Les Misérables

Author: Victor Hugo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Les Misérables (Volume 1 and 2) was conceived in the early 1830s and published in 1862, spanning over thirty years. This period was a turbulent time in France, marked by multiple revolutions and shifts between monarchy and republicanism. Hugo's thoughts underwent profound changes as the times evolved. Thus, the 1862 edition of Les Misérables differs vastly from the original intent behind the novel. The protagonist, Jean Valjean, is sentenced to prison for stealing a loaf of bread to save his sister's child from hunger. Upon release, an accidental event leads him to a complete awakening, and he resolves to turn over a new leaf. He changes his name to Madeleine, becomes wealthy through technological improvements at a factory, and later establishes welfare initiatives in the area, eventually being elected as mayor. A female worker at the factory named Fantine is deceived and gives birth to an illegitimate daughter, Cosette, who is left to be raised in an orphanage. After Fantine's tragic death, Jean Valjean is relentlessly pursued by the gendarme Javert. During a chaotic battle, Javert is captured and sentenced to death, but Jean Valjean shows mercy and releases him. After a failed uprising, Jean Valjean carries the injured young man, Marius, to safety through the sewers. Unbeknownst to him, he encounters Javert again. Jean Valjean's years of kindness create an extreme conflict within Javert, ultimately leading to his mental breakdown, suicide by drowning. In the end, Jean Valjean helps Marius and Cosette get married and finds peace in his later years before leaving the world.