Xi English Question 2 - Character Sketch from Play - The Count's Revenge

Monte Cristo

Introduction
The Count of Monte Cristo is the hero of the play, The Count’s Revenge. He is the charming, swashbuckling and ever obliging nobleman, splendidly dressed. The handsome hero, gay, cynical, not very young, with the touch of the devil about him.

As A Young Sailor
As a young man, Monte Cristo was known as Edmond Dantes, a mere sailor of Marseilles, a port in South of France. He loved a beautiful Catalan girl, Mercedes, to whom he was engaged. He was to marry her, on his return from a voyage, which he was to undertake in due course of time.

A Victim Of Conspiracy
But the marriage never took place, as a young fisherman, Fernand Mondego, a friend of Edmond and a snake under grass has other plans. Fernand Mondego secretely loved Mercedes and wished to marry her. So the crafty Fernand, hatched the most devilish of plots against his own friend (Edmond) whereby he got him condemned as a spy of exiled Buonopart, by giving false evidence in the court.

Convicted As A Spy
Poor Edmond, a victim of hatred and jealousy, is convicted as a spy and condemned to life imprisonment in an underground dungeon. The evil Fernand then, convinced Mercedes, through false news in the press that Edmond Dantes had died in prison. Then he gradually gained her confidence by sympathizing with her. In this way, Fernand succeeded in marrying Mercedes.

Escapes From Prison
The unfortunate Edmond Dantes, remained in Prison for 14 long years. He is an innocent victim of blind justice. Then luck favoured him. Six years before the events of our play, Edmond contrived to escape from prison. After escaping from prison, he re-establishes himself in life with wonderful speed and success. In six years, he acquires wealth, a little and a dazzling place in the French Society and settles down in Paris.

As Count Of Monte Cristo
As Count of Monte Cristo, he is greatly respected and admired. But his main aim in life is to take revenge from Fernand Mondego, his deadly enemy, now living in Paris as the Count of Morcerf. Monte Cristo discovers after searching investigations, that his old enemy the Count of Morcerf committed yet another gross act of villainy during his service in the French Army. That he accepted bribes from the Turks, with whom France was at war and surrendered the Fortress of Yanina to them, in 1823.

Count’s Revenge
By keeping in the background, Monte Cristo condemns Count of Morcerf as a traitor to his country. He thus succeeds in taking sweet revenge from his archenemy. He first publishes articles in the newspapers and later in the Chamber of Deputies, he backs his charges by giving convincing proofs. It is at this point, in the play, that Morcerf is, at least exposed as the Villain that he is.

Monte Cristo’s Challenge
Albert, the son of the Count of Morcerf is much offended on learning that his own friend is the cause of his family disgrace and disrepute. In a fit of rage, he challenges Monte Cristo to a duel, which was to be fought at Bois-de-Vincennes at 8 a.m.

Duel Averted
Owing to the intervention of the Countess, his beloved of yester-years, Monte Cristo consents to spare her son’s life. Monte Cristo gives his word that Albert would come to no harm and that he would die, in his place. However, it is the villain who dies and Monte Cristo is thus avenged.

Conclusion
There is no denying that Monte Cristo is the pivot around whom the whole play revolves. He is indeed a man of integrity and honour. He has a charming personality. He is kind and noble who is rewarded in the end for his virtuosity.










The Count of Morcerf

Introduction
The Count of Morcerf is presented as the villain of the play, The Count’s Revenge. Prior to becoming a Count, he was a fisherman. He was then known as Fernand Mondego. At that point of time, he lived in Marseilles. He had a friend, Edmond Dantes, who was a sailor. Fernand was quite friendly with him. Edmond was engaged to a beautiful Catalan girl, Mercedes. This fact was known to Fernand. But being an evil natured man, he secretly yearned to marry Mercedes. Therefore, to make his dream come true, he hatched a plot – the most diabolic, which any man could have hatched, against any man.

