What is Romanticism? Romanticism was a movement in the 19th century in where art, literature, and music experienced a growth in not only popularity, but also creativity, in the form of intuition, inspiration, imagination, individuality, and idealism. There are many characteristics of Romanticism that can be recognized within many aspects of literature. The few characteristics that are widely common in literature will be shown here.…
One of the most obvious themes in this section is love. On page 123 it says, “Something new was entering his soul. Jean Valjean had never loved anything… When he saw Cosette, when he had taken her, carried her away, and rescued her, he felt his heart moved. All that he had of feeling and affection was aroused and vehemently attracted towards this child.” Throughout the book of Fantine, Valjean acts on his natural instinct to escape. He escapes from the prison, he leaves Myriel’s house, and he flees from Javert’s presence. It is the first time where he does something that is not natural to him. In the quote stated it says that he had never loved anything. Since Cosette is now in…
Les Misérables, published in 1862, is a story that focuses on an ex-convict, Jean Valjean, on his road to redemption. Through his course, he encounters characters such as the relentless and unforgiving police inspector Javert, the saintly Monseigneur Myriel – Bishop of Digne, the naïve orphan turned unmarried mother turned prostitute Fantine, the illegitimate child Cosette, the greedy con artist couple M. and Mme. Thenardier, and the upper class boy estranged from his family Marius. With these people, he learns compassion, forgiveness, mercy, and love. What’s outstanding about this story is how Victor Hugo incorporated his beliefs without making the story flat. He was able to articulate the struggles of class oppression and social injustice in such a way that not only the upper classes would understand, but also the lower ones who are the main reason he wrote the novel for.…
Jean Valjean is an ex-convict who leaves behind a life of hatred and deceit. He makes a fortune with innovative industrial techniques. Valjean finds happiness in loving his adopted daughter Cosette, and helping people who are in difficult situations, even if it is risking his own life and welfare. Valjean later in his life falls in love with a woman, who goes by the name of Fantine.…
Romanticism was the early 19th century reaction to the rational formulas of Neoclassicism. Romantic artists stressed passion, emotion, and exotic settings with dramatic action. There was a focus on heroic subject matters employing intense colors and loose brush strokes.…
Using the song “Stars” the movie producers of the musical Les Miserables effectively portrayed more of Javert’s outlook, providing the audience more understanding of the mindset of the people involved in the justice system during that time. Using symbolism of stars and contrasting them with a fallen angel, the viewer can see better into the mind of Javert. Moreover, the song excellently captures Javert’s determination to catch Jean Valjean as well as his belief that he is doing the right thing.…
Imagine a man so absurd, yet so in tune with himself that he does not go through the motions of life for anyone. This man has been brought to life in The Stranger by Albert Camus. The story takes place in a costal town of Algeria. The main character is named Meursault. He is an ordinary office clerk with no real aspirations of progress, love, or greatness. He does not have any false emotions and does not do anything to please people. He did not even cry or feel bad at his own mother's funeral because that is not the way that he felt. He would rather complain about not having a fresh towel to dry his hands with than realize the importance in the fact that he received a promotion to a job in Paris. This lack of fake feelings should lead to a more honest life, but it ultimately causes his downfall. Meursault is also an absurd character. Some of his actions and beliefs are so strange that the reader is almost forced in to not liking him. Camus uses the character of Meursault to illustrate the absurdness, yet affirm the value of life.…
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo is a book written in 1845 about the time period directly following the French Revolution. As is the case with most literature, Les Miserables includes character archetypes. In Les Miserables, the characters Cosette and Jean Valjean are both character archetypes.…
Similarly in Les Misérables, Jean Valjean is a self-made man who also values the principles of philanthropy because he understands the struggles of living on the streets. Victor Hugo portrays the importance of philanthropists in Les Misérables, such as Jean…
Les Miserables (the title is the same in French and English) is the most well-known of Victor Hugo’s novels. It describes the miserable life of French workers, and especially their children. Hugo calls for social action to improve the unfortunate poor’s lives. This excerpt describes the character Marius, and how he has worked very hard to succeed in life.…
Social injustice is not a new concern by any means. Victor Hugo’s 19th century novel, Les Miserables, addresses social injustice caused by both society and the legal system. This novel tells the story of a man condemned due to attempting to steal a loaf of bread for his starving family. The story follows this man as he recreates his new life, for his old was brutally taken away from him by an unscrupulous nation. Through this tragic journey, Hugo goes into details about the obscene monstrosities of destitution in order to unveil the execrable environment, while bequeathing optimism to those who venture for virtue.…
In Les Miserables, Victor Hugo portrays human nature in a neutral state. Humans are born with neither good nor bad instincts, but rather society affects our actions and thoughts. Hugo portrays the neutral state of mind through Jean Valjean and Cosette. The two extremes of good and evil are represented through Thénardier and the bishop. Good and evil coexists in the society and affects Valjean and Cosette. It is the two extremes of good and evil that dictate the lives of Valjean and Cosette. The bishop represents charity and love. Everything he's ever had, he gave to charity. When the bishop first met Valjean, he said, "You need not tell me who you are. This is not my house; it is the house of Christ. It does not ask any comer whether he has a name, but whether he has an affliction. You are suffering; you are hungry and thirsty; be welcome. And do not thank me; do not tell me that I take you into my house..... whatever is here is yours." (pg. 15-16) The bishop didn't look at him as a convict; he looked at him as a fellow brother. Later, when the bishop found out that Valjean stole his silver, he wasn't mad, but offered all of his silver to Valjean saying, "Don't forget that you promised me to use this silver to become an honest man." Thénardier, on the other hand, is the exact opposite of the bishop. He represents the corruptive nature of society. He's the one that changes people for the bad. An example of how Thénardier represents greed and evil is how he mistreated Cosette when he was taking care of her. He made her wash and clean, while letting his kids run around and play. Thénardier took advantage of Cosette's mother, Fantine. He kept on asking her for more money, when in fact he didn't really need it. When it was cold, Thénardier told…
The characters in Les Misérables, while not historically factual characters, are very easily believed and would fit perfectly into the time period. Jean Valjean, the protagonist, is an ex-convict who leaves behind a life of theft and deceit for a life as an honest man. He takes on a new persona and makes his fortune honestly and ultimately makes his goal in life redemption. Javert is the story's antagonist and is a reactionary who believes in the law and will stop at nothing to enforce the harsh laws of France. With no pity, he believes that humans are either inherently good or bad. He sees Valjean's fortunes as an injustice and chases him relentlessly.…
It’s hard to say who’s happy in Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, but it’s not hard to point out the miserable. Even the title Les Miserables means “the miserable”, which is the theme of the novel. The lives that are most devastating in the town of M-sur-M would be Jean Valjean, Fantine, Cosette, and Eponine. These characters live everyday fighting to get through one-way or another, but it always seem there is a cloud of darkness and misery following them. Light might peak through but not for long, their lives either end content or unfinished and too early.…
Valjean's character is loosely based on the life of Eugène François Vidocq, an ex-convict who became a successful businessman widely noted for his social engagement and philanthropy. Vidocq helped Hugo with his research for Claude Gueux and Le Dernier jour d'un condamné (The Last Day of a Condemned Man).[citation needed] In 1828, Vidocq, already pardoned, saved one of the workers in his paper factory by lifting a heavy cart on his shoulders as Valjean does. Hugo's description of Valjean rescuing a sailor on the Orion drew almost word for word on a friend's letter describing such an incident.[citation needed] Hugo used Bienvenu de Miollis (1753–1843), the Bishop of Digne during the time in which Valjean encounters Myriel, as the model for Myriel.…