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The Count of Monte Cristo
Old School Classics, Pre-1915
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Count of Monte Cristo: Chapters 81-End Spoilers
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Trisha
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Jan 05, 2013 05:22PM
Please post your comments for the final chapters here. This is a pretty major book, so I hope that I make it this far! Hahaha!
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Has anyone else been reading this? I finished it last week. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I found it to be an absolute page turner that kept my interest throughout. The count was quite a character!
Congrats on reaching the end!! I am starting in on chapters 20-40 and I'm loving it!
I actually read this book about once a year. If you like this book you should try "The Three Musketeers".
Thanks, Kelly. I read that one last year and once again was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
I loved the story, but IMHO the count falling for Haidee at the end had serious ick factor. Plus it was such a double standard -- it was OK for the count to stop loving Mercedes but she who NEVER stopped loving him loses everything. That wasn't a society in which women remained unmarried, look at the difficulties faced by the Mademoiselles Danglars and the music instructor an entire generation later. Also am I the only one that found the whole "I punished everybody for you God" shtick annoying?
I finished it today. This was a great book! The intrigue never seemed to stop.I was a little annoyed in the last few chapters by how the Count let Maximilian suffer without telling him that Valentine was not actually dead. But Dumas did sort of explain that in the last chapter. ("He who has felt the deepest grief is best able to experience supreme happiness. We must have felt what it is to die, Morrel, that we may appreciate the enjoyments of living.") I still think that the Count seriously overstepped by taking it upon himself to thus educate (manipulate) Maximilian, but at least these actions were not unexplained!
Julia, I too was questioning the Count's view of himself as God's "avenging angel". I did find it gratifying, then, when the Count himself started questioning this when Villefort's son died. By the end, I had the impression that the Count's view of himself had shifted from being almost God-like (in that his decisions were always correct because he was God's Avenging Angel) to being a bit more humble, in that he had served as an instrument by which God acted and everything was not actually within the Count's control.
Regarding Mercedes and Haidee: I don't think the Count stopped loving Mercedes, but I do think it would have been VERY contrived and unbelievable if the two of them would have resumed their decades-old love affair after all the events that had transpired. At a certain point, there is just too much "water under the bridge" so to speak for two people to just pick up a relationship where they'd previously left off, and I think their situation is a pretty extreme example of that. I think they each did the best they could to honor the memory of the love they once shared, but that relationship was in the past.
Mercedes was certainly pitiable at the end of the novel, but I don't think she was left totally unprotected. Didn't the fact that she had an adult son to support her lessen her need for a husband?
Regarding the Count's relationship with Haidee, it did seem a bit odd in some ways that they ended up together in the end. However, I think the ground work for that result had been laid for quite awhile. The possibility that Haidee felt a romantic love for the Count was introduced, I think, not long after her arrival in Paris. What made it feel a little weird to me was her declarations that she loved him like "a father, ...a husband". To me those are two different things!
I (finally) finished this up last weekend. I loved it! I thought it was really fitting that the Count didn't have to manufacture anything other than timing. The majority of what he did was just use each person's flaws, greed and previous indiscretions against them.
Christine wrote: "But Dumas did sort of explain that in the last chapter. ("He who has felt the deepest grief is best able to experience supreme happiness. We must have felt what it is to die, Morrel, that we may appreciate the enjoyments of living.")..."
Until he explained himself, I had the impression that he wanted to know if Morrel really loved Valentine as much as he said he did. As in, if you're not willing to die for your love (as Mercedes was not willing to die for hers) then the love is not true or lasting.
And I still don't completely buy the Count's explanation... if all he wanted was for Morrel to know what it was like to grieve, he didn't need to follow through all the way to the "suicide." He could have stopped it any time that night.
I wonder if/how he tested/taught Valentine this same lesson?
Christine wrote: "The possibility that Haidee felt a romantic love for the Count was introduced, I think, not long after her arrival in Paris. What made it feel a little weird to me was her declarations that she loved him like "a father, ...a husband". To me those are two different things! ..."
"I love you as one loves a father, a brother, a husband! I love you as one loves life, and loves God, for you are to me the most beautiful, the best and greatest of created beings!"
