In this novel, Cosette plays a specific role on how society react to people of the lower class. Her introduction into the novel shows how her physical and impoverished appearances cause others to call her ugly despite the fact that her beauty is covered up by her rank in the social hierarchy. Later on, however, Cosette’s internal qualities bring about a shift in the story and her hidden beauty is finally visible for others to notice. Victor Hugo, in Les Misérables, describes society’s focus on ideal physical traits which define beauty this time. In addition, Hugo voices his opinions on how physical features do not define a truly beautiful person. Instead, he uses characters in his novel, like Cosette, to convince the audience that he believes
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Most of the time, the inferior classes of society back then do not fit the image of a beautiful person based on their physical attributes. Hugo proves this point when Cosette is first introduced as a “charmingly rosy and healthful” baby (41). Furthermore, “her eyes...[were] very large, and....fringed with superb lashes” (41). Because Cosette is a baby, society’s initial reaction is to look at how beautiful she looks. At the same time, her role in society is not entirely set in place due to the fact that she is a baby. Essentially, no one really calls her “ugly” because she does not look like a part of the lower class yet. Later on, when Cosette gets older, however, her beauty seemed to dissipate because she did not look a certain way. She used to be “so fresh and pretty,” but “now thin and wan” (49). Since she lived in poverty for most of her life, “misery made her ugly” (49). Cosette no longer fit the standards of society because back in the day, “women were selected for their physical attractiveness, however dysfunctional this may be in their social progress” (Delamont and Duffin 66). Once, Cosette eyes were idealized because of her “superb lashes,” but now they were “sunk in a sort of shadow” because of all the sufferings she had to endure at her young age (Hugo 162). At a time when Cosette is supposed to make herself look beautiful …show more content…
One’s physical features heavily determined who was beautiful and who was not. Consequently, many were judged if they did not fit a similar concept of good looks. For this reason, Hugo turns the tables and goes against mainstream images. He explains his definition of how a beautiful person is filled with happiness and innocence, by using Cosette as a perfect example. As Cosette realizes she is pretty, Hugo intertwines society’s perspective of beauty, as well as his own opinions, to produce an unfamiliar concept of beauty. With Cosette’s celestial blue eyes and “joys of youth, innocence, and beauty,” Hugo redefines beauty and tells his readers that with inner beauty gleaming in the depths of one’s soul, it will undoubtedly be reflected and shown outside for everyone to notice. This novel shows Hugo’s trust in how there can be an exponential growth in society. He also creates a representation of the culture in France during the nineteenth-century while narrating the lives of both good and bad people. Les Misérables leaves a lasting mark in nineteenth-century France and even to this day (St. Martin 4). Hugo demonstrates a new understanding of how beauty should be interpreted in society today so as to make the world a better
Most of the time, the inferior classes of society back then do not fit the image of a beautiful person based on their physical attributes. Hugo proves this point when Cosette is first introduced as a “charmingly rosy and healthful” baby (41). Furthermore, “her eyes...[were] very large, and....fringed with superb lashes” (41). Because Cosette is a baby, society’s initial reaction is to look at how beautiful she looks. At the same time, her role in society is not entirely set in place due to the fact that she is a baby. Essentially, no one really calls her “ugly” because she does not look like a part of the lower class yet. Later on, when Cosette gets older, however, her beauty seemed to dissipate because she did not look a certain way. She used to be “so fresh and pretty,” but “now thin and wan” (49). Since she lived in poverty for most of her life, “misery made her ugly” (49). Cosette no longer fit the standards of society because back in the day, “women were selected for their physical attractiveness, however dysfunctional this may be in their social progress” (Delamont and Duffin 66). Once, Cosette eyes were idealized because of her “superb lashes,” but now they were “sunk in a sort of shadow” because of all the sufferings she had to endure at her young age (Hugo 162). At a time when Cosette is supposed to make herself look beautiful …show more content…
One’s physical features heavily determined who was beautiful and who was not. Consequently, many were judged if they did not fit a similar concept of good looks. For this reason, Hugo turns the tables and goes against mainstream images. He explains his definition of how a beautiful person is filled with happiness and innocence, by using Cosette as a perfect example. As Cosette realizes she is pretty, Hugo intertwines society’s perspective of beauty, as well as his own opinions, to produce an unfamiliar concept of beauty. With Cosette’s celestial blue eyes and “joys of youth, innocence, and beauty,” Hugo redefines beauty and tells his readers that with inner beauty gleaming in the depths of one’s soul, it will undoubtedly be reflected and shown outside for everyone to notice. This novel shows Hugo’s trust in how there can be an exponential growth in society. He also creates a representation of the culture in France during the nineteenth-century while narrating the lives of both good and bad people. Les Misérables leaves a lasting mark in nineteenth-century France and even to this day (St. Martin 4). Hugo demonstrates a new understanding of how beauty should be interpreted in society today so as to make the world a better