Is a story that doesn’t follow standards bad?

I see criticism for the fact that Edmond chose Haydée instead of Mercedes. This is because he doesn’t follow certain standards of morality.

There are relationships that deviate from standards and literature has the right to represent all realities.

I see claims that the 2002 film modernized the story by having Edmond return to Mercedes and that Albert was their son. He would justify Mercedes’ marriage to Fernand and the son would be what would unite them.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, men stayed with their families, they had their wives and children, but that didn’t mean they were faithful to their wives. Isos was shown in Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak. Russian doctor and poet Yuri Zhivago was married to Tonya and had children with her, but that didn’t stop him from having a relationship with Lara. And this story is inspired by the life of the author who was married and had a lover 20 years younger.

There are real situations that have been portrayed in literature that escape the expectations of many modern readers.

There are monogamous marriages like Mina and Jonathan’s wedding in Dracula by Bram Stoker. Their relationship is based on Bram Stoker and Florence’s marriage. There are relationships in which the woman is unfaithful to her husband like Anna Karenina and Madame Bovary. Both Emma Bovary and Anna Arkadyevna had children with their husbands, but they were not faithful to them.

by Penelopeithaca1