That's ... not romantic love, IMO. Not in the modern Western tradition of it, at least. And certainly not love between two on equal footing. I'm not sure exactly what it is. A bit of Stockholm syndrome perhaps? She spent YEARS being trained to be the perfect slave. It seems she hasn't interacted with anyone other than the Count or his servants since he purchased her years before. It could also just be Dumas' interpretation of how a then-contemporary typical middle eastern relationship.
Perhaps if the Count had started his revenge straight out of jail he could have gone back to Mercedes... But after 9 years of blaming her, even if he's now forgiven her, I agree it'd be a bit too contrived for them to get back together.
Melanti wrote: "That's ... not romantic love, IMO. Not in the modern Western tradition of it, at least. And certainly not love between two on equal footing."Your comments made me wonder... During this time period, would the characters have considered a man and a woman "on equal footing" in a romantic relationship? I don't know.
oops! Forgot to finish my sentence on that paragraph! Especially in the middle east (I'm assuming since she was kept by a Sultan originally) I would guess they probably wouldn't be expected to be on equal footing. (Or at least a male westerner wouldn't have seen it that way.)
Melanti wrote: "oops! Forgot to finish my sentence on that paragraph! Especially in the middle east (I'm assuming since she was kept by a Sultan originally) I would guess they probably wouldn't be expected to be..."
Interesting point, I was not thinking about Haidee's Middle Eastern origins.
Melanti wrote: "oops! Forgot to finish my sentence on that paragraph! Especially in the middle east (I'm assuming since she was kept by a Sultan originally) I would guess they probably wouldn't be expected to be..."
I read this novel years ago but plan to re-read it this month, so I am going backwards.
I am looking forward to joining in!
I am not sure if this has been mentioned in any of the other threads or not, but Alexandre Dumas's father was born in San Dominique, now Haiti, to a French aristocrate father and African slave. So Alexandre Dumas's grandmother was a slave. Although slavery had long been abolished in France, the French living in the colonies had no scruples about it. In fact in Haiti the French slave owners were known for their brutality, so much so that the slaves revolted. Dumas's French grandfather sold his grandmother to another plantation owner when he went back to France with his father.
Considering this, I find it especially interesting that the Count would end up with Haidee.
Another consideration is Dumas himself was reputed to be a real womanizer, having several mistresses young enough to be his daughters. So he had no problem about relationships with young women!
So I think the relationship with Haidee is not really a Middle Eastern thing, rather is more relevant to the life of Alexandre Dumas himself.
I finished this today and I really liked it! I liked how the story built and character of the Count (even I got little frustrated of the naivety). I liked how all clicked in the end but I have the same opinion about the end; I wasn´t fan how he didn´t reveal sooner what happened to Valentine. And the religious stuff kind of bothered me, even it was nicely woven in the story and I can understand it to be part of the idea (and the time the book was written).
Desertorum wrote: "I finished this today and I really liked it! I liked how the story built and character of the Count (even I got little frustrated of the naivety). I liked how all clicked in the end but I have the ..."I'm glad you enjoyed it! It really is a great book.
Mod
I finally finished listening before I had to return the eAudio book to the library. My listening comprehension is not the same as my reading comprehension though.This was very good.
For such a long book, originally published serially, I think, there were no slow parts. I didn't feel that AD was stretching things out just to be paid more money as I did with CDs "Great Expectations" which was also published serially.
I think that too much time had gone past for The Count and Mercedes to try to rekindle their past love. They each were not the same person that the other knew and loved.
I really enjoyed Noirtier. He was a crafty old fellow.
I read some of the comments for a group read of this book by one of my GR and two of her friends. One of them commented when they had completed the book that they thought that the end of the story would have been more satisfying if Albert and Haidee ended up together at the end instead. I like this idea. The Count and Haidee going off together was sort of anti-climactic.
When Haidee said that the Count was bro, father, husband etc., I think that what she meant was the the Count was "everything" to her--her world.
Andrea (Catsos Person) wrote: "When Haidee said that the Count was bro, father, husband etc., I think that what she meant was the the Count was "everything" to her--her world. "That's an interesting take on it. I like that perspective!