A Rogue And A Rascal
He is out and out a rogue and a rascal. In order to win the hand of Mercedes, he framed a false charge against his friend, Edmond in the court. He proved that Edmond was the spy of the exiled Napoleon Bonapart. He provided false evidences against Edmond and thus got him imprisoned for 20 years. In this way, he very cleverly removed the innocent Edmond, out of the way.

A Mean And Degraded Man
Once Edmond Dantes had been taken care of Fernand had little difficulty in trapping Mercedes into his trap. He first convinced Mercedes, of the death of Edmond by publishing the false news of his death in the newspapers. Then appearing as a friend and a sympathizer her first consoled her. And after wining her confidence, he then proposed to marry her. Being heart-broke and lonely, she accepted his offer. Thus, the evil monster, succeeded in his devilish plan.

A Traitor To His Country
Having accomplished all his plans successfully, he decided to settle down in Paris. So, he said good bye to Marseilles. While in Paris, he joined the Army, and after sometime, became a captain in 1822. The French were at war against the Turks. Fernand as Captain was defending the Fortress of Yanina. Being a coward and a mean person, he surrendered the fortress to the Turks on receiving a huge bribe. He however made it appear as though he got defeated. Having acquired tons of wealth, Fernand took his discharge from the Army. He then took the title of the Count and settled in Paris.

As A Liar And A Wicked Person
Having amassed a huge fortune, the count started living like a lord when he is proved as a traitor in the chamber of Deputies, he still kept denying his charges. Even in the face of sound evidence, he kept denying his guilt. He is a liar and a rogue.

A Violent Death
After he is proved a traitor, he is still not remorseful. When he is face to face with Edmond, he pulls out his pistol to shoot him. But Albert, Beauchamp pounce on him, to snatch the pistol from him. In the struggle the pistol goes off and the Count of Morcerf, shoots himself. Thus Monte Cristo is avenged.









The Countess of Morcerf

Introduction
The Countess of Morcerf is a beautiful lady, with a bewitching personality. She is lie a breath of fresh air, in the play The Count’s Revenge. Twenty years ago, she lived in Marseilles and was bethroted to Edmond Dantes. She was then known as Mercedes, an extremely charming lady. She is adored and admired by all. She enchanted every one, who came into contact with her. So ravishingly beautiful was she.

A Victim Of A Conspiracy
It is her beauty, which resulted in her undoing, so to speak. While it was known to all and sundry, that she was to be married to Edmond Dantes A fisherman, named Fernand Mondego, also desired to marry her. Fernand Mondego, though a friend of Edmond Dantes, hatched a most diabolic plot, whereby he got Edmond condemned as a traitor and a spy to the exiled Buonaparte. Thus he eliminated Edmond from the scene and tricked Mercedes into marrying her.

Tricked Into Marrying Fernand Mondego
The cunning Fernand Mondego convinced Mercedes by giving her false evidence that Edmond Dantes had died in Prison. Then he gradually gains her confidence by sympathy with her. In this way, Fernand Mondego succeeds in marrying he. Although fate ill treats Mercedes, it goes to her credit that she remains loyal wife to her villainous husband, Fernand Mondego.

As A Loving Mother
She dearly loved her son, Albert. When she learns that Albert has challenged Monte Cristo, to a duel, she is deeply concerned, for the safety of her son. She does what any mother would have done, under the circumstances. She visits Monte Cristo, under the cover of darkness and begs of him, to spare the life of her only son. Monte Cristo yields to her request and promises not to kill Albert.

Mercedes Confides To Her Son
Then Mercedes, now known as the Countess of Morcerf, confides into her son, Albert and tells him how she had begged of Monte Cristo, to spare his life. She then requests him not to fight the duel. She then discloses to Albert the villainy of his father, the Count of Morcerf. How he got Monte Cristo labelled as a spy and got him imprisoned for twenty years, although he was absolutely innocent. How Morcerf cheated her into marrying him and how he ill treated and tortured her.

Duel Averted
Albert after learning about the misdeed of his father resolves not to fight the duel. Not only this he apologizes to Monte Cristo and becomes his friend. Thus, the Countess plays a very important role in averting the duel and saving Albert’s life.

