We live in a world where fidelity and commitment are hard to come by. Every day we see sleazy politicians lying to our faces on television, and the media twisting people’s words for the sake of entertainment. Mimicking our world, in The Count of Monte Cristo you can scarcely go a page without someone backstabbing someone else or some clandestine scheme coming to fruition. Despite this plethora of perfidy, loyalty does have a place in The Count of Monte Cristo. In this novel, Alexandre Dumas demonstrates his remarkable knack for balancing deceit with faithfulness in a world of retribution and influence.Hence, loyalty plays a dynamic role in Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo.
Maximilien’s secret meeting with Valentine in the garden the day before she is supposed to be married to Franz illustrates a vivid occurrence of loyalty. When Valentine is hurrying away from their meeting, the true depths of Maximilien’s feelings are revealed: “[He] listened until the sound of her footsteps had died away, looking up and thanking God for allowing him to be loved so strongly” (241). One way loyalty is shown in a physical sense is how Maximilien doesn’t want to be tangibly separated from Valentine.Every waking moment he spends not in Valentine’s presence brings the fear that they will not be together forever.
A second way that loyalty is shown is in Maximilien and Valentine’s emotional love for each other. Maximilien vows to kill himself if he and Valentine are not able to share in their love, or if Valentine is forced to pretend to love another man. A final way that loyalty is shown is how Maximilien knows that Valentine would be unhappy with another man and thus feels it is his moral duty to ensure their unity. In his powerful loyalty and devotion to Valentine, Maximilien will go to extreme lengths to guarantee her happiness.The significance of loyalty in this incident is important for multiple reasons, however.
First, it is a potent example of foreshadowing. Maximilien doesn’t realize it yet, but his vow to kill himself out of loyalty to Valentine if they were to be separated will be prevalent in upcoming events. Second, Maximilien’s loyalty to Valentine gives the reader a glimpse into Maximilien’s character and personality. Seeing how devoted he is to Valentine and his kindness towards her, it is easy to perceive the strength of Maximilien’s will and his extraordinary spirit.
Be that as it may, there are other instances in The Count of Monte Cristo in which loyalty assumes a crucial role. The Count’s faithfulness to his vengeance in his time of self-doubt depicts an eloquent instance of loyalty. Even in the midst of his doubt, the Count does not permit himself to waver from his objective: “‘I began to doubt only because I was beginning to forget, but here the wound in my heart opens again and the thirst for vengeance returns’” (415-416). One manner in which loyalty is illustrated is in the Count’s absence or bare minimum of emotion.He is on a mission from God; he has no need of the emotions of lesser mortals.
They would only distract him from his true duty of revenge. A second manner in which loyalty is illustrated is how he casts off the fetters of morality so as to become the supreme arbiter of his enemies. Being constrained by the thoughts of whether or not what he is doing is moral would disrupt his focus from the task at hand. A final manner in which loyalty is illustrated is in how the Count’s fealty to his sense of vengeance spares him no room to be bound by legality.What he has planned for his adversaries would not be conceivable for a law-abiding citizen.
In fact, what he has planned for his foes would make all but the most jaded individual question his motives. Discerning the loyalty present in this case is essential for numerous reasons. First, it is an efficacious display of dramatic irony. Only the reader and the Count know of his plans for restitution, while the other characters are in the dark.
Second, we are shown a glance into the soul of the Count. His iron will is matched only by his burning hatred for his enemies for what they have done to him.He is an implacable force, unable to be reckoned with, who crushes his rivals in a deliberate snare of wretchedness and agony. There are, in spite of that, other situations in the novel in which loyalty plays a principal part. Edmond saving Morrel from debt right before Morrel kills himself portrays a vivacious archetype of loyalty. When Morrel is on the brink of suicide and is suddenly swept up in a sea of joy, it is a gift to Edmond’s heart: “As Morrel and his son embraced each other amid the cheers of the entire crowd, [Edmond] […] stood watching the scene from behind a sentry-box” (109).
One way loyalty is exhibited is in a professional way, as Edmond is helping his former boss. Before Edmond was arrested he worked for Morrel, so he probably feels a sense of professional attachment. A second way that loyalty is exhibited is in an emotional way, as Edmond likes and trusts Morrel. Edmond was good friends with Morrel and knew he was a just and honorable man, worthy of salvation.
A final way that loyalty is exhibited is how Edmond feels a moral obligation to Morrel. When Edmond was in prison, Morrel tried several times to get him out. Edmond feels that he needs to repay Morrel’s benevolence with some of his own.For various reasons, espying the loyalty in this illustration is meaningful.
First, we are given a look into the benevolent side of Edmond. Although he is tempest of wrath to his enemies, he can be exceptionally munificent to his friends. He could hoard all of his money to himself and use it for purely selfish reasons, yet he chooses to be magnanimous in his wealth. Second, it is a robust exemplification of foreshadowing. We later see the Count giving an extremely charitable wedding gift to Maximilien, who is Morrel’s son.
One could almost say that the Count’s generosity came full circle.In short, the influence of loyalty in The Count of Monte Cristo cannot be omitted. In some cases, the loyalty was profound and readily apparent at first look, as with Maximilien’s devotion to Valentine. At other times, the loyalty was subtler and at some times occulted, as with the Count’s adherence to his mission of vindication.
Lastly, loyalty is exemplified in one of its more literal uses, as Edmond satisfies his obligation of reimbursement to Morrel. Consequently, the crucial role of loyalty in The Count of Monte Cristo is rendered artfully in the numerous ways that Dumas incorporated it.Moreover, one might speculate why loyalty plays such a pivotal performance in the novel. Could it be that the book simulates some of our own lives? Of course, our lives may not involve midnight meetings and giving enormous sums of money to old friends, but a lot of what occurs in The Count of Monte Cristo can be related to our own experiences to impart a lesson. Loyalty is the glue that holds our society together, and without this glue the very base of human civilization begins to fracture. Some might say that loyalty is in decline and our very society is in danger.
Indeed, only time will tell if this is the case.
