joggoon

The success of Monte Cristo coincides with that of France's Second Empire and besides the description of the return of Napoleon I in 1815 Dumas gives at least one hint to the events: the governor at the Château d'If is promoted to a position at the castle of Ham. The attitude of Dumas towards the "bonapartisme" was extremely complicated and involved. This conflict dates back to his father who was a coloured man, born by a slave and who became a famous general during the revolution. When new racist laws were applied in 1802 the general was dismissed from the army and he was profoundly bitter towards Napoleon when he died in 1806. An event in 1840 renewed the patriotic support for the Bonaparte family in the population: the ashes of Napoleon I were brought to France and became object of veneration in the church of Les Invalides.

In "Causeries" from 1860, Dumas prints a short paper on the genesis of Monte-Cristo. This essay, called "Ètat civil du "Comte de Monte-Cristo"" is included in the Plèiade edition (Paris, 1981) as an "annexe". It appears that Dumas had close and intimate contacts with members of the Bonaparte family while living in Florence in 1841. In a small boat he sailed around the island of Monte-Cristo accompanied by one of the young princes - a cousin to the one who was going to be emperor of France ten years later. During this trip he promised the prince that he would write a novel with the island's name as title. At this moment the future emperor was imprisoned at the citadel of Ham - a name that is mentioned in the novel. Louis Napoleon was imprisoned for lifetime, but he fled under disguise. This happened in 1846 while Dumas's novel was already a gigantic success. Just as Dantès, Louis Napoleon reappeared in Paris as a powerful and enigmatic man of the world. In 1848, however, Dumas did not vote for Louis Napoleon, but the novel may have participated - against the will of the writer - to the victory of the future Napoleon III.