The Hero's Journey In The Count Of Monte Cristo

The plot of the historical fiction novel The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas displays many parallels to the hero’s journey structure, described by Joseph Campbell. The hero’s journey is a common template used to tell the story of a protagonist who is met with a quest or dilemma, goes on an adventure to fulfill it, and ends up undergoing a drastic change by the end. There are a few common archetypes in the hero’s journey which serve to help the hero, Edmond Dantes, succeed or show character development.

The novel presents the ally, shadow, shapeshifter, and mentor respectively. Monsieur Morrel is the ally, three different men are shadows, Villefort is the shapeshifter, and Abbe Faria is the wise mentor.

The book’s hero/protagonist is Edmond Dantes- a 19-year-old merchant sailor. In the exposition, Dantes is characterized as a noble, kind-hearted man. The readers see these traits exhibited in chapter one when Dantes returns from a voyage on the Pharaon.

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It turns out Captain Leclere had passed away due to a fever, and Dantes bravely led men (Dumas, 4). He even stopped at the Isle of Elba to fulfill Leclere’s only death wish, which was to be buried there and deliver a letter addressed to Paris. Edmond reports this information to Monsieur Morrel, the ally. He admires Edmond’s leadership, so much so, he promotes Edmond to the official position of Captain. Morrel remains this one true friend throughout the entire story. His loyalty is exhibited once again at the betrothal feast, where Dantes is arrested, when he exclaims, “‘Wait for me here, all of you!’ cried M.

Morrel; ‘I will take the first conveyance I find, and hurry to

Marseilles, whence I will bring you word how all is going on.’” (Dumas, 22) Additionally, he agrees with Mercedes that Dantes is but an innocent man. The protagonist is pitted against three men: Danglars, Caderousse, and Fernand. These men are Dantes’ shadows, solely existing to make his life a struggle and go astray. All three of them have their own motive against Edmond but come together to create a plan stemmed in jealousy. After Morrel finds out Edmond took over as captain, Danglers sees this an opportunity for sabotage and tells Morrel, “‘youth is never lacking in self-confidence. The captain was hardly dead when, without consulting anyone, he assumed command of the ship, and was the cause of our losing a day and a half off the Isle of Elba instead of making direct for Marseilles.’”(Dumas, 4) Not only does Dangler insult Edmond’s maturity, but he also mentions the stop at Elba, which is where Napoleon was residing at the time. This was clearly meant to raise suspicion that Edmond could be a Bonapartist. Next, is Caderousse who is a neighbor of Edmond and Old Man Dantes. Caderousse forced Old Man Dantes to give up all the money he had, though it was very little since Edmond was in debt. Although it is not blatantly stated, readers can infer that Caderousse would only do something so pitiless if he had disliked Edmond or anyone related to him. The third is Fernand who is madly in love with his cousin and Dantes’ fiancee, Mercedes. His hatred for Dantes is apparent in an exchange between him and Mercedes. She says she will love Dantes for as long as she lives and “Fernand bowed his head in defeat, heaving a sigh resembling a groan, and then, suddenly raising his head, hissed between his clenched teeth: ‘But if he is dead?’”(Dumas, 27) These three men come together and draft a letter accusing Dantes of being a Bonapartist; consequently, he is arrested on the day of his bachelor party. Granted it being false, the accusation does have some backbone because the letter Dantes carries is addressed to Nortier Villefort, a Bonapartist.

Next, the author introduces de Villefort, the prosecutor responsible for Dantes’ life sentence. The shapeshifter in the hero’s journey is meant to blur the line between friend and foe, and Villefort does just that. While getting examined, Dantes explains he has no affiliation to any political party and was merely carrying out Leclere’s dying wish to deliver the letter. Villefort recognizes his honesty and is ready to let him go until he hears the recipient is his father (Nortier). Villefort quickly burns the letter since he refuses to be associated with his abomination of a father (Dumas, 39). Terrified of his reputation being ruined, he sends Dantes away. Accordingly, Edmond is thrown into solitary confinement at the Chateau d’If, where he “(passes) through all the various stages of misery that affect a forgotten and forsaken prisoner” and loses his grip on reality (Dumas, 54). In his cement cell, he drives himself mad contemplating this ill fate and even attempting suicide, but it’s also where he finds his mentor, Abbe Faria. Abbe shows all of his tools and scholarly writings and shares his extensive knowledge of all subjects with Dantes. He also helps Dantes connect the dots and realize why he’s wrongfully imprisoned, something Dantes was too naive to do on his own: “Dantès now began to see clearly… Villefort’s change of demeanour during the examination, the burning of the letter, the exacted oath, the magistrate’s almost supplicating voice which seemed to implore rather than to threaten, all passed through his mind.” (Dumas, 63)

All that to say, The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas follows the hero’s journey of Edmond Dantes. A man who was once gleeful and noble became empty and miserable. He is accompanied by Monsieur Morrel, betrayed by Danglars, blindsided by de Villefort, and guided by Abbe Faria.