Compléter AMC Apr. U15Version en ligne AMC Apr. U15 par Clara Chen 1 denied abandons However convictions revenge fertile schemes consequence classics accused constraints destroyed The Count of Monte Cristo sprang from the imagination of legendary French author Alexandre Dumas . Dumas was a very productive mid - 19th - century writer , publishing numerous such as The Three Musketeers . The inspiration for The Count of Monte Cristo came from police records , where he found the narrative of a French shoemaker who was of treason by his envious friends . Like Dantès , the man became rich and spent years plotting and carrying out his revenge . Indeed , is the key theme of The Count of Monte Cristo . Dantès commits himself to this path while still in prison and will let nothing divert him from his course . Even when he realizes his have brought about the tragic death of Villefort's wife and son , he does not stop . Though he experiences doubts , Dantès reinforces his by visiting the prison and reliving his suffering . Yet as time passes , Dantès comes to see that revenge is empty , and this leads him to forgive Danglars . Dantès's other realization is that human justice has . This revelation comes in two phases . At first , Dantès believes society cannot punish criminals harshly enough when their deeds have lives , such as in his own case . Because of this , he sets out to destroy his enemies and everything they value . He calls himself God's agent in punishing the wicked . , as innocent lives are also ruined as a of his actions , Dantès comes to see that human justice is limited because humans themselves are limited . Only God may sufficiently reward and punish mankind . Dantès his revenge and goes in search of the happiness he has himself for years .