Bartolomeo Cavalcanti

Major Bartolomeo Cavalcanti is a minor but pivotal character in Alexandre Dumas's The Count of Monte Cristo, a penniless Italian impostor hired by the Count of Monte Cristo to play the role of a wealthy, aristocratic father to the criminal Andrea Cavalcanti (Benedetto). His sole function is to provide Andrea with a forged noble lineage and a letter of credit, thereby enabling Andrea's fraudulent entry into Parisian high society and his engagement to Eugenie Danglars. Cavalcanti's performance is a deliberate, transparent fraud orchestrated by Monte Cristo as part of his larger scheme of vengeance against those who wronged him.

Identity and Introduction

Bartolomeo Cavalcanti is introduced as a man of about fifty-two, dressed in a green surtout with black frogs, blue trousers, and a hat resembling that of a gendarme. His appearance is described as having a small, angular head, white hair, and thick gray mustaches. He is presented to the Count of Monte Cristo by the Abbe Busoni, who provides him with a letter of introduction and a draft for 2,000 francs to cover his traveling expenses, along with a credit on Monte Cristo for a further 48,000 francs. The letter identifies him as a "worthy patrician of Lucca, a descendant of the Cavalcanti of Florence," possessing an income of half a million francs. Cavalcanti himself is initially unaware of the exact amount of his supposed fortune, admitting, "I had no idea that it was so much." Monte Cristo advises him that he is being robbed by his steward and should make reforms in that quarter.

Role in the Fraud

Cavalcanti's primary role is to authenticate the false identity of Andrea Cavalcanti, who is actually the escaped convict Benedetto. Monte Cristo provides Cavalcanti with forged documents, including a certificate of his marriage to Oliva Corsinari and Andrea's baptismal register, which Cavalcanti accepts with feigned astonishment. Monte Cristo instructs Cavalcanti on the story he is to tell: that his son was stolen away in infancy by an enemy of the family or by gypsies, and that he has now been found. Cavalcanti is also given 8,000 francs on account, with the promise of the remaining 40,000 francs later. Monte Cristo advises him to change his outdated costume, as it is not suitable for Paris, and informs him that his luggage has been sent ahead to the Hotel des Princes. Cavalcanti is to present himself as a major in the Austrian service, a title Monte Cristo assigns to him.

Meeting with Andrea

When Cavalcanti meets Andrea, the two impostors immediately recognize each other as frauds. Andrea, speaking in Italian, asks Cavalcanti, "How much are you paid for being my father?" Cavalcanti replies that he was paid 50,000 francs down. Andrea then reveals that he receives 50,000 francs a year to be Cavalcanti's son. They agree to continue playing their respective roles, with Cavalcanti acting as the tender father and Andrea as the dutiful son. Cavalcanti shows Andrea the letter he received from the Abbe Busoni, which instructs him to go to Paris and demand his son from the Count of Monte Cristo. Andrea, in turn, shows Cavalcanti a similar letter from Lord Wilmore, also known as Sinbad the Sailor. They conclude that there is a dupe somewhere, but that it is neither of them, and they agree to play the game to the end.

Social Performance and Exposure

Cavalcanti is presented to Parisian society at a dinner hosted by Monte Cristo, where he is introduced to Danglars, Debray, and others. He is described as having a black satin stock, gray mustaches, a bold eye, and a major's uniform ornamented with three medals and five crosses. Danglars, impressed by Cavalcanti's apparent wealth and the story of his son's recovery, becomes eager to arrange a marriage between Andrea and his daughter, Eugenie. Cavalcanti's performance is so convincing that Danglars later refers to him as a "prince." However, the fraud is exposed when Andrea is arrested for the murder of Caderousse, and his true identity as a galley-slave is revealed. Cavalcanti's role in the scheme is ultimately a tool in Monte Cristo's larger plan to ruin Danglars by entangling him in a fraudulent marriage alliance.

Significance

Bartolomeo Cavalcanti is a classic example of the impostor figure in literature, a character whose entire identity is a fabrication. He is a willing participant in Monte Cristo's scheme, motivated by financial gain. His presence in the novel serves to highlight the theme of appearance versus reality, as well as the corrupting influence of wealth and social ambition. Cavalcanti's successful deception of Danglars and other members of Parisian society underscores the ease with which a convincing performance can be accepted, and his eventual exposure contributes to the downfall of those who were taken in by the fraud. He is a flat character, defined entirely by his role as a pawn in Monte Cristo's game of vengeance.