Further, the reason why The Count was Haidee's whole world, is because living in his household and under his protection, the count was all that she knew, so the Count father, bro husband etc--her whole world as no other young men were permitted to court her since she was "happy" to be owned by the count. Her world was very limited because she had limited experience in it as a normal young lady.
We're starting to buddy read this starting on 1st May, but we will be taking our time with it so anyone can feel free to join in at any time. I just wanted to comment on each thread so that it pushes them back up the list :-)
Hailee wrote: "We're starting to buddy read this starting on 1st May, but we will be taking our time with it so anyone can feel free to join in at any time. I just wanted to comment on each thread so that it push..."For years now I've been wanting to re-read so maybe I'll join in later on in May.
Would the buddy read be on this thread?
There's 4 previous group read threads that are sectioned off by chapter. This would be the thread for discussing the whole book, but if you'd like to comment on earlier chapters, it can be done here, or on the earlier threads:
No spoilers at all
Chapt. 1-40
Chapt. 41-80
Chapt. 81-End
Melanti wrote: "There's 4 previous group read threads that are sectioned off by chapter. This would be the thread for discussing the whole book, but if you'd like to comment on earlier chapters, it can be done h..."
Yep Melanti covered what I was going to say. Hope you get a chance to join in the buddy read later on Lila :-)
I just headed into the last chapters this week. it seems like we are past all the great planned out ideas and the count has to improvise. still loving it tho, might finish it this weekend
I finished this today and really enjoyed it all the way to the end. I agree with most of the comments above really. I'm so glad to have finally read it and I much preferred it to The Three Musketeers.
Pink wrote: "I much preferred it to The Three Musketeers. "I can't decide. TTM is a lot of fun, but it's more swashbuckling and adventurous. TCoMC is more intellectual, strategic, and vengeful. Milady de Winter is pretty vengeful, but she doesn't have the long-term planning skills of the Count, or his powerful conscience and sense of ethics/integrity :)
On a side note, we watched Django Unchained last week, and Alexander Dumas got a mention -- the German guy (Dr. Schulta?) points out to Calvin Candie that Dumas was black :)
Edit: Actually he was 1/4 black, I believe, but the movie didn't make that distinction.
I finally finished this this weekend! I thoroughly enjoyed it, though, I much preferred the last third of the book to the middle part when I was getting annoying at the Count's supernatural ability to predict and account for everything. From the moment when Mercedes goes to confront him onward, he finally seems to admit that maybe there may be some flaws in his plan (and continuing, as people mentioned above, with the death of Villefort's son). In a previous thread we were talking a little bit about mercy, and I found it interesting that as the Count gets closer to his goal of revenge, he becomes more and more merciful and forgiving. Caderousse gets the full Angel of Vengeance treatment while Danglars is almost let go scot free (sure, without his fortune, wife, or daughter, but still).
I'm glad you enjoyed it too, this book is a hit with most people!
Francisca wrote: "I finally finished this this weekend! I thoroughly enjoyed it, though, I much preferred the last third of the book...From the moment when Mercedes goes to confront him onward, he finally seems to admit that maybe there may be some flaws in his plan (and continuing, as people mentioned above, with the death of Villefort's son). "Yay! Glad you enjoyed it :) And yes, I think it does get more interesting from the point you mention. The Count has been the Angel of Vengeance -- or Agent of Providence -- for so long, it really shakes him once things are no longer going all his way.
Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "I finally finished listening before I had to return the eAudio book to the library. My listening comprehension is not the same as my reading comprehension though.This was very good.
For such a ..."
Yup thats what it seems to me too..an all consuming love kind of thing.
Pink wrote: "I finished this today and really enjoyed it all the way to the end. I agree with most of the comments above really. I'm so glad to have finally read it and I much preferred it to The Three Musketeers."I think I like both.Both are so different .Three Musketeers is more mad fun and The Count more sober fun. And the I think I will complete Black Tulip.. It seemed slow after The Musketeers .or maybe not so soon after this .It will seem slow compared to this too I fear.
