The Count of Monte Cristo is possibly Alexandre Dumas père's finest literary work – a gripping tale of suspense, superbly woven around the theme of revenge as a means of divine redemption. The action takes place against the backdrop of post-revolutionary France of the 19th century, a tumultuous period in French history, with the rise and fall of Napoleon and his opponents, the French royalty, which brought about multiple changes in the power structure within the span of half a century. The novel first appeared as a series in the newspaper 'Journal des Débats' from 1844 to 1846, which was later adapted and translated into the book form in multiple languages. Its popularity with the masses also gave rise to countless films and television series since the dawn of motion pictures.