“The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury” (Marcus Aurelius).
There is no doubt that when bad things happen to people, they want to reflect their misery on others whom they think caused it, which is exactly what happened with Edmond Dantes, a once innocent man who became consumed by hatred.
In The Count Of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, the author uses foreshadowing and Biblical allusion to convey a theme of vengeance.
For example, Dumas makes use of foreshadowing to hint the reader toward the Count’s evil vengeance plan which folds out throughout the novel. In this case, While talking with Albert de Morcerf, the Count speaks horrible words on how he would inflict revenge on his enemies. He tells Albert that it would
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be a similar pain to the one he experienced “ ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth’ “ (D139). This means that because The Count lost everything he had, and went through immense torture and pain, he is going to impose that same pain onto his accusers. Although it may seem fair, it’s only going to bring the Count more suffering than satisfaction in which he is hoping for. The next example shows how highly the Count thinks of himself, and how he believes that he was made to avenge his rivals. Before sailing away to carry out his plan the Count says “ ‘Farewell to all sentiments that gladden the heart. I have substituted myself for providence in rewarding the good: May the God of vengeance now yield me his place to punish the wicked’ “ (D131). This is another example of foreshadowing because it represents how the Count now believes himself to be God, and that it is in his duty to bring the most painful injury upon his opponents. It shows how he has decided to no longer bring good to people that deserve it, but instead ruin his enemies and innocent people’s lives. At the same time, the author uses Biblical allusions to create a world that the Count has built himself off of in order to avenge his accusers by playing a God like figure.
In this event, the Count is acting as the Abbe Busoni, a priest in whom he uses to get closer to his challengers. So as he is playing this part in the final act of reprisal against Caderousse, a greedy convict who caused the Count’s father to die, he says to him “ ‘SIlence, God gives me strength to subdue wild beasts like you. I act in the name of God. Remember that, you wretched scoundrel.’ “ (D337). This dialogue proves how the Count honestly thinks that he has to fulfill acts of God, and that he deserves to have a name as high of a title as God. Later on, when the Count has moved onto another opponent, Monsieur de Villefort, and is drugging his daughter which will make it seem like she has died, causing great amounts of grief to come Villefort’s way. In the meantime, while lying on her bed, in a daze, Valentine, the daughter of Villefort, says to the Count who claims is her protector, “ ‘You say you have been watching over me, yet I haven’t seen you till now’ “ (D337). Which is an allusion and symbolic in a way that God watches over us and protects us even if we don’t see him directly. Which shows that not only does the Count believe himself to be the God of vengeance, but people, like Valentine, see him in that way even if they don’t realize
it. In conclusion, the author of the Count Of Monte Cristo had a excellent use of literary devices such as Biblical allusions and foreshadowing. Dumas created an art form assembling a world built on the fire of vengeance. The novel lead the Count through the twists and faults of revenge, and how it destroys the soul. So in the end, vengeance is a force of hatred that will drive the avenger to despair even if they set out to hurt someone else.
