The Count of Monte Cristo

The Count of Monte Cristo Journal

In the beginning of the book The Count of Monte Cristo we meet Edmond Dantès; he comes across as a model of honesty, ability, and innocence. “He was a fine tall, slim young fellow, with black eyes, and hair as dark as a ravens wing; and his whole appearance bespoke that calmness and resolution peculiar to men accustomed from their cradle to contend with danger (pg 4).” Regardless of his youth, he is a useful leader to his sailors. He was also very devoted to his father and fiancée. Dantes was capable of looking into the good side of the people that disliked him like Danglars “a man of twenty-five or twenty –six…of unprepossessing countenance, obsequious to his superiors, insolent to his inferiors (pg6),” Caderousse “a man of twenty-five or twenty-six years of age (pg17),” and Fernand “tall, strapping, black eyed Catalan, with a red complexion, brown skin, and fierce air (pg21).”Even thought they were mean to Dantes he always treated them fairly and civilly Alexander Dumas shows us that when Morrel asks Dantès to evaluate Danglars’s work on the ship, Dantès could easily ruin his enemy’s career with a mean word but he chooses to put aside his personal feelings and honestly evaluates Danglars on a professional level. “If you mean as a responsible agent that you ask me the question, I believe there is nothing to say against him, and that you will be content with the way in which he has performed his duty (pg12).” Similarly, rather than reproach Caderousse for mistreating his father, Dantès politely welcomes him into his home and offers to lend him money. Dantès even manages to control his will toward Fernand, his rival for Mercédès feelings. Dantès is loyal to those he loves and sees the best in those who are flawed. While Dantès sits atop the pedestal of honesty and generosity, his three enemies could not be further from it. Unaware of Dantès’s kindness and tolerance, they have convinced themselves that he is very mean. When Dantès takes pride in his good luck, the other men feel injury to their own egos. There are only two enemies of Dantes, Caderousse and Danglars, actually dislike Dantès at this point; Fernand’s hatred of Dantès, by contrast, does not stem from any will of Dantès’s character. Fernand simply dislikes Dantès because he is the main obstacle to his own happiness with Mercedes.