Summary of The Count of Monte Cristo Monte Cristo had two goals- to reward those who were kind to him and his aging father, and to punish those responsible for his imprisonment and suffering with a slow and painful punishment. To have spent fourteen years barely surviving in a dungeon, it was the most demandingly cruel and prolonged castigation of his life. The Count of Monte Cristo is set within the nineteenth century of France in large and populous cities. This was a time of great disruption. The main character name is Edmond Dantes. He was a sailor who, at the prime of his life and career, was betrayed by close friends because of their jealousy. There was confusion all over the land in regards to who led France, King Louis or Napoleon at that time. The citizens of France became divided by the two ruling parties, Royalists and the Bonaparte’s. They cut at each other’s throats in order to declare that their ruler was more supreme. Dante’s' enemies used the rivalry between the two parties in order to convince the Royalists that Edmond is a Bonaparte’s, therefore it is the basis for his arrest and inevitable captivity in the Chateau D'If. The Count of Monte Cristo is a story about a sailor, Edmond Dantes, who was betrayed during the prime of his life and career by the jealousy of his friends. His shipmate, Danglars, coveted his designation as the captain of the mighty Pharon. Ferdinand Mondego (friend) wanted to wed Mercedes, who was affianced to Edmond. Later, Danglars and Ferdinand wrote a letter accusing Edmond of carrying a letter from Elba to the Bonapartist committee in Paris. They know that by doing this they were for sure to put Edmond away for life. Caderousse, a neighbor, learned of the plot but kept silent. Now, in 2011, neighbors would not have done such of a thing. Most of the time (if the neighbor likes you) they