BASIS OF THE STORYstonecentral.weebly.com/uploads/8/3/3/4/8334408/count_study_gui… · The Count of Monte Cristo Alexander Dumas READING ASSIGNMENT #10 –Chapters 55-59 Questions:

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This packet includes assignments and important information about the book

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas

Do NOT lose or misplace it. There are no extra copies.

After each reading assignment is completed, you will turn-in the study guide questions.

Due date will be given – this is noted on the bookmark you were given in class

Each assignment is worth 50 points, which means a total of 600 points.

You cannot afford to not turn in these assignments.

All late assignments will earn no higher than a B (40%).

Assignments not submitted two days after the due date will earn no higher than a D

(30%).

BASIS OF THE STORY:

Dumas based his protagonist, Edmond Dantes; i.e., the Count of Monte Cristo, on a true story he heard about a cobbler who was wrongfully imprisoned for seven years. After his release, the cobbler tracked down and killed each one of his enemies.

Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870) was born on July 23, 1802, to Thomas-Alexandre Dumas and his wife, Marie-Louise Elisabeth. His father had served as a general under Napoleon but had fallen out of favor with him. The elder Dumas died when Alexandre was four, leaving him and his mother with limited resources. A local priest provided Dumas with limited education, and Dumas left for Paris when he was twenty-one. His first play, produced in 1829, launched his successful career as a writer and dramatist. He wrote prolifically in a wide range of genres. His most noted novels are The Three Musketeers (1844) and The Count of Monte Cristo (1844-1845). He featured continuing adventures of the Three Musketeers in Twenty Years After (1845) and The Viscount of Bragelonne (1848-1850). Dumas' well-known historical plays include Henry M and His Court (1829) and The Tower of Nesle (1832). The quality of Dumas' work and his popularity declined during France's Second Empire (1852-1870), and he was deeply in debt when he died in 1870.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821):

Italian by birth who entered the royal military school at Paris when a young boy. He

was involved in the French Revolution which broke out in 1789. After varied military

assignments and alliances, Napoleon eventually was named to command the French

Army of Italy. In 1799, he seized power in France and in 1804, crowned himself Emperor of

the French, established a new government of three members called the Consulate, and

became First Consul, dictator of France. He staged war against European countries and

eventually dominated much of Europe. A revolt led to Napoleon's abdication of his

throne in 1814 and the crowning of Louis XVIII as king of France. Napoleon was exiled to,

and became the ruler of, the tiny island of Elba off the coast of Italy. In February 1815, he

sailed from Elba with 1,100 followers and began a march to Paris, where he was again

hailed as emperor. This began his reign of “The Hundred Days,” which ended with his

defeat at Waterloo in June 1815. The effect of this hundred days plays an important role

in chapters 7 and 8 of The Count of Monte Cristo. Napoleon was exiled to Saint Helen

and died there in 1821. A follower of Napoleon was called a Bonapartist. Dumas' father

was a general in Napoleon's army, and the character Noirtier in the novel is apparently

patterned after Dumas' father.

Monte Cristo: a small Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea, comprised primarily of a mountain of granite that rises 2,000feet above sea level; Benedictine monks once had a monastery there.

Elba: small island off the coast of Italy; where Napoleon was exiled

Marseilles: oldest and second largest city in France; country's main seaport

Auteuil: a small area outside of Paris where the Paris elite also owned homes

Paris: Capital city of France where the elite

and wealthy live

TITLES OF NOBILITY:Count: nobleman equal in rank to an

English earlCountess: wife of a countViscount: English nobleman ranking next

below a count; above a baron; usually son of a count

Comte: a countComtesse: a countessBaron: nobleman of lowest hereditary rank;

next below a viscountBaroness: wife or widow of a baron

Marquis: nobleman ranking below a duke or above an earl or count

Marquise: wife or widow of a marquis

Rules of Etiquette:The royalty, aristocracy and high

society often have rules of etiquette unfamiliar to the common person. In this novel many of these rules are followed. Their homes were categorized as mansions or mini-castles with many wings and private areas similar to a suite of rooms in a hotel. Husbands and wives had a suite of rooms which included different bedrooms. Elders had the same set up. People did not enter these private rooms without an invitation, including husbands and wives. The business hours began later in the day and the social hours begin late in the evening. People only socialized and married within their social status.

The Count of Monte CristoAlexander Dumas

READING ASSIGNMENT # 12 – Chapters 66 to the end of the novelQuestions:

1. What was revealed to Villefort and the public in court?

2. What did Villefort think of on his way home from court?

3. What does Villefort find when he returns home?

4. How does Edmond Dantes feel after completing his revenge against Villefort?

5. How is Villefort last seen? What is his condition?

6. Who does the Count of Monte Cristo see in Marseilles?

7. After seeing this person, what change takes place in Edmond Dantes?

8. Where does the Count go to renew his oath of vengeance?

9. How does the Count get revenge on Danglars?

10. How does the Count save Maximilien from dying?

11. With whom does the Count begin a new life?

12. What is the “sum of all human wisdom”?


READING ASSIGNMENT #10 – Chapters 55-59

Questions:

1. What happens to Valentine?

2. What is the Count’s reaction when Maximilien tells him that he is in love with

Valentine?

