How does Edmond Dantès’s long incarceration change him in The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas?
One of the saddest portions of the entire story is the incarceration of the Edmond, the protagonist, has to go through. It is an incredibly sad and pretentious prologue of the subjects that he comes rapidly, the text. But he substantially changes as an individual and as someone who has gone through an epic ordeal. One is reminded of Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe.
But what changes for the protagonist? How do years in prison both in solitary confinement and being taught all the classics change him? Initially, he is by himself and surprisingly seems to keep himself compelled and consistent which is absolutely incredible. In many ways, he stays true self and he stays true to who he is so that when he meets the Abbé Faria, he is a person of good morals who the hell to teach and communicate the secrets of the treasure of a Count of Monte Cristo. So therefore it is important to note that not only is he someone who is going to benefit from the trust of the island of prison is also sold it is proven himself worthy to benefit from those treasures. With something that the Abbé Faria found in him.
So most directly he changes by learning all the classics. Essentially he goes to the great books in the history of the western world while incarcerated for quite some time. It is perhaps one of the most magnificent applications one can receive it unfortunately it is given in such a terrible condition. Still sees the life and tries to better himself. It seems later on that he might've changed theirs even the section that I've written about previously on this blog about the interaction with Satan or the devil but it is unclear whether this is metaphorical or not. But it's it is not clear whether that change occur during or after but it seems more likely than not that it occurred afterward. That's what's truly incredible about the situation is that what you're supposed to read he was almost given beautiful I will also change substantially in person but also keep true to who he is.
Overall I think it's very important to keep in mind that there are parallels with Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. There is this idea that we're trading into the world that can lead to something. Unfortunately, this was a retreat that was not voluntary and it was under the most terrible circumstances. Moreover, Robinson Crusoe did not choose himself to retreat from the world in the story by Daniel Defoe.
Abbé Faria is a type of Jungian archtypal figure of the father or the wise wizard who teaches Edmond about the world. The whole situation is sort of a call to adventure to sort of become better than ours selves. And become that who we have the potential to be perhaps in an Aristotelian sense of the word of potential.
It is sad to be subject to the lies of those that we trusted and ptoentially had friendly relationships with. It is also sad to see the lies of those that we did not know lie for potential gain such as Gérard de Villefort. Gérard de Villefort is the chief deputy prosecutor. Someone who ostensibly relies on Edmond’s words and promsies the truth to Edmond. But Edmond suffers lies from Gérard de Villefort.
Abbé Faria is the chief sage and wizard in a Jungian sense who teaches Edmond. He is the teacher Edmond needed. It should be noted that the Abbé Faria was a historical person that likely this character in the novel was based on. Abbé Faria (Portuguese: Abade Faria), or Abbé (Abbot) José Custódio de Faria (31 May 1756–20 September 1819). Evidently, this historical personage was the representation of someone who engaged in a type of psychoanalytic study himself. He pioneered the science of hypnosis. Perhaps this is not an entirely validated study. But he attempted to pioneer this in a scientific manner. Perhaps this combination of the subconscious and the science represents the type of psychoanalysis that Jung and Freud attempted to adduce and create. Personally, I do not understand the science of the historic Abbé Faria, but I find it interesting to connect the two from a psychoanalytic perspective — even if it is a literary psychoanalytic perspective.
Haydée becomes the ultimate partner of Edmond at the end of the book. What does this change and transformation represent in a Jungian perspective?
Pierre Morrel is the former employer of Edmond prior to Edmond’s incarceration. Who is he in this novel from a Jungian sense?
What do we make of all this?
© Charles Edward Andrew Lincoln IV
