Help me understand the ending.

[mirsidis]

In the end Edmond left Mercedes..the woman he loved and sailed off with Haydee after she profused her love for him. Did he end up with Haydee?

[Nycki]

I believe so!

[ignoranceischri]

so...Edmond never left Mercedes, he never had any intention of trying to rekindle anything with her, he was actually out to get revenge on her and only decided not to when she plead with him to save her sons life and he realized he still had feelings for her. At the end Edmond's plan was to commit suicide feeling that his mission was done and that he had punished the wicked and fullfilled his mission of revenge, Haydee was a part of his revenge for what he used her for to accomplish with Ferdnand and he truly meant to leave her mostly everything he had when he killed himself, then he found out that she cared deeply for him and he realized that he could love again and that he did have feelings for Haydee but he was blinded by his vengance and never realized that he could start over and have another life and still be happy.
All in all Edmond never planned to be with Mercedes she was to be an object of his vengance he just decided not to see it through because she took it upon herself to accept what she felt she deserved. Hpe this helps does it answer your question at all? i have read this book a good 8 times i love it, just about my favorite book ever

[Nycki]

Where does the book 'infer' or 'say' that he was planning on committing suicide???

[SeaParrot]

I think the idea was that it was too late for Mercedes and Dantés. She felt too guilty about not stopping Morcerf killing himself. I think they both thought it would be wrong to take their love any further (and maybe Monte Cristo wasn't in love with her anymore). He did what he could for her (had given her money to live on).

I think he was in love with Haydée and it does seem they got together romantically in the end (sailing off together).

I think it's a great book, but I do think it's slightly shocking that Dantés implies he'd rather Mercedes had died than gone off with someone else. (It's also a tiny bit dodgy that Haydée is so much younger than he is -- at least 20 years?)

[closedbyrequest]

I think that when the Count first got back to France he had hoped that Mercedes would have forgotten him. The book ends with Haydee and the Count in love, so I would assume they stayed together.

But Dantes never got revenger on Mercedes. Not directly, anyway. He went after the men that destroyed his life.

[kiki1982]

I think that it was like this: Edmond returns to France and discovers to his horror that his Mercédès has married another, his rival of all people. He decides to take revenge on the men who have betrayed him (before he didn't include Fernand, but after the story Caderousse tells him, he decides to also take revenge on Fernand). He punishes all: Danglars looses all his money and wife, Villeford looses his seconds wife, daughter (thinks she died), his honour (father was a Bonapartiste unlike him) and his most beloved son, Fernand commits suicide. And then Edmond decides to save Mercédès' son, because he loves her and he gives her money that is burried under the tree in the house he has bought and gives to her (Allée de Meilhan, where he used to live when the were going to be married). Then he returns and he expects her to receive him. But she cannot love him because she says she does not recognise the Edmond she loved, that he has turned into an animal and that she cannot forgive him for the death of her husband, because she had grown to love him as the marriage went on, and after all she had a son with him... So with a lot of questions about the fact whether it was good to take revenge and to play God, as it were, he returnes to the Château d'Îf, that has become a touristic attraction, and he relises that what he did was good for his peace of mind, but that he now has to pay for the crimes he commited and that he will never be happy again. Then he conducts his last mission: bring Maximilien Morrel (who wants to commit suicide as he thinks that Valentine is dead) and Valentine de Villeford (who has just woken up)together. Then he wants to give all he has to Haydée, so she can live as a princess again, as she deserves and to go away on his ship and become a poor sailor again and leave everything behind him. But as he wants to do so, Haydée says she will come with him because she loves him. He doesn't want to believe she can love a "beast" (as Mercédès put it), but she assures him that he is her choice and they sail off together and leave Maximilien and Valentine with averything that is in the cave as riches and her grandfather Noirtier who is waiting for them.
The philisophy in the end is something like "one can never be truly happy, unless one has been almost dead": this goes for all of them: Edmond in prison for 14 years and exile for 10 (+/-), Maximilien wanting to commit suicide because of the death of his love, Valentine literally burried and resurected by Monte Cristo and Haydée who was sold as a slave together with her mother (who died as a princess as it were) and who was resurected as a princess by Monte Cristo.

[closedbyrequest]

Kiki, there are a few inaccuracies in your post.


