Comparaison Contrast

Courp Alexis        

Professor Lourdes Rodriguez-Florido

ENC1101

06 November 2019

The Count of Monte Cristo

Nothing is more universal than the fantasies of being all-powerfull and wealthy. The fact of having the ability to reward the good and punish the wicked is something powerfull. The novel the Count of Monte Cristo written by Alexander Dumas has been turned into a movie by Kevin Reynolds. This movie embodies all these inexhaustible myths and will continue for a long time to be retold and reinterpreted. Beyond these characteristics the hero Edmond Dantes is a fascinating character because of the multiple aspects of his personality and his psychological evolution. In contrast, his best friend Fernand Mondego has been able to able to gain a lot of wealth for himself through betrayal. He married his best friend girlfriend Mercedes by convincing her of Edmond’s death. Even though Edmond Dantes and Fernand Mondego did not receive the same education due to the social position of their own families, the differencies in their values are clear.

Edmond Dantes is first of all an honest and simple young sailor. Except for those who are jealous of him, he is loved by everyone. Edmond Dantes is a loyal person whom betrayal is not part of his values. Indeed, according to the film The Count of Monte Cristo, he is given a letter to deliver without telling to anyone its existence. Even if his naivety led him to be betrayed, Edmond respected his mission which is proof of his loyalty. Despite his ignorance of life, he is also faithful in friendship with his best friend Fernand Mondego with whom he will take refuge to find help when he is pursued by the French soldiers who want to arrest him.  After his imprisonment, he met and saved the life of Jacopo. Jacopo is indebted to him and so enjoys Edmond’s sincere friendship and wealth. Moreover, Edmond was also a sailor man in love. He had only one great dream in life which was to marry Mercedes his beloved. Before prison, he was attentive to her and spent most of his time with her when he was not sailing. After prison, when his revenge is over for those who betrayed him, he regains Mercedes for whom his love has remained intact. His benevolence towards the people allowed him to have the map of a treasure on the island of Monte Cristo thanks to Abbe Faria. Edmond’s actions, hopes and projects were not oriented towards his personal satisfaction but always towards that of the people he loved.

In contrast, Fernand Mondego is used to having everything he wants with minimal effort. Fernand Mondego is dominated by his love for Mercedes. He was jealous of the passionate love the girl had for Edmond Dantes and lets himself be manipulated by Danglars who pushes him to betray the young captain. Having cowardly eliminated his rival, Fernand arranges to console Mercedes to attempt to woo her.  Compared to Edmond, he did not have friend except Villefort who solicits him to murder his own father. Fernand showed no compassion for his loved ones, whether for his son or his wife. Mondego was a dishonest and mean person, who completed his goals by means of making other people suffer. He is a character that does not pay attention to those good traits like honesty and loyalty. Fernand was extremely selfish and self-centered. In the movie the Count of Monte Cristo, Fernand says to Edmond, “Take your vengeance. But know that the blood you spill is noble. Blood that will never run through your veins. You are no more a count than I am a commoner!” which once again shows his contempt and malice towards his former friend, whom he put in prison for 14 years. (Reynolds)

...