When Dumas began writing his story, I'm pretty sure that his opening thematic question was: "If a good and all-powerful God exists, why do bad things happen to good people?" This is the question of Theodicy (Blogger doesn't seem to think this is a word, but trust me: it is). One can see this question reflected throughout these chapters in the suffering of men like Caderousse and Morrell.
Caderousse even says, whenever he is reminded of his poverty, "Quiet, It's God's will" (243). He believes that all of his suffering is a result of his complicity in Danglers' crime against Dantés. Yet, he sees men like Danglers and Fernard achieve wealth beyond imagining while men like Dantés' father die of starvation (Edmond's outrage at this is particularly gripping). As he painfully states, "that's how God rewards virtue" (260).
But that's where Dantés comes in. In these chapters, we have three scenes. In each scene, a stranger, of different nationality each time, comes in to intervene. This stranger is of course Dantés, but to Dumas' credit, he never states it specifically. He comes first to Caderousse first as an Abbé. I have never seen a film version of CoMC, but I could see one easily starting with this scene as a framing device. Caderousse explains what has happened to everyone since Dantés arrest, and in return, Dantés gives him a diamond. I just know that Caderousse's wife, La Carconte, is going to come back and cause problems... the foreshadowing in this book...
Then Dantés visits the prison register, where he learns more about Morrell's situation and finds all of the information about his arrest. And now.... Dantés has Danglers' letter.
Finally Edmond comes to the aid of Morrell. These two chapters were beyond gripping. Morrell's pain was so palpable. The moments when he is speaking to his son about his own suicide creates such a excited dread in the reader. The reader knows that Dantés is going to save the day... because he has to! One just wants Morrell to keep talking and to keeping monologuing. As long as he's monologuing, there might be time for Dantés' plan to come through. Dantés becomes such a great heroic figure in these chapters. He reminds us not to give up until it truly is over as no one knows what might happen in the last minute. And who else could use such a vast fortune to so well benefit those that have stayed loyal. Never mind a movie, this would make a great ongoing T.V. Show.
The only iffy part of his plan is the marriage of Morrell's daughter to Sinbad. Sinbad is presumably Dantés... and Dantés is going to want to get Mercedes back.... This could cause problems later.
Chapter 30 ends with this excellent foreboding quote:
"'And now,' said the stranger, 'farewell, goodness, humanity, gratitude . . . Farewell all those feelings that nourish and illuminate the heart! I have taken the place of Providence to reward the good; now let the avenging God make way for me to punish the wrongdoer!" (300).Dumas has Dantés answer the question of Theodicy by acting to correct the wrongs done to the good. And vengeance is going to come next. I'm definitely ready for the next chapters.
Thank you for reading,
Scott Charles
No comments:
Post a Comment