Why does this story of a 19th-century sailor imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit resonate so violently in the 21st century? Because speaks to a universal fantasy: the idea that if we were wronged, we could have the resources, intelligence, and patience to make our enemies understand the cost of their betrayal.
The novel begins in 1815, when Edmond Dantès, a young and promising sailor, is falsely accused of treason by his so-called friends and sentenced to life imprisonment. Dantès' betrayal is a result of his own success and the envy of those who sought to undermine him. While incarcerated, Dantès befriends an elderly prisoner, Faria, who shares with him the location of a hidden treasure on the island of Monte Cristo. Le Comte de Monte-Cristo