MadisonDemercy

EnglishHP.2
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2MaximilienandValentinebestexemplifytruelovebecausethroughoutthebookthese
characterscouldcomparetoRomeoandJuliet.Valentineistheloveofhislife.Thesecharacters
staysostrongbecausethereisneverreallyanythingtoavengebetweenthem.Howheintended
totakeValentinetohissister'shouse,marryherandthenrespectfullywaitandhopeforMonsieur
deVillefort'spardon(Dumas297).ThisquoteshowsthatMaximilienwouldhavedoneanything
forValentineslove.
3TheCountwasjustifiedinhisactsofrevengebecausehepayedtheconsequencehimself.
Dantespassedthroughallthestagesofmiseryenduredbyprisonersforgotteninadungeon
(Dumas41).ThisquoteshowstheCountsreasoningforwantingtogetrevenge.Becausehefelt
painandmisery,hewasjustifiedtogetrevengeonthepeoplewhoharmedhim
4ThecrulestcharacterinthenovelisEdmondDantesbecauseEdmondwoulddoanythingthat
hebelievedwouldberight.Hegotrevengeandtookadvantageovereveryone.Hewoulddo
anythingtoproveapointorjusttogetwhathewanted.HetellsMercedes,"Godbroughtme

backfromthelivingdeadtopunishthem!AndIwillhavemyrevenge!"(Dumas377).
5Themostprominentthemeinthenovelisdefinitelyrevenge.Manycharactersfind
theirwayintocausingotherstroubleandgettingrevengeononeanother.Theyfocuson
hurtingeachotherratherthanhelpingeachother."Hedecideditwashumanhatredand
notdivinevengeancethathadplungedhimintothisabyss.Hedoomedtheseunknown
mentoeverytormentthathisinflamedimaginationcoulddevise,whilestillconsidering
thatthemostfrightfulweretoomildand,aboveall,toobriefforthem:torturewas
followedbydeath,anddeathbrought,ifnotrepose,atleastaninsensibilitythat
resembledit."(Dumas158)
7BytheendofthenovelEdmondDanteslearnsthatallthetroublehehasputpeople
inwasn'tworthit.Hebeginstofeelsorryandfeelsasifgodispunishinghimfor
everythinghehasdonewrong."God,whoraisedmeupagainstmyenemiesandmade
mevictorious,didn'twantmetohavethispenanceattheendofmyvictory.Iwantedto
punishmyself,butGodwishestoforgiveme!"(Dumas529).Intheendheproclaimshis
victoryandrealizesthatthatgodisn'tpunishinghim.
8Inthebeginningofthebookthecountdoesn'tcareanymoreabouthismoralityand
wantstodowhateverittakestohurtthepeoplethathurthim.Hehurtsmanypeople
withnocareinhismind."Makenomistake:Ishouldfightaduelforatrifle,aninsult,a

contradiction,aslapandallthemoremerrilyforknowingthat,thankstotheskillIhave
acquiredinallphysicalexercisesandlongexperienceofdanger,Ishouldbemoreor
lesscertainofkillingmyopponent.Oh,yes,indeed,Ishouldfightaduelforanyofthese
thingsbutinreturnforaslow,deep,infinite,eternalpain,Ishouldreturnasnearlyas
possibleapainequivalenttotheoneinflictedonme.Aneyeforaneye,atoothfora
tooth,astheysayintheEast,thosemenwhoaretheelectofcreation,andwhohave
learnttomakealifeofdreamsandparadiseareality."(Dumas349)Thisquoteshows
howtheCountwoulddoanythingtogeteven,ortotakerevengeuponsomeonewho
hashurthim.
10Iamnotproud,butIamhappyandhappinessblinds,Ithink,morethanpride
(Dumas367).IbelievethatthisquoteshowsthatTheCountisoneofthehappiest
charactersbytheendofthenovel.Althoughhefacedalotofhardproblems,andwent
throughalotoftoughstuff,helearnedalotthroughthenovel,andit'seasyforthe
audiencetoseethataswell.Ibelieveheishappybecauseheisdonetakingrevenge,
andhelearnsthatwhat'sdoneisdone.
12WhenDantesclaimsthatthereisneitherhappinessnormiseryintheworldthereis
onlythecomparisonofonestatewithanother,nothingmore.Ithinkhemeansthat
thereisneverpurehappiness,orpuremisery.Withoutgoingthroughtoughsituations
youdon'tlearnhowtobehappy.Youcan'tjustmakeabadsituationagoodone.
Althoughwhenyoucompareasituationwithanother,onemaybehappierthanthe
other.Ithinkthatthisrelatestothestorybecausetherearemanyhappyandsadevents
thattakeplaceduringthenovel.
14IfIcouldhavedinnerwithoneofthecharactersIwouldprobablychoosetohave
dinnerwithValentinedeVillefortbecausesheseemssokindandfun.Sheisthekindof
girlwholoves,andwoulddoanythingforherfamily.AndIfeelthesameaboutmy
family.Valentineseemssuperfriendlyandhonest,andthosequalitiesbuildupher
character.