Conscience In Alexandre Dumas's The Count Of Monte Cristo

Since Adam, man has been ruled by their conscience telling them what is good and what is evil. Those who follow the promptings of their conscience are know as moral or down to earth while those who disobey their conscience are often become despicable and become slaves to their choices. This is seen throughout Alexandre Dumas’s revenge based book The Count of Monte Cristo and especially in the actions of the character Edmond Dantés. When introduced Edmond Dantés was knows as a very moral down to earth character of whom the world seemed to revolve around. However, in a series of unfortunate events towards Dantés was imprisoned on spurious charges and condemned to fourteen years in prison before escaping. Upon his discovery of those who had wronged him he swore revenge and renamed himself The Count of Monte Cristo. Dumas uses a series of changes in Dantés as the most despicable character, through his thoughts, actions, and desire to appease his conscience falsely with revenge.

After Abbe Faria clarified the event of Dantés past Abbe Faria forewarned, “I regret having helped you clarify your past…I’ve instilled in you’re a feeling that wasn’t there before: vengeance” (Dumas 58). After such an instance Dante’s allowed thoughts of revenge to plague his mind. He spent both his free time while in prison and outside of prison planning a revenge plot against those who had betrayed him. These were people he once called his coworkers, his acquaintances, and his friends. Those who had gone against him simply in order to make a quick buck, marry a girl in love with Dantés, gain power, or save one honor. This was ironically though the dishonorable actions of Fernand, Danglars, Caderousse, and Villefort. With a feeling of vengeance towards these four Dantés’s quest for revenge could not be