Was There Any Justification to the Count of Monte Cristo's Acts of Revenge?
Is it agreeable that an individual should have the right to destroy another individual based only on the fact that they believe that they deserve to suffer? This concept is known as vigilante justice. Is this type of action ever warranted? In "The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas, one of the main themes is this concept of taking the law into your own hands through revenge. Were the Count's actions towards the Villefort, Danglars, Caderousse, and Mondego families at all justified? Or, did the Count take matters further than what should be acceptable in society?
"The Count of Monte Cristo" revolves around a man named Edmond Dantes. Dantes leads what is considered to be a blessed life. He is a mere 19 years old, about to be promoted to captain of the Pharaon, and has the love of a beautiful young woman named Mercedes.
Due to the fact that he has gained so much at a young age, several individuals are jealous; namely Danglars, Mondego, and Caderousse. Together, they conspire to create a plan to ruin Dantes' future. They write and send a letter to the authorities denouncing Dantes as a Bonaparte supporter. During what is intended to be one of the happiest times of Dantes' life, his betrothal feast, soldiers barge in and haul Dantes away on an arrest warrant. At the prison, Dantes meets with Villefort, the prosecutor. Villefort assures Dantes that he believes of his innocence, and burns the letter which was the only evidence to prove that Dantes is in fact, innocent. Then, contrary to his promise, Villefort proceeds to send Dantes to the Chateau D'If, where he spends the next 14 years of his life.
Unfortunately, at this time, Edmond...