“I wish to be Province myself, for I feel that the most beautiful, noblest, sublime thing in the world is to recompense and punish” (Dumas 213). In the novel The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, there are many examples of vengeance from the main character, Edmond Dantes. Dantes started out as a young sailor with an encouraging career, a beautiful fiancee, and a loving father. However, those who were envious of his promising young life came together to take Dantes apart, as Dantes was wrongfully convicted and thrown in prison. What he learned about the men who wronged him ignited a fire in his heart to get his revenge on those three people, known as Fernand, Danglars, Villefort. Edmond Dantes started out as a young man with great ambitions
Foreshadowing hints at what might happen next in the story. Elie used foreshadowing to show loss of faith when one of the Jews from his town was captured. “Without passion or haste, they shot the prisoners who were forced to approach the trench and offer their necks” (6). After this happened the other Jews in town never believed the captured Jew. After no one had believed the Jew he lost faith because the other Jews had no idea what was going to happen to them later on in the story which is an example of foreshadowing. There is a lady in night in the camp with Elie. She is abandoned by her family and separated in the camp. “The separation had totally shattered her”(24). This foreshadows what might happen to Elie later on in the story when his father dies. That would cause him to lose
It gives clues to the readers of what might happen next in the story or what the story can result in. In the "Sorry, Wrong Number" the narrator is foreshadowing when he dramatically says, "She overhears two men division a secret plan.” Foreshadowing is clearly introduced here when the narrator of this story gives hints to the reader that something is about to happen next. When there are two men plotting together making a secret plan, the readers know that they will find it out. This creates more suspense and intimidation within the reader. The wife in the story is fearful. She doesn’t know what the plan is, but she has an idea that it has to do with her husband. The foreshadowing builds suspense before she finds out what the plan really
Dumas references the bible in his writing of The Count of Monte Cristo a majority of the time although he does reference Sindbad the Sailor, a character from Arabian Nights as one of the many “faces” the count puts on after coming out of the Château d'If. One use of a biblical allusion is when the count is with Albert and Franz as they witness the brutal and savage execution of a criminal. Although Albert and Franz are disgusted at the sight of the dead man “The count was as erect as the avenging angel,”(Dumas 143). The “avenging angel” is a reference to the devil, in this case stating that the count was not bothered by this disgusting execution but rather had the posture of a man who enjoyed it. This gives you an idea that the count is okay with these kinds of long, brutal, painful deaths, and maybe even gives insight to how he feels about vengeance. Another great biblical allusion is at the very end of the book when the count is leaving with Haydee leaving Maximilien and Valentine together. In a letter he left in the hands of Jacopo to be given to Maximilien he said “Tell the angel who will watch over you life to pray now and then for a man who, like Satan, believed himself for an instant to be equal to God, but who realized in all humility that supreme power and wisdom are in the hands of God alone,”(Dumas 530). In this excerpt from the letter, he refers to himself as a man like the devil believing that he was God. He took the work of God into his hands completing his vengeance plan, but also hurting so many other people on the way there. This gives you the idea that although he completed his vengeance, he did realize that what he did was wrong and that he isn’t
He is pushed off a cliff and drowns. 2. What is the difference between a.. Because this was a mystery novel, foreshadowing was very heavily used in the book. Foreshadowing is very useful in a mystery novel, because a mystery novel is all about suspense, and foreshadowing is a great tool to increase the suspense.
The prologue of a novel plays a crucial role in introducing the setting of the story. The prologue also sets the tone of the tale and can sometimes hide vital information from the reader. The art of foreshadowing is often used in the prologue, and after reading through the story, reverting back to the prologue can help connect the many themes and motifs that are prevalent throughout the narrative. A high-quality example of a prose with a prologue that is riddled with underlying foreshadowing is The Assault, by Harry Mulisch. By analyzing a single passage of the prologue and comparing it with other small potions of the text, the foretelling of events in the prologue of The Assault by Harry Mulisch can easily be related to how Anton believed the killing of his family was a simple affair, when in reality, it was a more complicated incident than
In the novel, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, foreshadowing is used a great deal throughout the whole story. From the beginning to the end, it appears everywhere hinting on what will happen in order to make the book more enjoyable. It was used to show that Lennie will be getting into trouble with Curley's wife, the death of Lennie, and exactly how he dies.
Have you ever watched a movie and knew what the ending was before it was over? Characters from the story use foreshadowing to hint on what will happen in the future. There are many examples of foreshadowing that John Steinbeck creates in Of MIce and Men. some key uses of foreshadowing that Steinbeck uses in Of MIce and Men are there wishes of the ranch but their plans going askew, how curley's wife will die, how they will not get the ranch, and lastly how lennie will die.
