The rise and fall of an empire will depend on the mind and intentions behind the leader. In The Count of Monte Cristo- by Alexandre Dumas and “Viva La Vida”- by Coldplay, both the author and the songwriter use imagery and allusion to convey the idea that desire and excessive power can lead to the fall of an empire. In The Count of Monte Cristo, a man by the name of Villefort, is the Royalist son of a Bonapartist. Villefort slowly made his way up the social ladder, was a trusted Royalist, and built a fortune, by ruling as a public prosecutor. From being the son of a Bonapartist, to quickly climbing as a noted Royalist, Villefort has the life he would have always imagined to cover up his past. However, Villefort’s life is rocked to the core
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Villefort and King Louis XVI were on top of their game and then all of the sudden, hit rock bottom. Villefort was the victim of The Count’s cruel revenge spree, where he was discovered for treason and eventually went mad. During Villefort’s hearing for Benedetto, he is revealed to the public for attempted murder. When he later returns home, he finds both his wife, Heloise, and his son, Edouard, dead. Driven mad by his devastation and loss, he wants to search for the baby he buried to prove that he is innocent. He wants to “find him!” interrupted Villefort. “It won’t do you any good to say he’s not here- I’ll find him if I have to search till the Last Judgement.” Monte Cristo recoiled in terror. “Oh!” he exclaimed. “He’s gone mad!” (Dumas, 486). The Count of Monte Cristo illustrates how Villefort has now cracked and Dumas perfectly describes The Count’s horror at his madness. Villefort went from being able to give justice at the tip of a hat, to utterly mad from devastation. In addition, King Louis XVI in “Viva La Vida” is the king of the France, and will be till the day that he dies. Yet suddenly, he was next in line for the guillotine. “Viva la Vida” illustrates how weak the monarchy was under his power, by the line, “And I discovered my castles stand, upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand.” (Coldplay, Viva La Vida, Line 12) showing that his pillars, the base and foundation, were built upon something as weak as salt and sand. The French Monarchy, which had stood for a thousand years, collapsed under the tight constrictions that Louis XVI had on them. Both Villefort and King Louis XVI had their powers, as though a tablecloth, pulled from underneath
Villefort and King Louis XVI were on top of their game and then all of the sudden, hit rock bottom. Villefort was the victim of The Count’s cruel revenge spree, where he was discovered for treason and eventually went mad. During Villefort’s hearing for Benedetto, he is revealed to the public for attempted murder. When he later returns home, he finds both his wife, Heloise, and his son, Edouard, dead. Driven mad by his devastation and loss, he wants to search for the baby he buried to prove that he is innocent. He wants to “find him!” interrupted Villefort. “It won’t do you any good to say he’s not here- I’ll find him if I have to search till the Last Judgement.” Monte Cristo recoiled in terror. “Oh!” he exclaimed. “He’s gone mad!” (Dumas, 486). The Count of Monte Cristo illustrates how Villefort has now cracked and Dumas perfectly describes The Count’s horror at his madness. Villefort went from being able to give justice at the tip of a hat, to utterly mad from devastation. In addition, King Louis XVI in “Viva La Vida” is the king of the France, and will be till the day that he dies. Yet suddenly, he was next in line for the guillotine. “Viva la Vida” illustrates how weak the monarchy was under his power, by the line, “And I discovered my castles stand, upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand.” (Coldplay, Viva La Vida, Line 12) showing that his pillars, the base and foundation, were built upon something as weak as salt and sand. The French Monarchy, which had stood for a thousand years, collapsed under the tight constrictions that Louis XVI had on them. Both Villefort and King Louis XVI had their powers, as though a tablecloth, pulled from underneath