I'll be honest. One of the most fun bits about these five chapters was flipping to a new page and seeing the actual words "the Count of Monte Cristo" for the first time. I would almost leap up and have to take note of the fact that the title character is finally the title character!
He is first mentioned as Signor Pastrini is explaining Franz and Albert's living situation in Rome. "The remainder of the floor was rented to a very rich gentleman, believed to be a Sicilian or a Maltese: the hotelier could not say precisely to which of the two nations the traveler belonged. He was called the Count of Monte Cristo" (328). Well...if you're going to end chapter 32 with that, I guess I had to read chapter 33 right then as well.
Of course, the reader knows that the CoMC is Dantés as well as Sinbad, whom Franz meets earlier on the island of Monte Cristo. I have to ask, because I honestly cannot find the answer: Does Franz ever wonder why Monte Cristo has a count when he's been to the island and only sailors live there. I mean, he realizes that Sinbad=CoMC upon meeting the count, but it sounds like a bell should go off the moment he hears the title.
Anyway, it is notable that for ten chapters now, Dantés has not been the "protagonist" so to speak. These five follow Franz as he sees Dantés do things in various disguises. I wonder if this is to escape what I see as a problem in a lot of superhero/adventure stories: that the character really only has a character arc for his origin story. I find this to be particularly true of Marvel Superheroes. Iron Man's best story always seems to be his origin story because its the only one in which his character makes a big evolution. Also, consider Neo in the Matrix trilogy. He's interesting in the first movie as he learns and gains power, but in the latter two, he seems blank because his character doesn't have anywhere to really go. It's hard to follow a static protagonist as nothing seems to matter or mean anything. But Dumas seems to escape this by focusing on a new character who is witnessing the Dantés' actions. This way, we still focus on a character with a character arc, and the reader is still treated to the mystery of the CoMC.
It largely works I think because it makes what Dantés has become more interesting. Franz works because, through him, we see Dantés build up his identity. Franz also seems adept at reading Dantés, suggesting that Dantés may not quite be infallible.
Epic quote from Dantés:
"But do not be content with just one experiment: as with everything, the senses must become accustomed to a new impression, whether it is pleasant or not, happy or sad. Nature wrestles with this divine substance, because our nature is not made for joy but clings to pain. Nature must be defeated in this struggle, reality must follow dreams; and then the dream will rule, become the master, the dream will become life and life become a dream. What a difference is made by this transfiguration! When you compare the sorrows of real life to the pleasures of the imaginary one, you will never want to live again, only to dream for ever" (319-320).Consider how different this is from Faria's teachings. Consider how Dantés lives in this kind of dream state with his seemingly infinite money. The speech seems like something Gaiman would write. Because Franz is our protagonist in these chapters, we see Dantés from the perspective of a normal man and the view is somewhat frightening.
Franz also allows for a lot of digressions. We get some great stories in the Roman Bandits chapter (33) like the Rita story and then Luigi's larger story. The stories have aspects of vengeance to them, which is how they tie in thematically with the larger work. We also get comical comparisons between Rome and France, Albert's difficult love life, the play that no one watches, and social commentary on the "tyranny" of tour guides. It's all good stuff. (I will admit to thinking at first that the Countess that Albert and Franz talk to during the play could be Mercedes... that seems incredibly unlikely.)
We also see the CoMC operate in the shadows... gaining favors from a variety of people including Franz. Dude is up to something.
Chapter 35 is the most interesting of these five. This is the chapter in which Franz and Albert eat lunch with the CoMC and then watch an execution with him. There is a certain amount of dramatic tension as we know that the CoMC is trying to get a pardon for a person being executed... but the character work is more important.
Somewhat surprisingly, Dantés is really interested in executions. "There is one serious matter to be considered in life and that is death" (384). He is angered at the lack of justice in punishments. He thinks they should be more severe. He argues that a murderer causes more pain than can be repaid by the guillotine. He thinks dueling is inadequate for serious offenses as well. He truly believes in "an eye for an eye" (385). Obviously, Dantés' view on the inadequacy of the justice system is based in his demand for vengeance. One wonders what his ultimate vengeance will look like. Franz objects but... it isn't really a full argument.
Then we get the execution sequence. It's hard to imagine executions being public events in this day and age. Sometimes, people will bring this up as a sign of the blood thirtsy nature of peoples in the past. From Franz's perspective, it is horrifying in nature. He can barely look. From this, one can see how it might reinforce societal mores.
The biggest event is, when Peppino is pardoned, the other condemned man cries out in anger that he was not supposed to die alone. The Count is infuriated. "Oh men! Men! Race of crocodiles... how well I know you by your deeds and how you invariably you succeed in living down to what one of expects of you!" (393). We see Faria disdainful view of humanity has lived on in Dantés. And I must say, it is a powerful critique.
But back to the execution. Franz and Albert are in horror while CoMC stands proudly demanding they watch. CoMC kind of reminds me of the Joker in The Dark Knight with his demands that everyone view reality the way he sees it to be. And the chapter ends with the following line: "the count stood upright and triumphant like an avenging angel" (395). This guy is going to do some damage.
Thank you for reading,
Scott-Charles
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