The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. Short summary

5 seconds

After the death of the ship’s captain, the ship’s owner wants Edmond Dantes to take his place. Dantes’ enemy composes an anonymous letter, which causes him to be sentenced to life imprisonment in the Château d’If.

1 minute

In 1815, the ship Pharaoh, whose captain had died of fever on the high seas, returns from a voyage to Marseilles. The young sailor Edmond Dantes takes over command. According to the captain’s last will, Dantes takes the ship to the island of Elba, where he hands over the package he received from him to Marshal Bertrand and meets the disgraced Emperor.

Dantes is given a letter to bring to Mr. Noirier, who lives in Paris. He is one of the conspirators who are preparing the return of Napoleon to the throne.

The owner of the «Pharaoh» wants Dantes to officially become captain. He is envied by the accountant of the ship’s company. In order to dismiss Edmond he composes an anonymous letter and hands it to the assistant prosecutor.

The message informs him that Dantes is a secret agent of the Bonapartists. He is summoned for interrogation, where he recounts his visit to Elba. Dantes is sentenced to life imprisonment in the Château d’If, which is a political prison among the sea.