tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780860617689753628.post1243434289944413341..comments2024-02-24T07:50:49.215-08:00Comments on The Wood Between the Worlds: The Count of Monte CristoAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932996448692168409noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780860617689753628.post-49353200066326659112021-09-26T09:27:35.567-07:002021-09-26T09:27:35.567-07:00Not sure if my reply from some time ago made it th...Not sure if my reply from some time ago made it through the commenting system again (are replies supposed to show up as soon as they're posted? or is there some sort of internal moderation process?). Re-posting it here:<br /><br />No problem, sorry for my late reply as well. Indeed, while Valentine and Maximilien are the stereotypical sweet, innocent, head-over-heals-in-love young couple, I find them boring and frankly pathetic at times (e.g. Maximilien's cowardice and wish to kill himself when he thinks Valentine is dead). Albert is far braver than Maximilien and is willing to accept misfortune and try his best in harsh circumstances rather than taking the easy way out by wallowing in despair and thinking of killing himself! I hate it when Edmond actually writes in his will that he wishes for Maximilien to marry Haydee -- he's not good enough for her in my opinion! Albert has wisdom, maturity, grace and sharpness of wit which would wonderfully complement Haydee's strength and charisma. I even looked online for fanfiction that "shipped" Haydee and Albert, but to my disappointment I only found a couple where they were like siblings, and none where they got married. :( Most of them seem to be hooked on the Edmond/Haydee marriage idea -- uggh! Dumas really missed out on the chance to write about a lovely marriage between two well-matched, highly deserving characters.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780860617689753628.post-13884374477543757482021-09-06T12:21:48.183-07:002021-09-06T12:21:48.183-07:00No problem, sorry for my late reply as well. Indee...No problem, sorry for my late reply as well. Indeed, while Valentine and Maximilien are the stereotypical, sweet, innocent, head-over-heals-in-love young couple, I find them boring and frankly pathetic at times (e.g. Maximilien's cowardice and wish to kill himself when he thinks Valentine is dead). Albert is far braver than Maximilien and is willing to accept misfortune and try his best in harsh circumstances rather than taking the easy way out by wallowing in despair and thinking of killing himself! I hate it when Edmond (ignorant of Max's love for Val at the time) actually writes in his will that he wishes for Maximilien to marry Haydee -- he's not good enough for her in my opinion! Albert has wisdom, maturity, grace and sharpness of wit which would wonderfully complement Haydee's strength and charisma. I even looked online for fanfiction that "shipped" Haydee and Albert, but to my disappointment, I only found a couple where they loved each other like siblings, and NONE where they got married. :( Most of the fanfiction writers seem to be hooked on the disgusting Edmond/Haydee marriage idea. Dumas really missed out on the chance to write about a lovely, closure-bringing marriage between two well-matched, highly-deserving characters like Albert and Haydee.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780860617689753628.post-31008383044928958732021-06-17T11:54:49.565-07:002021-06-17T11:54:49.565-07:00Sorry for replying so late, but I am 100% on board...Sorry for replying so late, but I am 100% on board with your thoughts. The romantic relationship between Edmond and Haydee does seem weird given the age difference, but it's totally different if Haydee sees Edmond as a father figure instead, and in that case it would make so much sense for Albert and Haydee to end up together! Albert and Haydee are SO much more interesting and more deserving than Maximilien and Valentine, and a relationship between Haydee and Albert would, as you say, be a kind of healing/restoration for both Edmond and Mercedes. Too bad Dumas didn't think of that! (:Erinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780860617689753628.post-53579828994985079982020-12-04T07:55:13.030-08:002020-12-04T07:55:13.030-08:00Thanks for your reply! I posted this follow-up a f...Thanks for your reply! I posted this follow-up a few days ago but maybe it didn't go through, so here it is again:<br /><br />I think that Haydee and Edmond's relationship shouldn't be compartmentalized into a romantic one by the end of the story. On an obvious level, given their age difference and Edmond's father-like guardianship over her, romantic/sexual relations between them would seem just wrong and incestuous. I love how Haydee says she loves Edmond as a father, brother and husband -- her love for him is so pure and all-encompassing, that it defies classification and has spiritual elements of all the different relationships. Just like someone who has devoted their entire life to God might describe their relationship with Jesus -- saying that Jesus is everything they have, and is like a father, brother, and husband to them. <br /><br />I found the scene where Albert visits Haydee and hears her story very interesting...so much unspoken tension! Albert was clearly in awe of her, and she was very surprised because that was the first (and probably only) time a man other than the Count had been granted access to her inner chambers. Given that Albert and Haydee are very close in age, and the fact that Albert was longing to have a romantic adventure with a beautiful girl in Rome, I cannot help but think that Albert would be attracted to Haydee. And Albert