Why do popular?

Hi everyone...

It seems to me that lots of people are having to read this book for school, and lots of other people are very passionate about this story and the characters that it has. I was wondering if there were current users of this forum who are interested in discussing their views as to why this book is such a popular type of story? Wot is it about this story that appeals to us as readers? Why do we as ppl thrive on the idea of revenge?

There are a lot of charactors in this book....who else appeals, and why? Do u see yourself in this story? Would you like to see yourself in it? If so...who do u admire enuf to want to play that role?

I'm interested to hear ure views, should you wish to share them here!

Come share ur passion!!
:-)

Haha^^, so many questions so little time. Well to start off, I guess the reason behind the success of "The Count of Monte Cristo" is beacause of its well arranged plot and dramitic scenes. Revenge is a really strong motivation behind most people's goals and sometimes it could transform people into something very different. Like how it shaped Edmond Dantes into the Count of Monte Cristo, one metaphor that could be mentioned is the extreme pressure and work is takes to rid the impurities around a daimond.

As for admirable and favorite characters, The Count is my favorite, hands down ^w^ I mean, his character is really strong and leaves an impression to a reader. He started out as a naive and innocent young man but dramtically rose from the ashes of prison and became successful in society. I like how he is protrayed as calm and serene with a cold and solemn expression on his face. Even every gesture he made was composed and it had reason, even in his decisions and actions. He was almost like a god, in which he had everyone in the palm of his hands. He had riches, and the hearts of men and women. I admire him greatly, and if I could play a role in the story, then most definately I'd be the Count, too bad I'm a chick T__T

Hey...Thank you for your response to the questions I posed.

I confess to not having read the book until this week, and have now finished it. I think some ppl on here have been disappointed at its ending..after all, the movie had the good guy getting the girl. I however felt that the ending of the book was brilliant coz in the very last part of the book I found good reasons to not want to be as the count was. I saw that it was only Edmond who had been the happy one, and that in the end the count knew he had to become his old self again to really gain success for himself. While he controlled ppl...he knew he wasnt God...he knew that his manipulation of things wasnt really right. We see him stop short of 'finishing off' ppl...we see him even pity some and try to restore them to some form of dignity even tho he wasnt afforded too much of that while he laid in prison. Perhaps he remembered how he was given such power/blessings after his suffering and didnt wish to totally block the repentant from gaining some hope for their own future. We also see that money back then could buy revenge, however it didnt bring happiness, it couldnt stop the count from feeling repentant for his actions...for questioning if he had gone too far...for the innocent child who lost his life...etc. We see that money can bring others praise and 'friendship' we also see that without being genuine with those of whom we associate we gain nothing of any real import.

I think the fact that he left without Mercedes who had moved on with her life..and his having stuck with the one women who had grown to adore him, was a more realistic ending to the story. I think that her having moved on when he was gone for so long, believed dead; wasnt wrong for her to do and that her feeling so guilty about it wasnt necessary.

I think someone on here also mentioned his giving away all of his goods to Valentine and Maximillion however I was left with the impression that he gave them those things that he had in their area of the world...then again perhaps it wasnt realistic to me that he would all of a sudden think he didnt need any money...esp. when he must have grown accustom to the way he had lived when rich. Dumas even made comment on how Mercedes didnt take her change in circumstance well...and yet she was meant to be a gentle/pure soul...so I find the idea of even Edmond (esp. having lost his father due to been too poor) giving up everything illogical.

I preferred the book over the movie also due to the fact that the book hid the roles the count played in all the other ppls lives; in such a subtle way that unless u knew the story u would perhaps only work out at the end where he was playing a part in their demise. It wasnt always evident that it was him who was behind the goings on...esp as he had so many helpers.

It makes me reflect back on human decency when a mans word was his bond. Life was so much more simplier then...u could employ ppl to do ur dirty work and know they wouldnt ever give the game away. He had power mainly due to the honesty of the times....there is no way ppl could get away with revenge in todays society. So perhaps we enjoyed this story coz its showed us a plain man who has suffered and who desired to see suffering in others whom brought it upon him. We see that unlike us who today can only fantasy about it and mock and scold ourselves for bothering to spend time in such thoughts....he actually did it...he had the means to do it due to the time he lived in.

I admire him most tho..not for having been the count...but for having been Edmond and for starting life over again as someone better than the count. When I read of his being able to hide his emotion...thats when I pityed him most! A man without emotion, isnt a man!

I learnt a great deal about myself from this book...as it applies to me; as it prolly does to most of its readers. Its got lessons in it that if we are wise enuf to see, we can really benefit from. Morals of this story I will carry thru the rest of my life.

:-)

True, how the most of the count's actions aren't right, but I guess his vengence is what really drives and carries the story about. I did really felt sorry for Mercedes at the end of the story, especially when she had to say goodbye to the count/Edmond.
Oh, and I haven't watched the movie of it...yet, I only was able to read the book, so I don't know how the whole movie works~
Other than that, really great insights to the story.

In Dantes' own mind, it wasn't vengence. He was the tool of Providence. He didn't kill anyone. He showed the victim their own lives. They felt guilty and destroyed themselves, in the end. For instance Morceff. The Count didn't make Fernando betray Ali. He did it on his own. He had to face the humiliation of it and ended up dying for it.

Villefort explained this so well, when after it was revealed that he had burried his living child, he ran to his second wife whom he had insisted kill herself. He had become a hypocrite. He wanted her to die for killing his daughter, but he was equally criminal for trying to kill his son.

It is a story of great passion. It begins with an unimaginable betrayal born of jealousy. Long imprisonment then exciting escape. A LOng and carefully wraught revenge is complimented by poisonings, love, and untimely deaths. Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!! Yeah and the movie sucks!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stephanie B.

Yeah and the movie sucks!

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Assuming you are talking about the 2002 rendition directed by Kevin Reynolds, I am going to have to strongly disagree.

[QUOTE=Nycki;134029]Hi everyone...

Wot is it about this story that appeals to us as readers? Why do we as ppl thrive on the idea of revenge?




I read the book at the moment and i am halfway to it. I think that the book is more about injustice and not revenge. A revengfull person does not always appeal to the reader. Dantes being an innocent victim of an evil plot and losing everything (his betrothed, his father, his happy life, his prospects)gains the sympathy of every reader. In a previous post i read of Dantes being an instrument of Providence. I totally agree. I think that is what Dumas had in mind. Dantes did not exactly choose his fate or chain of action. A "higher" power somehow did that for him in order to punish the wicked and reward the good (like Morrel). It is what we call Nemesis in my native tongue (greek).

I have often wondered the same about the story as well. What does captivate me to read and re-read again?
I believe it's Edmund Dantes's journey from the poor innocent sailor to the rich powerful count. And then the satisfaction of justice that takes place on people who took advantage of Dantes.