...He decides to take revenge on the men who have betrayed him (before he didn't include Fernand, but after the story Caderousse tells him, he decides to also take revenge on Fernand).

Edmond saw Fernand with Danglars and Caderousse when they wrote the letter. So he knew that Fernand betrayed him, but not that he had married Mercedes.



He punishes all: Danglars looses all his money and wife, Villeford looses his seconds wife, daughter (thinks she died), his honour (father was a Bonapartiste unlike him) and his most beloved son, Fernand commits suicide.

Edward was Villefort's only son.



And then Edmond decides to save Mercédès' son, because he loves her and he gives her money that is burried under the tree in the house he has bought and gives to her (Allée de Meilhan, where he used to live when the were going to be married).

I don't think he really loved her anymore. He spared Albert due to the memory of the good times.



Then he returns and he expects her to receive him. But she cannot love him because she says she does not recognise the Edmond she loved, that he has turned into an animal and that she cannot forgive him for the death of her husband, because she had grown to love him as the marriage went on, and after all she had a son with him.

The only part of that that is true is where she doesn't recognize Edmond. The rest is not in the story at all. She never loved Fernand except as a brother.



So with a lot of questions about the fact whether it was good to take revenge and to play God, as it were, he returnes to the Château d'Îf, that has become a touristic attraction...

He returns to Monte Cristo with Max, not Shateau d'If. It never mentions Chateau d'If becoming a tourist attraction. Even in the movie, it isn't an attraction.



... and he relises that what he did was good for his peace of mind, but that he now has to pay for the crimes he commited and that he will never be happy again.

No. He saw himself as the Angel of Providence. He felt that he was the tool of God. It had very little to do with his peace of mind, and he didn't think he had commited any crimes. It never mentions him "never being happy" again.



Then he conducts his last mission: bring Maximilien Morrel (who wants to commit suicide as he thinks that Valentine is dead) and Valentine de Villeford (who has just woken up)together. Then he wants to give all he has to Haydée, so she can live as a princess again, as she deserves and to go away on his ship

That is completely correct.



... and become a poor sailor again and leave everything behind him.

I agree that is most likely what would have happened, but I don't think it was mentioned in the book.



The philisophy in the end is something like "one can never be truly happy, unless one has been almost dead": this goes for all of them: Edmond in prison for 14 years and exile for 10 (+/-), Maximilien wanting to commit suicide because of the death of his love, Valentine literally burried and resurected by Monte Cristo and Haydée who was sold as a slave together with her mother (who died as a princess as it were) and who was resurected as a princess by Monte Cristo.

The philosophy, which Dumas has said in a few other stories, was "wait and hope".

[kiki1982]

Edmond saw Fernand with Danglars and Caderousse when they wrote the letter. So he knew that Fernand betrayed him, but not that he had married Mercedes.

Yes he indeed saw the three of them but did not believe that Fernand would have done such a gastly thing. Faria tells him, but he needs confirmation and he goes to ask someone. He decides to go to the inn that Caderousse now has as he considers Caderousse as a friend and one who wouldn't have betrayed him. This is written down in the book in chaptre XXVII of the book "Le récit" (the story), when the priest aka Edmond visits Caderousse to break the news that Edmond has died and that he left Caderousse, Fernand, Mercédès and Danglars a precious diamond worth 50000 francs. Caderousse wants all for himself and tells the story: Danglars wrote the letter and Fernand posted it. Of course he himself was involved in it, but he excuses himself because they "made him drunk". Edmond hesitates but decides that Fernand and Danglars (who he already suspected) are certainly to blame and he leaves everything with Caderousse which will later proove in vain.

Edward was Villefort's only son.

Yes, that is what I meant, but it came out wrong... English is my third language...


The only part of that that is true is where she doesn't recognize Edmond. The rest is not in the story at all. She never loved Fernand except as a brother.

Well, maybe, now I start to think about it... But I can't stop thinking that he expects something of her, because he gives her the box of saved-up money for their marriage and his house... And he leaves really upset. It's very strange, I will have to read it again...

He returns to Monte Cristo with Max, not Shateau d'If. It never mentions Chateau d'If becoming a tourist attraction. Even in the movie, it isn't an attraction.