3. What does the Count tell Maximilien concerning Valentine?

4. How did Noirtier prepare Valentine for her poisoning?

5. Who moved next door to the Villefort’s?

6. How was the engagement of Eugenie and Andrea interrupted?

7. After her engagement was spoiled, what did Eugenie do?

8. How was Andrea captured?

9. How did the Count save Valentine’s life?

10. Who was responsible for all the deaths in the Villefort house? Why?

READING ASSIGNMENT #11 – Chapters 60-65Questions:

1. What surprise does Mde. Villefort have after

Valentine’s death?

2. Whom do Villefort and the doctor ask to pray for and

watch over Valentine?

3. How does Villefort discover his daughter’s murderer?

4. What caused Danglars to leave Paris?

5. Why did the Count reveal himself to Maximilien?

6. What did Maximilien agree to do?

7. What does Mde. Danglars discover about her

husband and her relationship with Lucien Debray?

8. What command did Villefort give Mde. Villefort?



Questions:

1. Who was the chief witness to testify against the Count de Morcerf?

2. What had Fernand done to Haydee and her mother?

3. What does Albert learn from Danglars when he goes to challenge Danglars to a duel?

4. How do Albert’s feelings toward the Count change?

5. Who came to the Count begging for mercy regarding Albert in the duel?

6. What brief change of heart does the Count have at the end of Chapter 51?

7. Why did Albert call off the duel and apologize to the Count?

8. What did Albert and his mother decide to do?

9. What does the Count do for Mercedes before she leaves?

10. What does the Count de Morcerf do after recognizing Dantes?



Questions:

1. Chapter 42 starts with a funeral. Who has died?

2. Why does Villefort ask Franz to come home with him?

3. How and what did Noitier reveal to Franz?

4. What news does Danglars break to Count de Morcerf?

5. Who was the poison, which killed Barrios, intended for?

6. Why did it not kill the intended receiver, even though he drank some of the lemonade?

7. Who appears to be guilty of poisoning after Barrios’ death?

8. What idea did Andrea plant in Caderousse’s head?

9. Who was waiting to stab Caderousse after his robbery?

10. Under what disguise did the Count appear to Caderousse?

11. How did Caderousse and Benedetto escape from prison?

12. Who does Andrea Cavalcanti plan to marry?

13. What news hits Paris concerning the Count de Morcerf?

14. Where was Albert when the news broke?



1. How does Noirtier, unable to speak or write, communicate?

2. To whom is he devoted?

3. What is Noirtier’s reaction to the engagement announcement between Valentine

and Franz?

4. How does Noirtier change his will when he hears of Valentine’s arranged marriage?

5. What is Villefort’s reaction to learning the Count’s party is in Auteuil?

6. What mistake did Danglars make concerning bonds?

7. What two surprises does Bertuccio discover at the Count’s dinner party?

8. How does the Count frighten Villefort and Mme. Danglars at his dinner party?

9. Who grabs Andrea as he is getting into his carriage?

10. What does this man want? How does this man know Andrea?

11. How does Danglars surprise his wife and Debray? What does he demand of her?

12. What had happened to Mde. Danglars’ first husband?

13. Why does Danglars go see the Count?

14. What does Danglars tell the Count concerning Eugenie’s possible engagement to

Albert?



1. Whose horses does the Count buy?

2. How does the Count shock Baron Danglars?

3. What is the relationship between Lucien Debray and Madame Danglars?

4. How does the Count ingratiate himself to Madame Danglars at first?

5. How does he win the favor of Mde. de Villefort?

6. When Villefort first visits the Count, what is the tone of the conversation between

them?

7. What is Noirtier’s condition at this time? Where does he live?

8. What is the relationship between Haydee and the Count?

9. Who does the Count suggest to Julie Morrel as her father’s benefactor?

10.What did M. Morrel say on his deathbed?

11.Whose daughter is Valentine?

12.When the Count visits Mde. de Villefort, what does she discuss with him? When had

she met the Count before?

13.Who is Albert supposed to marry and how does he feel about it? How does his

mother, Countess Morcerf, feel about it?

14.What idea do Debray and Albert set in the Count’s mind as they discuss the financial

habits of Danglars?

15.Whom does Valentine love? Whom is she supposed to marry?



