Character Analysis
Monsieur Morrel is a good father, an honest businessman, and young Edmond Dantès's greatest advocate. When Edmond is arrested, who's the first one to see what's up? M. Morrel. Who's the one that keeps petitioning to get him released when most everyone else has forgotten him? M. Morrel. When Napoleon comes back into power, who's the one that tries to use their Bonapartist past as leverage? M. Morrel.
Even before things go bad, Morrel can tell Edmond is a good man. After all, he's willing to make the nineteen-year-old captain of his ship. So, it should come as no surprise that one of the first people Edmond visits and helps is M. Morrel – and boy does he need help. Never one to give up, he exhausts all his options in trying to save his floundering company. Rather than cry out or curse God, however, Morrel's willing to do what he thinks best in order to protect his honor and the reputation of his family. Only the intervention of the Count stops him from committing suicide.
Morrel's story confirms that there is justice in the world. So much of The Count of Monte Cristo is about watching bad people running out of "luck," but the Morrel story shows that good people can get what they deserve as well.