Alexandre Dumas’s The Count of Monte Cristo is a classic 19th century story about love, revenge, and betrayal set in the Napoleonic era. Edmond Dantès is a promising young sailor with a bright future ahead. This future is halted when four men arrange for Dantès to be imprisoned in the Château d’If. After spending 14 years trapped in prison, Dantès manages to escape and begins a quest for vengeance on those who had wronged him and to reward those who were kind to him and his family. Dantès’s life experiences result in physical, intellectual, and spiritual growth. These changes help him to transform from an innocent sailor to the experienced Count of Monte Cristo. One part of Dantès transformation from innocence to experience is his physical appearance. Dantès is introduced as a 19-year-old “… tall, slender young man” with dark eyes and black hair (1). Dantès is imprisoned after being framed by enemies unknown to him. After 14 years of planning, Dantès successfully escapes from prison and his appearance drastically changes. “He had entered the Chateau d’If with the round, smiling face… All that was now changed. His oval face had lengthened; his smiling lips had taken on the firm lines of resolution… Furthermore, although he was naturally rather tall, he had acquired that stocky vigor of a body which constantly …show more content…
As he looks at himself in the mirror for the first time in 14 years, he knows that even his best of friends won’t recognize him, as he can’t recognize the face he sees as his own. Dantès also becomes a master of disguise, which allows him to play God and control the lives of others. For example, Dantès disguises himself as an Englishman from the firm of Thompson and French to cancel the debt Monsieur Morrell. Dumas changes Dantès appearance to give Dantès the ability to be around both friends and enemies to allow him to gain vengeance upon those who had wronged