Throughout the course of The Count of Monte Cristo, the limitations of human justice versus the equity of divine justice are revealed as Dantes seeks revenge against Caderousse, Fernand, Villefort, and Danglars. In the beginning of his quest for revenge, upon receiving Abbe Faria’s fortune, which Dantes believes is due to divine intervention, Dantes views himself as an agent of Providence, believing he is acting out God’s will in punishing each of the conspirators; however, before he even completes all four of his revenge plans, Monte Cristo begins to comprehend that his human knowledge is incomplete and “that he has gone beyond the limits of rightful vengeance” (485). These doubts of his divine ordainment begin to arise when Mercedes questions Monte Cristo’s sense of justice regarding innocent Albert and are confirmed when Monte Cristo,
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While he did mean to disturb Villefort’s consciousness, Monte Cristo never planned for the prosecutor to actually go mad. Thus, recognizing his err, when Maximilien compares Monte Cristo to a god, the count immediately rebukes him, for “the gods never do evil; they always stop where they want to stop…I’m a man” (489). Thus, it is obvious at this point in the novel, before Monte Cristo has even completed his revenge against Danglars that he realizes his knowledge of what will take place is incomplete and he cannot dominate chance. For example, Monte Cristo did not know until it was almost too late that Maximilien loves Valentine. Nevertheless, regardless of this doubt and regret, Monte Cristo still view himself as having been “the instrument of God…vindictive, crafty and cruel, or, rather, impassive like deaf and blind Fate itself” (494-95) and only believes that “in order for him to come to the point of blaming himself, an error must somehow have slipped into his calculations”
While he did mean to disturb Villefort’s consciousness, Monte Cristo never planned for the prosecutor to actually go mad. Thus, recognizing his err, when Maximilien compares Monte Cristo to a god, the count immediately rebukes him, for “the gods never do evil; they always stop where they want to stop…I’m a man” (489). Thus, it is obvious at this point in the novel, before Monte Cristo has even completed his revenge against Danglars that he realizes his knowledge of what will take place is incomplete and he cannot dominate chance. For example, Monte Cristo did not know until it was almost too late that Maximilien loves Valentine. Nevertheless, regardless of this doubt and regret, Monte Cristo still view himself as having been “the instrument of God…vindictive, crafty and cruel, or, rather, impassive like deaf and blind Fate itself” (494-95) and only believes that “in order for him to come to the point of blaming himself, an error must somehow have slipped into his calculations”