Questions:

1. How does the Count of Monte Cristo make Albert feel indebted to him?

2. What does the Count ask Albert to do for him in return?

3. What promise does the Count make to Albert?

4. What is the significance of the date, September 5th, that Maximilien saved the Baron’s life?

5. What is the Count’s reaction to meeting Maximilien?

6. How does the Count shock Maximilien?

7. In chapter 23, what is the Countess of Morcerf’s reaction to meeting the Count of Monte

Cristo?

8. What is the double meaning to Franz’s claim that the Count was a man who had come

back from the next world?

9. Why does Mercedes warn Albert to be careful of the Count?

10. In chapter 24, what is Bertuccio’s reaction to hearing that the country house in Auteuil is the

Count’s?

11. Who owned the house before the Count bought it?

12. What story does Bertuccio tell the Count concerning Villefort, Benedetto, and Assunta?

13. What story does Bertuccio tell the Count concerning Caderousse?

14. What does the Count say are the two remedies for evil?


1. What has become of Caderousse?

2. Where does the reader first suspect that the priest is not what he appears to be?

3. What does the priest say his mission is? What does he say Dantes ordered him to do?

4. What is Caderousse’s story about Dantes’ father’s death?

5. What does Caderousse tell the priest about Dantes being framed?

6. How does the line, “But you were there” reveal the identity of the priest? (page 104)

7. What does the priest learn about M. Morrel?

8. What does the priest learn about Danglars?

9. What does the priest learn about Fernand?

10. What is the significance of the red silk purse?

11. What new character appears in chapter 17?

12. Why does the Englishman pay M. de Boville the money?

13. What does the Englishman remove from the records in the Inspector of Prison’s office?

14. How is the Prison Inspector’s statement, “I’ll never forget his face” an example of irony?

(page 95)

15. Explain how Dantes saved M. Morrel’s life and business.

16. After helping Morrel, what does Dante pledge to do?

17. What does Dantes say is his theory of punishment?

18. Briefly describe the members of the Morrel family and their friends. What kind of people are

they?




1. With whom does Dantes make contact?

2. Give three examples of how the Abbe uses creativity to survive?

3. What does Dantes discover about the reasons for his imprisonment?

4. How does Dantes change in chapter 10? What does he swear to do?

5. What happens to cancel the plans for escape?

6. What is the significance of the Spada family to the Abbe and Dantes?

7. What does the Abbe find in a book after the Cardinal’s death?

8. What happens to give Dantes an idea for escaping?

9. What is the plan for escape?

10. How are his escape plans nearly ruined at the end of chapter 12?

11. Where does Dantes first end up after escaping?

12. What story does Dantes first make up to tell the sailors on the ship that rescues him?

13. What year is it? How long had Dantes been imprisoned?

14. Who are the three men he vows vengeance toward?

15. What virtue had Dantes learned in prison that was useful to him now?

16. What good fortune comes to Dantes?

17. How does Dantes manage to remain for a few days on the Isle of Monte Cristo?

18. What is the first thing Dantes does with his money?

19. What does he ask Jacopo to do?

20. How does Dantes manage to transfer all the treasure without being seen?


5. To whom is Dantes to have delivered the letter?

6. Where is Dantes taken in chapter 6?

7. At the end of the chapter, where is he put? Why?

8. Where does the story’s setting shift? (Chapter 7)

9. Who is the ruler of France at this time?

10. What historical event is taking place in this chapter?

11. In chapter 8, what events take place that prohibit Morrel from attempting to continue to see Villefort about Dantes’ release?

12. In chapter 9, where does the setting of the story shift?

13. What changes Dantes mind about starving himself to death?

14. Briefly explain what happens to Danglars, Fernand, Mercedes, and Dantes’ father


1. What other betrothal feast is taking place at the same time as Dantes’?

2. What interrupts the festivities of this betrothal feast?

3. What does the conversation on page 21 reveal about the political affiliation of Villefort and his father?

4. What is Villefort ashamed of?

Directions: Answer the questions for each of the reading sections. The questions should

go in order, so as to help you pay better attention to the text. Please make sure the

answers on this study guide are your own; you are responsible for the material in the end!

Reading Assignment #1 - Chapters 1-4

1. How does Danglars feel about Dantes? How are his feelings revealed?

2. What does Captain LeClere ask Dantes to do for him?

3. What good fortune befalls Dantes?

4. What does the relationship between Dantes and his father reveal about the kind of person Dantes is?

5. What is the relationship between Danglars and Caderousse?

6. How does Mercedes feel about Fernand?

7. In chapter 4, what happens to Dantes?

8. Where is Dantes taken?


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BASIS OF THE STORYstonecentral.weebly.com/uploads/8/3/3/4/8334408/count_study_gui… · The Count of Monte Cristo Alexander Dumas READING ASSIGNMENT #10 –Chapters 55-59 Questions: