Les miserables themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work. It is telling that hugo sets his book in the context of a relatively minor revolt, the riots of. Les miserables, victor hugo les miserables is a french historical novel by victor hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. Upon examination of les miserables, it is clearly evident that the elements of forgiveness, self. However, it is specifically paired and contrasted with related suffering over love in almost all circumstances. Love and redemption in les miserables, jean valjean is transformed from a hardened criminal into a paragon of virtue. Les miserables by james reimann goodreads share book. But this kind of detail plays a larger purpose in the novel.
Les miserables themes from litcharts the creators of. Victor hugos 19th century novel, les miserables, addresses social injustice caused by both society and the legal system. Set in the parisian underworld and plotted like a detective story, the work follows the fortunes of the convict jean valjean, a victim of society. Les miserables, originally a french historical novel by victor hugo published in 1862 and considered by many to be one of the most significant works of the nineteenth century, explores a number of central christian themes, such as forgiveness, hope and redemption, and has been adopted into various formats. Liberated from prison, valjean hides his identity and becomes a successful man, as charitable as he is rich and powerful. Les miserables is perhaps his best known work, particularly after the creation of the popular. A change and transformation the most important theme the novel examines is that of transformation, in the individual and in society. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of les miserables and what it means. Jean valjean, the chief protagonist, is transformed from a misanthropic and potentially violent exconvict to a man capable of heroic love and selfsacrifice.
This applies to the book les miserables because it is jean valjeans entire life. As les miserables unfolds, these same kids, living in a housing project in montfermeil, are targeted by the police for what is, essentially, a prank, and events will come to an. Valjean, fantine, cosette, marius, gavroche, pontmercy, and gillenormand. In the book les miserables, hugo asserts his readers that love and compassion are the most important gifts one person can give another displaying the most important thing in life. Themes and colors litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in les miserables, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Hugo often references god as the goal of all progress, and it is bishop myriel and the nuns of. The most important theme the novel examines is that of transformation, in the individual and in society. Hugo shows us how easy it is to forgive someone, even if they did something incredibly horrible to us.
Hugo vintage paperback of the famous les miserables by victor hugo. It was an instant popular success and was quickly translated into several languages. I did purchase a bulky, single volume paper back copy of it from karachi pakamerican book shop. Les miserables, by victor hugo, is an epic historical novel that, though titled les miserables, which translates to the miserable people, is also a story about undying love set largely against the backdrop of the june rebellion, also known as the paris uprising of 1832. Premiering in paris in 1980, it has music by claudemichel schonberg, original french lyrics by alain boublil and jeanmarc natel, with an englishlanguage libretto by herbert kretzmer. Upon examination of les miserables, it is clearly evident that the elements of forgiveness, self sacrifice, and courage are only a few of the main themes hugo wanted to develop. He is seventyfive years old and lives only with a sister baptistine, ten years younger than he, and an old servant, madame magloire, the same age as his sister. Iles miserables theme victor hugo was a french novelist, poet, and playwright of the romantic period. Les mis previous page table of contents next page downloadable printable version les miserables. Movie i am proud of my naming abilities, and ill be examining books and. Feb 14, 2018 a wise man had advised me some thirty years ago that hugos les miserables was the only and least book one must go through before dying. Les miserables is a massive volume, which includes five sections that readers would generally recognized as books.
Themes of les miserables by linda dekrester on prezi. Jean valjean, after spending nineteen years in jail and in the galleys for stealing a loaf of bread and for several attempts to escape, is finally released, but his past keeps haunting him. The strange power of les mis, the book the new republic. Section 1 fantine book one an upright man the story begins in 1815 with a description of charles francoisbievenu myriel who was at that time the bishop of digne. Les miserables by victor hugo goodreads share book. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in les miserables, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Hugos description of the paris rebellion in 1832 is a metaphor for this class struggle for human rights which valjean undergoes. She had to face the beatings, chores, fears, cold and much. Themes in les miserables by victor hugo include poverty and its impact on people, different treatments of people in various socioeconomic classes and the lack of social mobility in 19th century. A primary focus of the novel is the glory and importance of france.
She had to face most of her chilhood with the constant yelling of miss thernardiers. Les miserables, theme forgiveness, self sacrifice, and. Victor hugo makes it appearent that the focus of this book is to show how selfsacrifice is everywhere and anyone can show it. What are the themes and settings of the novel les miserables by. A summary of themes in victor hugos les miserables. This novel tells the story of a man condemned due to attempting to steal a loaf of bread for his starving family. Brombert summarizes the spiritual nature of the novel as, les miserables is meant to be a religious bookthe text dwells on some of hugos most dearly held notions. Hugos hiding a sharp tongue beneath all the misery, and he uses it to attack the social power structures that make horrifying poverty possible in the first place. Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, and literary devices that can help to develop and inform the texts major themes.
