Les Miserables Overview

Les Misérables Overview
Victor Hugo (1802-1885)

Hugo was a famous French novelist, and the author of Les Misérables and
The Hunchback of Notre Dame. He was concerned with social and
political issues like education, human rights, and injustice. He was
married, but had a mistress for 50 years, an actress named Juliette
Drouet. Many of the letters he wrote to her have now been published.
The Novel
The novel itself was started in 1845 and
finished in 1861, and many people consider it
Hugo’s masterpiece. (Any French person who
has graduated high school is familiar with it.)
The book tells the story of several intertwined
characters, and highlights social problems, as
well as aspects of human nature (both good
and bad). The title basically means “the
miserable,” Hugo was very concerned with
the idea of misery, meaning poverty,
ignorance, lack of food or shelter, and being
outcast from “good” society for whatever
reason.
Overview
Les Misérables (literally "The Miserable Ones“) translated variously

from the French as The Miserable Ones, The Wretched, The Poor
Ones, The Wretched Poor, or The Victims), is an 1862 French novel
by author Victor Hugo and is widely considered one of the greatest
novels of the nineteenth century. It follows the lives and
interactions of several French characters over a seventeen-year
period in the early nineteenth century, starting in 1815 and
culminating in the 1832 June Rebellion.[1]
The Characters
-Jean Valjean- former convict,
adopts orphan Cosette, very
moral, tries to help people
-Inspecter Javert- rigid, doesn’t
believe people can change,
likes rules and order
-Monsieur and Madame
Thenardier- innkeepers,
dishonest, greedy, abuse
Cosette when she lives with
them, move to Paris when they
lose the inn
Fantine- young unmarried
mother, loves her daughter
and tries to support her, ends
up on the street corner, dies
French 2001 Movie Version
Characters, continued
Cosette- Fantine’s
daughter, mistreated as
child when Thenardier’s
servant, when grown
up falls in love with
Marius, a young
student who supports
revolution and change
French 2001 film
Eponine- Thenardier’s
daughter (in red), in Paris
she falls in love with
Marius (dies)
Musical versions
Characters Continued
Gavroche and the student

revolutionaries- Gavroche is a
homeless boy in Paris who is friends
with Eponine, Marius, and his fellow
students. All of them except Marius
are killed at the barricade during their
uprising.
Bishop of Digne-
turns Valjean’s life
around when he lies
to save him from
prison
Focus
The novel focuses on the struggles of ex-convict Jean Valjean and
his experience of redemption. It examines the nature of law and
grace, and expatiates upon the history of France, architecture of
Paris, politics, moral philosophy, antimonarchism, justice, religion,
and the types and nature of romantic and familial love. The story is
historical fiction because it contains factual and historic events.
Contrary to what some believe, it does not use the French
Revolution as a backdrop. The French Revolution took place in the
eighteenth century; Les Miserables takes place in the nineteenth.
The only "revolution" depicted is the June Rebellion, a student
uprising.
• Les Misérables is known to many through its numerous stage and
screen adaptations, most notably the stage musical of the same
name, sometimes abbreviated "Les Mis"
Synopsis (novel)
• The major plot involves Jean Valjean, who is released from
prison, and through the kindness of Father Myriel, (the bishop
of Digne) becomes a new man. He gets a new name via
association with Myriel and his obvious kindness and
generosity to others and gradually builds a successful and
prosperous life for himself with a renovation of the jet-work
industry in Montreuil-sur-mer.
• One of his employees is-although unknown to him-fired by the
head mistress because of an illegitimate baby. Fantine goes
from one occupation to another, finally becoming a prostitute.
Synopsis cont.
• A minor incident takes place in the streets, and Fantine is
arrested by Javert. Valjean, who has become known as Mayor
Madeleine, forces Javert to release her and takes her into his
own house when he hears her story.
• Fantine is in extremely poor health, however, and dies without
ever seeing her child again, even though Valjean had promised to
get the child.
• Meanwhile, another man has been arrested and mistakenly
identified as Valjean. Valjean appears in court, revealing the truth
and losing both his business and his position in Montreuil-sur-
mer. Although he is arrested, he breaks out long enough to hide
his fortune. He spends additional time in prison, working aboard
a ship.
Synopsis cont.
• Eventually he escapes again and retrieves Cosette from the evil
Thenardiers whom Fantine had trusted to take care of the child.
• Then begins 10 years of hiding, moving from place to place,
always staying just ahead of Javert. Seven or eight happy years
are spend in a convent where Valjean works with the gardener
and Cosette attends a girls’ school.
- Feeling that Cosette must have an opportunity to
experience all of life, they leave the convent when she is about
15. Valjean is nearly betrayed and recaptured due to the
insidious if somewhat unwitting deeds of the Thenardiers.
Synopsis cont.
• While Valjean is continuously on the lookout for people who
might have guessed his identity and makes their home always in
out of the way places, Cosette becomes aware of her own
femininity and beauty. She and Marius spot each other and fall
in love.
• Marius is a college student who has been raised by his
grandfather after the old man had disowned his son-in-law for
supporting Napoleon. Marius discovers the truth about his
father shortly after his death and enmity develops between
himself and his grandfather. With little income, Marius in unable
to marry Cosette and prevent Valjean from taking her away
again, and his grandfather refuses to give consent for a marriage
to someone he assumes is beneath him.
Synopsis Cont.
• In Paris, politics, work issues, and various unsatisfactory
conditions are gradually bringing a faction of workers and
college students to the point of revolt. An insurrection takes
place; Marius joins in hoping to die since he will not be able to
have Cosette.
• Valjean joins the insurrection because he believes he is losing
Cosette’s love and because, although he hates him bitterly, he
intends to try to protect Marius for Cosette.
Synopsis
• When the barricades are finally overtaken, Valjean rescues Marius and escapes
through the city sewers. Marius is unconscious and does not know who
rescued him. When his health returns, he insists once again on marrying
Cosette, and this time the grandfather relents. Old wounds are at least partially
healed. As Javert is also dead, it would seem that Cosette, Valjean, Marius and
his grandfather could all form one happy family. Cosette and Marius marry, but
Valjean reveals the truth of himself to Marius who gradually banishes him from
even seeing Cosette.
• The Thenardiers are a continuous nuisance and occasionally a real threat

throughout the book, but in spite of Thenardier’s intention to bring harm to
Valjean, he actually reveals the truth of Valjean’s history to Marius.
• Valjean dies in the end, but it is with contentment after a joyful reunion with
Cosette. He is content to know that Cosette and Marius have “forgiven” him,
although it seems as though Valjean himself is the one who has the right to be
on the forgiving end of things.
Les Misérables- The Musical
• 1980- French musical version of novel premieres in
Paris- it’s a big success
• 1980s- Translated into English, re-worked a bit-
international success (West End, Broadway,
translated into many languages, still playing!)
• Logo based on original illustration
The Musical- trailer/sample
End of the Day
Finale
Film Versions
• There have been many film versions: French, British,
American, Italian, etc., starting 1913
• Two versions we will look at: American 1998, (watching
all) French/ International mini-series 2001 (film clip
sections)
• (There’s a new American musical version coming out
Christmas 2012)

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Les Misérables Overview

Victor Hugo (1802-1885)

Les Misérables (literally "The Miserable Ones“) translated variously

French 2001 film

Gavroche and the student

• The Thenardiers are a continuous nuisance and occasionally a real threat

End of the Day

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