The primary source for my thesis will be Alexandre Dumas’ "The Count of Monte Cristo." Critics note the uncanny accuracy and precision with which Dumas writes about toxic substances, and a cursory glance at the author’s biography highlights Dumas’ lifelong fascination with and morbid curiosity for the subject. The scene that most interests me is the climactic moment when the Count realizes that Madame Villefort has poisoned her son and herself out of a twisted sense of maternal devotion. The dramatic scene is composed primarily of taboos concerning Victorian womanhood and poisons. In my thesis, I explore the connection between 19th century understandings of women, crime, and poisons. I hope to answer two key questions: How would Dumas’ original audience understand and make meaning of Mde. Villefort’s character, and how is that different from how we might read her today?
