Manipulation In The Count Of Monte Cristo

The novel The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas, takes place during post revolutionary France. It follows the story of a young sailor named Edmond Dantès. Dantès is wrongfully sent to jail by men, who each benefit in some way from his downfall. After being imprisoned for fourteen years, his desire for vengeance on those who wrong him increases. He escapes from jail with the mindset that he must reap his revenge on those who wrong him. His enemies’ innocent children who know him by the Count of Monte Cristo suffer the consequences because of their parents’ involvement in his downfall. The level of manipulation and brutality which is inflicted upon these children is unnecessary and unjust. The Count wrongfully involves Albert Mondego,

The Count manipulates Albert into skipping the dinner party being thrown at the Auteuil House by convincing him that he always has his best interest in mind.When he informs Albert that Danglars, Madame Danglars, and Eugenie will be there he uses the excuse that he would like to avoid arousing, “your mother’s displeasure, and...wish[es] to avoid that at all cost[s]” (191). He is just covering his ulterior motives and in actuality, the Count needs them to stay away so that he is able set up Albert’s fiancee, Eugenie, with Andrea Cavalcanti. Albert is extremely excited when the Count invites him on vacation to his house in Normandy but is unaware of what the Count plans for the trip. Fernand’s denouncement is purposefully leaked while the two are away. Albert is rightly horrified as he reads the letter, “He uttered a cry and seized the newspaper with trembling hands” (290). He then hurries home to defend his family’s honor. The Count wrongfully embarrasses Albert although he not deserve to be harmed for his father’s mistakes. Readers may argue that the Count is right in informing Albert of his father’s wrongdoings and that he deserves to know the truth about his father’s

When the Count visits Madame Villefort at her estate, she inquires about the red liquid that he used to revive Edouard. She even goes as far as saying she is “inclined to fainting”(188) and would ask for some, but does not want to be rude. The Count, wanting exactly this, is not oblivious to her intentions once she obtains this poison. He knows that her goal is to sever any and all ties that Valentine has to a family fortune, so that she does not stand in the way of her son, Edouard, who without her would be the sole recipient of it all. When the Count supplies Madame Villefort with the poison, he is not oblivious to the fact that she will not hesitate to try to wipe out the entire Villefort family. He gives her no instructions but instead a small precaution saying, “it’s a remedy in small doses. One drop restores life...five or six drops would kill infallibly” (188). This serves as guidance for Madame Villefort and she attempts to kill her step daughter, Valentine, on multiple occasions. Some may argue that the Count would never actually let Valentine get killed. While it is true that he leads her to the conclusion of who is trying to poison her, he is also the one to blame for the problem in the first place. Maximilien is unrelated to the Count’s enemies in the first place, yet even still endures the pain in a more indirect way as he