is such a sweet and polite person, that I imagine their meeting must have left an impression on Haydee as well. By the end of the story, Albert knows it is Haydee who was instrumental in revealing Fernand's treachery, but I don't think he despises her for it because he knows her suffering and remembers that Haydee doesn't know of the connection between Albert and Fernand (since the Count prohibited her from telling him Fernand's name). I also think that if Haydee finds out about the connection in the future, she would still like Albert for who he is, not despise him for who his father was. In a cathartic and redemptive way, I can imagine them meeting in the future, Haydee finding out Albert's parentage but being amazed by his sheer bravery and innocence, and the two of them being irresistibly drawn to each other. Haydee and Albert ending up together would be so satisfying and sweet and proper, I think. If Edmond could come to love Albert, perhaps he would feel that the marriage of his adopted daughter Haydee with Mercedes' son Albert makes up for the cruel loss of his own marriage to Mercedes. In any case, even if Albert and Haydee didn't fall in love, I would love to think that they could become good friends in the future. Albert deserves the companionship of a sweet, strong girl like Haydee. (And if Edmond can be nice to Valentine despite her father Villefort's direct role in Edmond's suffering, why can't Haydee be nice to Albert despite Fernand's terrible deeds?)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780860617689753628.post-30512562632060829452020-11-29T09:51:52.307-08:002020-11-29T09:51:52.307-08:00Thanks for your reply! I think that Haydee and Edm...Thanks for your reply! I think that Haydee and Edmond's relationship shouldn't be compartmentalized into a romantic one by the end of the story. On an obvious level, given their huge age difference and Edmond's father-like guardianship over her, romantic/sexual relations between them would seem just wrong and incestuous. I love how Haydee says she loves Edmond as a father, brother and husband -- her love for him is so pure and all-encompassing, that it defies classification and has spiritual elements of all the different relationships. Just like someone who has devoted their entire life to God might describe their relationship with Jesus, saying that Jesus is everything they have -- like a father, brother, and husband.<br /><br />I found the scene where Albert visits Haydee and hears her story very interesting...so much unspoken tension! Albert was clearly in awe of her, and she was very surprised because that was the first (and probably only) time a man other than the Count had been granted access to her inner chambers. Given that Albert and Haydee are very close in age, and the fact that Albert was longing to have a romantic adventure with a beautiful girl in Rome, I cannot help but think that Albert would be attracted to Haydee. And Albert is such a sweet and polite person, that I imagine their meeting must have left an impression on Haydee as well. By the end of the story, Albert knows it is Haydee who was instrumental in revealing Fernand's treachery, but I don't think he despises her for it because he knows her suffering and remembers that Haydee doesn't know of the connection between Albert and Fernand (since the Count prohibited her from telling him Fernand's name). I also think that if Haydee finds out about the connection in the future, she would still like Albert for who he is, not despise him for who his father was. In a cathartic and redemptive way, I can imagine them meeting in the future, Haydee finding out about Albert's parentage but being amazed by his sheer bravery and innocence, and the two of them being irresistibly drawn to each other. Haydee and Albert ending up together would be so satisfying and sweet and proper, I think. If Edmond could come to love Albert, perhaps he would feel that the marriage of his adopted daughter Haydee with Mercedes' son Albert makes up for the cruel loss of his own marriage to Mercedes. In any case, even if Albert and Haydee don't fall in love, I would love to think that they could become good friends in the future. Albert deserves the companionship of a sweet, strong girl like Haydee. (And if Edmond can be nice to Valentine despite her father Villefort's direct role in Edmond's suffering, why can't Haydee be nice to Albert despite Fernand's terrible deeds?)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780860617689753628.post-26573997091540433372020-11-29T08:26:01.861-08:002020-11-29T08:26:01.861-08:00So glad you liked the review! It is a great book a...So glad you liked the review! It is a great book and like you, I haven't found a film adaptation that does it justice, though I do think it would make a great TV show. Yes, Albert deserved better. What are your thoughts on Haydee? (:Erinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780860617689753628.post-50766205709894824722020-11-27T21:45:37.331-08:002020-11-27T21:45:37.331-08:00Thank you for this wonderful review! The Count of ...Thank you for this wonderful review! The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my all-time favourite books (I loathe the film adaptations). I am happy to see that you feel the same about Albert as I do. I absolutely adore Albert and really think he deserved better at the hands of Edmond. Albert's pure, innocent love for Edmond should have been reciprocated rather than Edmond lavishing all his kindness and gift on boring, cowardly, melodramatic Maximilien just because Max's dad was nice to him! I have thoughts on Haydee that I'd love to discuss as well! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com