The Count Of Monte Cristo Research Paper

Has anyone ever wondered about what the smaller and lesser known version of Alcatraz would be like? In The Count of Monte Cristo, the Chateau was described as a dreaded prison, with centuries-old tradition of terror, producing the same effect on Dantes as the sight of the gallows would be like to a man condemned to death (Dumas 26). If someone would visit the Chateau today, they would be able to go through the interior of the prison and see various cells (Axelrod). The Chateau is one of the lesser known fortresses, but it continues to draw crowds of people who are interested in its various uses in history and importance in literature. The Chateau d’If is an older version of Alcatraz and was built on a small island in the harbor of Marseille

The Chateau was the last line of defense for the city of Marseille from the sixteenth and seventeenth century invaders (Galvin and Galvin). Near the end of the sixteenth century, Chateau changed from a defense structure to a prison for holding religious and political prisoners (Milanovic). The first prisoner in the Chateau was the Knight Anselme and he died from being strangled in his cell (Office du Tourisme). The Protestants were put in the dungeon and the Huguenots were sent there because of challenging the authority of the Catholic Church. The Chateau d’If was said to be inescapable. The condition of the cell prisoners were put in depended on how wealthy they were. The wealthier people had nicer cells and the less wealthy people had the lower level cells (“Chateau d’If”). In 1890, tourists were able to visit the castle and witness the history held within its walls (Office du Tourisme). The tourists who come to If can go through the prison and see various cells, see the lighthouse on the island, and see the Casernment, which are military barracks (Axelrod). The visitors can also see the famed homes of Abbe Faria and Edmond Dantes from The Count of Monte Cristo (“Chateau