He did return to château d'îf. After Mercédès tells him that he is an animal. He returns to his cell and Faria's cell and he reflects as he asks the (ex-)guard and now guide whether something was left in Faria's cell. The guard goes to get it upstairs and he leaves with the light. And then everything comes back to Edmond, because he didn't recognise the cell in the light. There was but one thing that stayed behind and it is the book Faria wrote with all his wisdoms in it. Edmond buys it, because he regards Faria as his second father and the book is the base of everything Faria taught him. It was the only material thing that the old priest had.
In the movie it is not mentioned, but then again, in the movie, nothing was mentioned at all... Even the start of the story was all wrong...
I would say in which chaptre it was, if I could find the second book. I just moved, so everything is in a strange place, but I will have a look.

No. He saw himself as the Angel of Providence. He felt that he was the tool of God. It had very little to do with his peace of mind, and he didn't think he had commited any crimes. It never mentions him "never being happy" again.

He saw himself as the replacement of God on earth, because, according to Edmond, God hadn't done his work, as he rewarded the people who betrayed him, rather than punish them. That's why he could actually decide to take someone's life or to drive someone to death. An angel only announces, God does. (XXVI Le récit: "Vous vous trompez, mon ami, dit l'abbé: Dieu peut paraître oublier parfois, quand sa justice se repose; mais il vient toujours un moment où il se souvient, et en voici la preuve." "You are mistaken, my friend, said the priest: God sometimes seems to forget, when His justice rests itself, but there is always a moment when he remembers, and behold the proof thereof." And there are still numerous other alusions to the theme.)
At the end he realises that he maybe didn't do a good thing and that he will forsaken for ever and never will be happy. And to find that out he needs to go back to the cell of Faria who was a priest and who was able to forgive his forsaker. Faria has no vengeance in him as he says in XVII after he has enlightened Edmond about the reason why he was put in prison and forgotten about: "Je suis fâché de vous avoir aidé dans vos recherches et de vous avoir dit ce que je vous ai dit. Pourquoi cela, demanda Dantès. Parce que je vous ai infiltré dans le coeur un sentiment qui n'y était point: la vengeance." (I am angry having aided you in your research and told you what I have told you. Why, asked Dantès. Because I have put a feeling into your heart that wasn't there: vengeance) Edmond needs to come back to the cell to get rid of the feeling and to realise that forgiving might be better than revenge in order to save himself. ("Je suis celui que vous avez vendu, livré, déshonoré : Je suis celui dont vous avez prostitué la fiancée ; je suis celui sur lequel vous avez marché pour vous hausser jusqu'à la fortune ; je suis celui dont vous avez fait mourir le père de faim, qui vous avait condamné à mourir de faim, et qui cependant vous pardonne, parce qu'il a besoin lui-même d'être pardonné : je suis Edmond Dantès !" "I am the one you sold, delivered, dishonoured: I am the one of whom you prostituted the fiancée; I am the one on whom you trod to elevate yourself to richness; I am the one whose father you left to die of hunger, whom you condemned to starve, and yet who pardons you, because he himself needs to be forgiven: I am Edmond Dantès!")


The philosophy, which Dumas has said in a few other stories, was "wait and hope".

It touches what I thought of. There is always hope... If one just waits long enough. I haven't read enough of Dumas to have an overall vue on his life philosophy.

[kiki1982]

I looked the text up on the internet...

Indeed he would spare Mercédès son, but he would still go through with the duel, because of his honour. So he would just not shoot and die himself. If he totally had no affection for her anymore, he would not even think about it... Maybe rather as a friend...

In chaptre CXII Le Départ (The Departure) Monte Cristo enters the house, without knocking: "Aussi entra-t-il sans frapper, sans prévenir, comme un ami, comme un hôte." (So he entered without knocking, without warning, like a friend, like a host (the proprietor of the house)."
Maybe he expected her to be not stired by the death of Morcerf? She induldges in self-pity and he goes away asking himself whether it was worth it if so many people are distrought...


