# Progress of Cavalcanti the Younger explained — The Count of Monte Cristo

> Chapter companion for The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.

## What happens

Andrea Cavalcanti has established himself in Parisian society, posing as a wealthy prince. At the Danglars' home, he courts Eugénie while Albert de Morcerf, her betrothed, remains indifferent. Danglars, frustrated by Albert's lack of interest, asks Monte Cristo to speak to the Morcerf family about finalizing or breaking the engagement.

## Themes in this chapter

### Class and Social Mobility

Andrea Cavalcanti's rise as a false prince highlights how easily social status can be fabricated in Parisian society.

### Betrayal and Deception

Andrea's entire persona is a deception, and Danglars' manipulation of the marriage prospects involves betraying the Morcerf family's expectations.

### Wealth and Corruption

Danglars prioritizes wealth and appearance over genuine affection, considering Cavalcanti's supposed fortune as a key asset.

## Character check-ins

### Andrea Cavalcanti

Posing as Prince Cavalcanti, he courts Eugénie Danglars with affected charm and a diamond ring, but his true identity remains a fraud.

### Eugénie Danglars

Remains cold and satirical toward Andrea's advances, preferring the company of her singing teacher Louise d'Armilly.

### Albert de Morcerf

Shows indifference to Eugénie and the rivalry with Cavalcanti, maintaining a calm and mocking demeanor.

### Baron Danglars

Frustrated by Albert's lack of interest, he pressures Monte Cristo to mediate with the Morcerf family about the marriage.

### Madame Danglars

Nervous around Monte Cristo since the Auteuil dinner, but his charm dispels her fears; she observes the tension between the suitors.

### Monte Cristo

Observes the dynamics at the Danglars' home, feigning ignorance of Andrea's true nature while agreeing to speak to Morcerf about the engagement.

## Key lines

> But, as Claudius said to Hamlet, 'it is a law of nature; their fathers died before them, and they mourned their loss; they will die before their children, who will, in their turn, grieve for them.'

Monte Cristo dismisses the death of relatives as a natural cycle, quoting Hamlet to suggest that mourning is inevitable and universal.

_Monte Cristo uses literary allusion to deflect emotional concern about the Saint-Méran deaths._

> If he is a prince, he is wrong not to maintain his rank; I do not like anyone to deny his origin.

Danglars criticizes Cavalcanti for not fully embracing the title of prince, revealing his own obsession with social hierarchy.

_Danglars' comment underscores his hypocrisy, as he himself is a self-made banker with a dubious past._

> A banker must, you know, be a slave to his promise.

Danglars claims that as a banker, he is bound by his word, though he is actively seeking to break the engagement with Morcerf.

_Danglars' ironic statement highlights his duplicity in the marriage negotiations._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_count_of_monte_cristo_se/chapters/lxxvi-progress-of-cavalcanti-the-younger
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_count_of_monte_cristo_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_count_of_monte_cristo_se/chapters