Depiction of Revenge in Alexandre Dumas' Novel "The Count of Monte Cristo" and Naguib Mahfouz's Novel "The Thief and The Dogs": A Contrastive Study

Abstract

The present paper aims to highlight the concept of revenge in western and eastern societies through two different novels by exploring the theme of revenge in Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo and Naguib Mahfouz's The Thief and the Dogs. Revenge could be interpreted as harm in response to perceived damage or inequity. Dantes and Said are the two central protagonists and avengers in these two novels. The research focuses on the effect of revenge on human nature, and its influence on the actual transformation of the protagonists in the two novels. The study depends on a contrastive study between the two novels and the contrastive methodology explains the responses of both characters (Dantes and Said) in light of their personalities and social experience of the social changes. The study concludes that there is a sort of difference between the societies of the west and east regarding the concept of revenge. Among the reasons for this difference between the two societies is the difference in the principle of culture and tradition, which leads to a different way of revenge.