In chaptre CXIII Le Passé (the past) Monte Cristo comes out of the house at Allée de Meilhan and returns to Château d'Îf and it has indeed become a tourist attraction: "Depuis la révolution de Juillet, il n'y avait plus de prisonniers au château d'If ; un poste destiné à empêcher de faire la contrebande habitait seul ses corps de garde ; un concierge attendait les curieux à la porte pour leur montrer ce monument de terreur, devenu un monument de curiosité." (Since the July revolution there were no prisoners in the Château d'Îf anymore; a post to tackle smugling was the only occupant; a caretaker waited for the curious to show them this monument of terror that had become a monument of curiosity.) Then the guard tells him the whole story and Monte Cristo offers him money. Too much because it is a piece of gold. In return the guard offers him the last thing that visitors didn't buy: Faria's book. The guard leaves again with the light and in the meantime, Mnte Cristo asks this to Faria, his second father:
"Ô mon second père, dit-il, toi qui m'as donné la liberté, la science, la richesse ; toi qui, pareil aux créatures d'une essence supérieure à la nôtre, avais la science du bien et du mal, si au fond de la tombe il reste quelque chose de nous qui tressaille à la voix de ceux qui sont demeurés sur la terre, si dans la transfiguration que subit le cadavre quelque chose d'animé flotte aux lieux où nous avons beaucoup aimé ou beaucoup souffert, noble cœur, esprit suprême, âme profonde, par un mot, par un signe, par une révélation quelconque, je t'en conjure, au nom de cet amour paternel que tu m'accordais et de ce respect filial que je t'avais voué, enlève-moi ce reste de doute qui, s'il ne se change en conviction, deviendra un remords."
(O, my second father, he said, you, who have given me liverty, science, richness; you, who, like creatures that are of a higher level than ours, had the science of good and bad, if in the grave there stays something of us that makes poeple that have stayed on earth, shiver, if in the change that the body undergoes, floats something animated in the places where we have much loved or much suffered, noble heart, supreme spirit, deep soul, by one word, one sign, I swear you, by the name of that fatherly love that you accorded me and that sonly respect I had entrusted you, please take this rest of doubt away, that will, if it does not change into conviction, become remorse. )
The guard returns with the book and he reeds this:
"Tu arracheras les dents du dragon, et tu fouleras aux pieds les lions, a dit le Seigneur."
(Thou shallst take out the teeth of the dragon, and thou shallst weaken the lions to their feet, said the Lord.)

[closedbyrequest]

Ok. I stand corrected. I had totally forgotten about that part of the story. I hope I didn't come off as rude.

It seems like you are reading it in French. Perhaps the English translations that I have read are a bit misleading. Then again, I haven't read it in about 6 months.

[kiki1982]

Ok. I stand corrected. I had totally forgotten about that part of the story. I hope I didn't come off as rude.

It seems like you are reading it in French. Perhaps the English translations that I have read are a bit misleading. Then again, I haven't read it in about 6 months.

I read it in French, yes, but I haven't read it in about a year... But then again, I seem to learn every book I read by heart although I seem to replace certain parts in my mind by wishful thinking as I am thinking about it and analysing it... (the Mercédès part)

Anyway, I didn't want to come across as rude, either, but sometimes I can get worked up a little...

Nice meeting you! See you later :)

[closedbyrequest]

Heh. I think I figured out the problem. I have read 4 different translations. One printed in 1932 is abridged and does not have the chapter "The Past" at all. Another is online. It does have The Past, but I have not read that version in a while. Another was printed in 1902. Most of the pages in that chapter are missing. And I have a modern version that claims to be "unabridged", yet is missing that chapter.

When you listed those quotes, it sounded familiar, but it has been a while since I read that chapter.

Anyway, I have started reading it again, for the 389750283572390875 time. Yay.

[kiki1982]

It makes me think about the translations of books I read... I can read in English, French, Dutch (as I am a dutch speaker) and German, but for example Portugese is a problem... And I like José Saramago...
Hopefully his work has not been corrupted by translation...:(

[closedbyrequest]

I am a simple American. I speak one language. I can kind of understand a few words in other languages, but overall, I can only speak English.

[Picard89]

I found the ending to be very interesting. I agree that Dumas does say that people should wait and hope and that everything will turn out alright, but I think that there is a bigger theme to be taken from the ending. The Count sees no reason to continue his life until Haydee professes her love. Because the Count decides to live, Dumas communicates that people can only deal with the suffering of human life with the support of love from others: the reason to live is for love. This ending reminds me of Candide. Voltaire believes that work is the only way to find a modicum of happiness. Dumas believes that love is the only way to find happiness.