Les miserables, theme forgiveness, self sacrifice, and courage. Symbols and themes let get you up to speed on key information and facts on les miserables by victor hugo. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of les miserables by victor hugo. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. In the englishspeaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its original french title. Jean valjean, the chief protagonist, is transformed from a. Free study guide for les miserables by victor hugo. In les miserables, jean valjean is transformed from a hardened criminal into a paragon of virtue. Les miserables themes from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. Les miserables, by victor hugo, is an epic historical novel that, though titled. The book begins in 1815, following napoleons defeat by the. What would eponines life have been like if she had not been. Sacrifice, and courage are only a few of the main themes hugo wanted to develop. Valjean etait une personne avec une haute moralite.
What are the themes in les miserables by victor hugo. A summary of motifs in victor hugos les miserables. Another big theme shown in les miserables is forgiveness. The story begins with the protagonist, jean valjean, who is imprisoned for stealing bread to feed his starving nieces and nephews. Valjean was able to forgive javert for all those years of hunting him and forcing him into hiding. Man made evil by an unjust society social injustice in les miserables social injustice is not a new concern by any means. One of the most famous lines from les miserables, taken directly from the novel goes to love another person is to see the face of god. Les miserables team talks importance of story for the. In hugos novel, love and compassion are nearly infectious, passed on from one person to another.
Timeless themes about god, redemption and social justice fill the new film les miserables making the epic tale of jean valjean just as vital and relevant today as when victor hugo first published the novel a 150 years ago. One comes away from the work with the alternating images of grotesque gargoyles and chipped, mildewed saints, cobwebbed shadows and illuminating shafts of light lingering in the memory. Jul 11, 2008 les miserables, as interpreted by the rsc. However, it is specifically paired and contrasted with related suffering over love in. The story of the worlds longest running musical in words, pictures and rare memorabilia by benedict nightingale, martyn palmer, et al. Brombert summarizes the spiritual nature of the novel as, les miserables is meant to be a religious book the text dwells on some of hugos most dearly held notions. Volume 1, book 1 quotes the guilty one is not the person who has committed the sin, but the person who has created the shadow. Based on the classic novel, les miserables, by victor hugo, and the classic broadway stage show of the same name, les miserables is the story of jean valjean, a prisoner who breaks parole, and the police inspector, javert, who tries to hunt him down for breaking parole. From the moment fantine gives up her life to care for her daughter, to when jean valjean reveals his identity. Les miserables cliffsnotes study guides book summaries.
A wise man had advised me some thirty years ago that hugos les miserables was the only and least book one must go through before dying. Apr 12, 2019 enter the incoming sixpart pbs masterpiece limited series les miserables, a musicfree offering aiming to introduce the novels intricate themes and plots to new and older audiences. Timeless themes and values abound in new les miserables. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Hugo characterizes the country as exhibiting all the. People are ignorant of things they they ought to know, and know of things which they ought to be ignorant. The grace of les miserables youth study book cokesbury. Wait, did you think that a book called les miserables was going to be all sunshine and rainbows. Close your eyes and let this powerful music transport you to another. Below you will find the important quotes in les miserables related to the theme of love and redemption. It is a bit confusing, however, as each book is divided into chapters, which are themselves actually labeled books. What are the themes and settings of the novel les miserables.
Upon examination of les miserables, it is clearly evident that the elements of forgiveness, self sacrifice, and courage are only a few of the main themes. Selfsacrifice is seen everywhere throughout les miserables. Name some universal themes in one of the following works or pick one more familiar to you. As a christian i could not help but think of baptism. Includes study guide, historical context, biography, and character index hugo, victor, bookcaps on. Mais, dans ce mauvais climat social, il y avait aussi des personnes qui etaient differents. Social injustice in les miserables freebooksummary. Les miserables functions as a historical social commentary of social class and inequality of the wealth and power. Les miserables, novel by victor hugo, published in french in 1862. Les miserables study guide contains a biography of victor hugo, literature essays, a complete etext, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Charles francoisbienvenu myriel has been bishop of digne for nine years.
The characters are french and the book is centered around their lives. So, themes in les miserables are social justicehuman rights, class conflicts that result from this struggle, the existential theme of the meaning of life, and justiceinjustice. In a book of mistrust, poverty, and hate forgiveness thrives in the world of les miserables. Its not easy to put les miserables in a nutshell, considering that its one of the longest novels ever written.
Religion and faith are central themes in the novel. The theme of love and redemption in les miserables from. One frequently used motif in the story is the recurrence of close up crowd scenes in dark, grimy alleys of the poor, dirty and diseased. This copy if from 1987 and states it was the only complete and unabridged paperback edition at that time. What is the main theme of les miserables by victor hugo. Les miserables is a sungthrough musical based on the novel les miserables by french poet and novelist victor hugo. Vishali saajeena saarah child labour a major theme faced by one of the main characters, cozette. This sequence is a prologue, unconnected to the events that follow, at least in terms of plot, but crucial in establishing the concerns and themes of the film. Les miserables spends a lot of time moaning over the poorest and most downtrodden members of french society, but dont let the sentimentalism fool you. Hugo emphases love as a way to communicate with others as well as to improve oneself. The importance of love and compassion in les miserables, hugo asserts that love and compassion are the most important gifts one person can give another and that always displaying these qualities should be the most important goal in life. The literal meaning of les miserables is the miserable ones. Les miserables fails as a musical, though the book needs to be read. It relates the battle of waterloo and its themes of chance and destiny to the.