The Count of Monte Cristo

Le comte de Monte Cristo (The Count of Monte Cristo) is a classic adventure novel by Alexandre Dumas, père. It is often considered Dumas' best work, and is frequently included on lists of the best novels of all time. The writing of the work was completed in 1844, and released as an 18-part series over the next two years. Dumas collaborated with other authors in the writing.

Influences

Dumas had a number of direct influences from other texts and traditions in the writing of the novel. Much of the complicated plots, schemes and allusions to a romantic notion of the East is taken from the Arabian Nights. In the most direct reference, a character exists in much of the book with the alias Sinbad the Sailor, alluding to someone who has traveled to many exotic places.

Related Topics:
Arabian Nights - Sinbad the Sailor

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Alexandre also met Fr. José Custodiou de Faria, also known as Abbé Faria, who was a Indo-Portuguese monk and one of the pioneers of the scientific study of hypnotism. He is dramatized as the character of the 'mad' monk imprisoned at the Château.

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Another possible influence is the notion of pseudo-poison as a pivotal element in the tale of two lovers. This has been a common theme in literature, especially Romeo and Juliet.

Related Topics:
Poison - Romeo and Juliet

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The two young lovers are explicitly compared at one point to Pyramus and Thisbe.

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One influence came from a hunting trip Dumas planned with Napoleon's nephew for the island of Monte Cristo. After learning he would be quarantined for a time, Dumas changed his mind and returned home. Dumas decided to use Monte Cristo in the title of a novel, but he had no plot line for the novel. While thinking of a plot, he remembered a police file recording the arrest and false imprisonment of a shoemaker who had been framed by his friends. The shoemaker befriended a preacher in prison and by a fortunate turn of events became the heir of the preacher's vast wealth. Once free, he used his wealth to exact vengeance upon those who had conspired to imprison him.

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