Final Thoughts

Alexander Dumas' novel The Count of Monte Cristo ended up being an astounding novel that truly captivated me. The beautiful usage of language and imagery never let me put the book down once I started. The final section of the novel was the most exciting out of all of the sections. As I predicted, the novel picked up more toward the end. The beginning set up the whole story in an intriguing turn of events, setting the main character against all odds. The final section brought about a closure to Edmond Dantes pain and anguish. He was able to exact his final revenge on his adversaries and make a final push to save Maximilian, save the love between Maximilian and Valentine, and still had the capacity to sail off with Haydee in happiness.
Regarding my final thoughts, I was left reminded of the common saying: the bigger they are, the harder they fall. The Baron (Danglars), The Count de Morcef (Ferdinand), and de Villefort were all extremely successful men after the incarceration of Edmond in Chateau de If. They accumulated large sums of wealth by various means and the three co-conspirators gained prestigious titles and positions in society. Also, Ferdinand fulfilled his love desires and was able to marry Mercedes in the absence of Edmond. However, all of this glory and success ended up being their own downfall. The Count of Monte Cristo exploited their lack of carefulness and brought them down by sucking them dry of money. I personally approve of the monetary depletion method to revenge, but for de Villefort, the revenge was more cruel in my opinion. To seek revenge on the last of the conspirators, de Villefort's family members had to die, one after another. Financial loss is one thing, but the cruelty of emotional distress and mental damage is extremely severe, and reveals a certain special hatred for Villefort. This, most likely, sprouted from the concept that Villefort promised to keep him out of jail, but
At the same time, The Count of Monte Cristo also was able to show compassion. He saved Valentine for Maximilian by feeding her Noiter's medicine, which was able to counter the effects of the poison given to her by Valentine's step-mother. He also gave her a medication that severely reduced her heart rate, putting her into a dead-like state for about a month, during which time he took care of her in the Isle of Monte Cristo. In addition, Dantes was able to save Maximilian from committing suicide, and reunited him with his love. The dichotomy of Edmond Dantes was an interesting choice for Alexander Dumas. I interpreted this dichotomy as the effect of trauma on a normal person.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who has the time, and also anyone who is a patient reader. Although it has a slow start, the novel certainly pays off toward the end, and truly is a novel for the ages.