napoleon is also referred to as the Emperor by his supporters. • The Bourbons support the king.

The Emperor • Early in the novel, Edmond Dantès must visit the Emperor on Elba because Captain Leclère, who has recently died, was supposed to go there. As first mate, Edmond must now fulfill the orders of his former captain. • Be aware that Napoleon Bonaparte is the person referred to as the “Emperor” and that the King of France sees him as an enemy. • Therefore, visiting Napoleon (the “Emperor”) is a dangerous political move although Edmond does not realize this nor is he a supporter of Napoleon.

Le Château d’If

Le Château d’If • The Château d’If was a prison built on a small island in the Bay of Marseilles, which is owned by France. The site was originally used as a military fortress, but it had many features that made it an ideal prison.

Le Château d’If • Escape from the Château d’If was virtually impossible. The waters surrounding the small island were very dangerous, with fast currents that could easily drag even a strong swimmer to his or her death. A variety of prisoners suffered within the walls of the penitentiary; it held dangerous criminals, thieves, religious convicts, and political hostages for many years. These inmates lived in harsh conditions, and the location became well known as one of the worst prisons in existence.

Le Château d’If • While the Château d’If gained a large amount of notoriety on its own, it began to receive worldwide notice following the printing of Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo in 1844. The story made for a great fictional read and spread the infamy of the château.

Le Château d’If • No one has ever been known to escape from the Château d’If. Prisoners who spent time there were locked away for many years, often for life. Every inmate received a manner of treatment that was largely based on his or her wealth and social standing; thus, poor prisoners had a much more difficult time than the very rich. Wealthy inmates could buy a higher class cell with windows and even a fireplace. Poor individuals were placed in a dark, underground dungeon and forced to live in dirty, overcrowded conditions. Many of the prisoners were chained to walls during their stay, while others were beaten, forced into labor, or even killed.

Le Château d’If • Today, the Château is still in operation, but only as a tourist attraction. People from all over the world visit to explore the famous prison that served as a setting for a beloved work of fiction and thousands of unlucky prisoners.

French Terms • Monsieur (M. ) = Mister • Madame (Mme. ) = polite form of address for a woman (especially a married woman) • Mademoiselle (Mlle. ) = form of address for a girl or young woman • Marquis(e) = a title of nobility – male = without the final e (marquis) – feminine = with the final e (marquise) • Abbé = Father (as in a form of address for a priest)

French Terms • château = castle • rue = street • Franc = French coin worth about twenty cents (This currency is no longer extant. The Euro is now used. ) • Louis = also called Louis D’or, gold coin circulated in France before the Revolution. The franc and livre were silver coins that had shrunk in value to such an extent that by 1740 coins of a larger denomination were needed. The French kings therefore had gold coins struck and called after their name Louis, or louis d’or (“gold Louis”). After the Revolution, Napoleon continued the practice but called the coins “napoleons. ” They had a value of 20 francs. (<http: //www. britannica. com/EBchecked/topic/348670/louis>. )