1) Les Catalans is described as situated on inhospitable land, a “bizarre” village whose inhabitants speak their own language, maintain the customs of their homeland, and marry among themselves. Is Mercédès a product of her outsider culture or a threat to it?

2) Do the physical similarities (black hair and dark eyes) between Dantès and Mercédès suggest character similarities? And what does black suggest about them?

3) Does the fact that Mercédès is both romantic (she would rather die for love than settle for Fernand) and powerful (she crushes Fernand’s hopes with unminced words and withering glares) remind you of heroines in other novels or set her apart?

4) Danglars and Caderousse are baiting Fernand to go after Dantès, but Fernand seems genuinely to prefer the idea of Mercédès marrying Dantès to that of her killing herself. Does he deserve any sympathy?

5) Danglars mentions that the Spanish, Sicilians, and Calabrians are vengeful people; is vengefulness genetic in this world or can characters unlearn it?

Final sentence of chapter:

“Then the two lovers went on their way, calm and happy as two chosen souls heading for paradise.”

previous chapter discussion