The Count of Monte Cristo
Set against the turbulent years of the Napoleonic era, The Count of Monte Cristo is one of the most widely read novels of all time. In it the dashing young hero, Edmond Dantès, faces betrayal by his former friends. Thrown into a secret dungeon in the Chateau d’If, Dantès seems doomed to live out his days in a dank prison cell.
The story of his long, intolerable years in captivity, his miraculous escape, and his carefully wrought revenge creates a dramatic tale of mystery and intrigue and paints a vision of France — a dazzling, dueling, exuberant France — that has become immortal.
Dumas’ novel presents a powerful conflict between good and evil. Will Dantès make his enemies drink the cup of bitter revenge down to the dregs? Or will his discomfort with the implications of his own actions get the better of him?
Note: This is an abridged version. While we prefer not to use abridged versions of classic literature, the length of this particular novel is daunting. Consequently, this often results either in potential readers opting for an abridged form or simply skipping this gripping novel altogether.
With this in mind, after reading several different versions, this particular abridgement of The Count of Monte Cristo is the only one we will be recommending and scheduling within our guide. It keeps the narrative flow while retaining much of the rich description and the essential details of Dumas’ intricately-plotted masterpiece.
This abridgement also omits a few mature elements from the story, making it more appropriate for a high school audience. The theme of divine retribution that runs throughout this classic makes it too good to pass up.
- About the author: Alexandre Dumas was a French writer who remains one of the country’s most widely read authors. Many of his novels originally appeared as serials, including The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers. Since the early twentieth century, filmmakers have adapted his works into nearly 200 films.