In the acclaimed novel, main character Edmond Dantès is consumed by the idea of getting revenge on every person who did him wrong. In the novel, Dantès is falsely accused of high treason by his former best friend, and is exiled to a secret prison where he is expected to spend the rest of his life. However, Dantès escapes and discovers a hidden treasure worth millions. Unfortunately this comes after thirteen years of pain and anguish in a brutal prison, he then vows to use his new-found wealth "for vengeance". Dantès then transforms himself into The Count Of Monte Cristo, an aristocrat that is possessed by revenge. The Count then becomes focused on revenge, "In order not to interfere with his freedom to take revenge, he never eats or drinks in his enemy's house." This quote shows just how much he thinks about revenge, so much so that it has became a part of his daily routines. Dantès is not afraid to take a life and holds nothing back when it comes to revenge, He even says "Beware, our revenge will be terrible when we take it." This identifying kindred ideals with Inigo Montoya from The Princess Bride. The two characters (though both noble) will stop at nothing until they get their revenge, the thought of revenge often becomes their will to live. Alexander Dumas wants us to know that revenge can affect even the most noble and merciful people, and although people may seek revenge they can still be good in their hearts. We see this at the end of the novel, where Dantès decides to put the rest of his wealth towards peace, no longer haunted by idea of
Foreshadowing has been used throughout the ages of literature revealing horroriffic endings and scheming love, helping the reader from being to overly surprised by the outcomes. Many writers use this technique of writing utilizing its ability to add so much more meaning to a novel. As in the age of Elizabethans, directors and actors caged this skill exploiting it when ever thought necessary. In the play Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, Shakespeare utilizes foreshadowing to keep the audience from becoming to upset by the tragic outcome. He also uses it to display Romeo's and Juliet's enduring love for one another.
Another example of foreshadowing is the clues to the death of the Marquis St. Evremonde. The people that want a revolution hate the Marquis. “That I believe our name to be more detested then any name in France” from Charles Darnay to the Marquis (113). The Marquis hears this and reply’s “’A compliment’, said the Marquis, ‘to the grandeur of the family’”(showing that he is completely oblivious to what is going on in France)(113). This is foreshadowing that the people will probably punish the Marquis. The final event is when the Marquis’s coach ran over a child and he replied “’It is extraordinary to me, said he ‘ that you people cannot take care of yourselves and you children’”(102). Then Defarge throws his coin back into the carriage, showing his anger. This event angers the people, and is a key part in the foreshadowing of the Marquis’s death.
While getting inspiration for Monte Cristo, he heard a story about a man, which inspired the plot for his novel. Picaud, the man whom inspired the story, gained vengeance in a much more gruesome way than Dantes does. Picaud takes vengeance whereas Dantes is avenged. Justice is achieved because good is stronger than evil, not because of the Count’s power (Stowe 125). Perhaps this is Dumas’s opinion on vengeance. If it is well earned, then it will fall into the man’s hands rightfully (Maurois). Dumas’s inspiration for the novel also came from his personal life. His father was heavily mistreated, and as he watched helplessly for his whole childhood, it became important to him to avenge his father. Although people in his own life may not have wronged him as they did his father, he believes in revenge, and sought revenge through his literature (Maurois). Through the character of Edmond Dantes, Dumas portrayed his own desire to justify his father’s oppressors. In Maurois’s article, he speaks about this, saying, “He must have been sorely tempted to find compensation in fiction for the iniquities of the real world.” Perhaps he was afraid to vocalize his opinion publicly, so he decided on a more subtle route, which was to create a story that everyone could identify with. Writing Monte Cristo must have been closure for Dumas at the expense of his father. He sought vengeance in the form of literature
Another example of fate and foreshadowing is when Juliet is asserting her free will to marry Romeo. She is saying that she will die unmarried if he is unavailable. Her words foreshadow her death at the end of the play.
It is believed by many that it is human nature to deem themselves to be tantamount to God. Such is the case when one decides to take revenge against those who wrong him. Though vengeance seems like the perfect way to achieve justice, a sense of equity, in actuality it is merely an unsatisfactory hypocritical action. This is the definitive realization of the protagonist, Edmond Dantès, in Alexandre Dumas’ “The Count of Monte Cristo”. The protagonist comes to understand that after a lifetime of searching for justice, he really only yearns for justice from himself.
In the story "To Build a Fire" by Jack London, foreshadowing is often used. In this story foreshadowing is an effective way to build up a climax. The foreshadowing is both shown by the environment and things the characters say.