A Woman of Great Qualities
The Countess is a woman of great qualities. She is kind and affectionate. She is devoted mother and loves her son dearly. As a wife too, she is faithful to the evil Morcerf, till she learns from Monte Cristo that she got cheated by Morcerf, into marrying him. The only blot on her otherwise chaste and pure character, is her desertion of her husband, towards the end of the play.









Albert

Introduction
Albert is a young French nobleman. He is the son of the Count and the Countess of Morcerf. A man of great character, to whom honour and self-respect are of great value. He possesses a very pleasing personality and is very enthusiastic about life.

Simple And Noble
Albert is very simple by nature. He is unable to discern Monte Cristo’s intentions in becoming so thick with him. He has all the noble qualities, which a nobleman values. To him, his honour and his family’s good name are more dear to him, than life itself.

Sentimental Young Man
Albert is a very sentimental young man. When the Chamber of Deputies condemns his father, the Count of Morcerf as a traitor, he is very upset. He narrates to his mother, the Countess, the circumstances in which his father is disgraced. He felt so ashamed that he wanted to give up his name and to leave the country. He is so upset that he makes up his mind to take revenge of his father’s enemy.

A Man Of Honour
Albert is a man of honour. When he discovers that his own dear friend, Monte Cristo, is his father’s enemy, he challenges him, to a duel, for the sake of his family honour.

Wise And Bold
Although Albert is a very emotional young man yet he is wise and sensible t heed his mother’s counsel, to desist from fighting the duel. When his own mother convinces him of his father’s guilt he not only decides not to fight the duel, but also apologizes to him, for challenging him to a duel. He is bold and does not feel ashamed, in asking Monte Cristo’s forgiveness. He is brave and forth right and tells his father, about his guilt and that he should face his enemy.

A Dutiful Son
Albert is a dutiful and an affectionate son. He loves his mother and is very respectful to her. But his only blemish is that, he shows disrespect to his father, when he learns that his father is the villain of the piece. He refuses to embrace his father and accept his blessings. This is in very bad taste. As a sensible and dutiful son, he should have stood by his father. Apart from this, Albert impresses the readers with his strong sense of justice and honour and love for his country.










Beauchamp

Introduction
Beauchamp is a very good friend of Albert’s. It is he who discovers the man, who brought disgraces on Albert’s father, the Count of Morcerf. He being an editor of a daily newspaper in Paris, is able to discover Albert’s father’s enemy. In fact the news of Morcerf’s disgrace is published in his newspaper.

As A Sincere Man
Beauchamp’s greatest quality is his sincerity to his friend. Albert greatly depended on him. That is why, he asks Beauchamp to discover the anonymous writer’s name. We learn later in the play that Beauchamp succeeds in discovering the name of the man who brings disgrace to Morcerf.

A Sensible Man
He is a very sensible man. Finding his friend, Albert, very disturbed on account of his father’s disgrace he does not disclose his father’s enemy’s name (Monte Cristo), at once. He mentally prepares Albert by telling him that the name would surprise him, that he would not believe that it could be his friend, Count of Monte Cristo.

A Cool Headed Man
Beauchamp is a cool headed man. He does not flare up or lose his head like Albert who loses his cool, when he learns that, it is his own dear friend, Monte Cristo, who is the cause of his family’s disgrace and dishonour. So in a fit of rage, he challenges him to fight a duel. He thought that this was the only way, he could wash away the blot on his honour.

As A Second Albert
Albert points Beauchamp as his second, in the duel to be fought. Albert has so much faith and reliance on him, that he made Beauchamp to make all the necessary arrangements for the duel. Tries To Dissuade Albert Beauchamp tries to dissuade Albert from fighting the duel. In his surprise, he says:

“MY DEAR ALBERT, YOU DO NOT MEAN TO CARRY MATTERS SO FAR.”

He stands by Albert, to the very last When the duel is averted, it is he, who breaks the news of his safety, to the Countess and Count of Morcerf. He is a real devoted friend – one on whom a fried could relay and depend.