Mercédès Contrast of Madame de VillefortLove and hate are the most common and basic traits that characters portray in novels. Hatred is a strong trait to possess because it can bring out the worst qualities in those who are considered loving people. Love is a quality that is described as passion or affection for others. In the Count of Monte Cristo Mercédès and Madame De Villefort have these qualities and they are both very different. They are very different because Mercédès is a beautiful, loving woman and Madame De Villefort is a hateful, jealous and greedy woman. A fisherman's daughter Mercédès is considered faithful and beautiful. She should marry Edmond Dantès, but on the day of the wedding he is arrested and taken away from her. Mercédès is quite distraught when her true love Edmond Dantès is taken away from her. Even when he seems to disappear, Mercédès tries to care for Dantès' father in his absence. The kindness of Mercédès, “Mercédès is currently one of the greatest ladies in Paris. At first she was completely overwhelmed by the blow that had deprived her of her Edmond. I have already told you how he pestered Villefort with entreaties, and I also mentioned his devoted care for Dantès' father” (107). Mercédès succumbs and marries Fernand after the death of Dantès' father. Even though she is now married to Fernand, she has never stopped loving Dantès. Married to Fernand she is quite unhappy despite having become a cultured and distinguished woman: “If crowns were bestowed on beauty and intelligence, Mercédès would now be a queen. Her fortune grew and she grew with it. He learned drawing, music, everything. Personally I think she did all this simply to distract her mind and help her forge... half of paper... luxury life which she is not happy with because she doesn't have her true love Edmond Dantès. Madame De Villefort is trying to get all the fortune that Valentine will receive but in the end she gets nothing. Mercédès is the type of person who will go to great lengths to make sure others are taken care of while Madame only takes care of herself. Greed, jealousy and hatred are qualities that Madame De Villefort is what makes her different from the beautiful and loving Mercédès. Love and hate traits are extremely different from each other. Hateful people will do anything to get what they want and eventually it will come back to haunt them. While those who love people may not always get what they want, but the reward will be worth it in the end. Work cited Dumas, Alexandre. The Count of Monte Cristo. , New York: Dover Publishing, 2007.