La Carreta

The Count of Monte Cristo

Setting- The novel takes place during the years following the fall of Napoleon’s empire. The story begins in 1815 and ends in 1844. Though most of the action takes place in Paris, key scenes are also set in Marseilles, Rome, Monte Cristo, Greece, and Constantinople.
Plot- Edmond is sailing in French waters along with his best friend, Fernand, when their captain fallsill. They stop for help at a nearby island, which happens to be where Napoleon Bonaparte is in hiding. Bonaparte pulls aside Edmond and asks him to deliver an innocent letter to an old friend in Marseille, France. Edmond agrees, as that is the price for the use of Napoleon’s physician. The captain unfortunately dies, so the crew returns home to Marseille. Edmond is made captain for his bravery inseeking a physician, and the first mate comes to despise him for it.

Fernand finds out about the letter, and reads it while Edmond is sleeping, and is angry that Edmond did not tell him about it. Edmond, not knowing that Fernand knows about the letter, rushes to greet his young, Mercedes, and tell her that they can now be married as he was just promoted to captain. This is also the point inthe movie when you realize that Fernand is in love with Mercedes, but she loves Edmond.

Fernand, still angry, decides to work together with the furious first mate, and get Edmond arrested for treason, which he didn't commit. Fernand works also with a very important magistrate, Villefort, whose father is the man Edmond was to deliver the letter to. Thus, Edmond is arrested, and thrown into aremote island prison by the name of Chateau. There, he meets Priest, who teaches him many valuable lessons about life, how to sword fight, and give Edmond a proper education. All this is in turn for Edmond helping to dig, in order to escape the prison.

For 13 years, Edmond is held captive in the Chateau, and unknown to Edmond, a letter was sent to his family and Mercedes saying that he wasexecuted on grounds of treason. Finally, Edmond escapes when the priest dies, and becomes part of a crew on a merchant vessel, along with his good friend Jacopo. After 3 months, Edmond is released along with Jacopo, and they go in search of finding out what has happened to Edmond's loved ones. They find out that Edmond's father committed suicide, and the Mercedes wed Fernand a month after learning ofEdmond's execution. Edmond has by this time (with the help of the priest while in prison) figured out that he was framed by Fernand and the others. Thus, he and Jacopo sail to a remote island that the Priest told Edmond about, and there they find a treasure, making Edmond extremely wealthy. Edmond decides to become a count in order to get revenge on those who betrayed him, so he becomes The Count ofMonte Cristo, being the treasure he found The Treasure of Monte Cristo.

Soon after, he saves Fernand and Mercede's son Albert from captivity, and thus enters the lives of those he is trying to hurt like they hurt him. Mercedes begins to suspect that The Count is really Edmond, and when she confronts him privately, he denies it but slips and she realizes that he really is Edmond. Then, theykiss, and realize that they are still in love, so Mercedes goes back to her Chateau to inform Fernand that she is leaving him, when Fernand tells her that he has gone bankrupt and is leaving the country. (By this time, Villefort has been convicted of murdering his father and sent to jail, also doings of Edmond's). Mercedes proceeds to inform Fernand that Albert is not his son, but Edmond's. Fernandbecomes angry and goes out to his old, abandoned villa to collect the gold he had supposedly stolen from The Count of Monte Cristo, only to find that it is not there (Edmond's doings, again). Then, Edmond shows up, and tells Fernand where he has been all these years, and they begin a duel, only to be stopped by Mercedes and Albert. Mercedes then tells Edmond that Albert is really his son, not...