Les Misérables

The character Javert from “Les Miserables” by Victor Hugo has been short-handedly portrayed as an obsessive single minded man who does nothing but chase for convict Jean Valjean. Yet, in the book it appears that Javert doesn’t pursue Jean Valjean as much as he coincidently runs into him a couple of times over the years. The truth is that Javert was never obsessed with Jean Valjean, but the musical has perceived people to think otherwise. With this day in age, the people of society rather watch a…

have sung and Annandale’s production of Les Misérables School Edition is a hit! This well-known and beloved musical has now been adapted for High School students, only verging slightly from the original production of Les Misérables. Based off of Victor Hugo’s book, the musical adaptations of Les Misérables have swept numerous tony awards and also have the honor of being Broadway’s second longest running production. Set in early 19th-century France, Les Misérables School Edition tells the story…

audience. Many stories are written today include the typical love story; a girl falls in love with a guy or vice versa. Others are action packed with a climax and a predictable ending. Victor Hugo took a different stance while writing his book Les Miserables. Hugo's idea of action is presented through Jean Valjean, who is held in prison for many years because he stole a loaf of bread. He includes unique love stories unlike the typical ones that we read about. Hugo's main purpose is to challenge…

a piece of literature. The translator's struggle to balance between poetic purposes and the intended meaning of the author often influences the reader's ability to fully comprehend translated texts. Similarly, in Victor Hugo's historical novel Les Misérables, much of Hugo's brilliant contemplations of the French language is often lost in English…

contentment. Money, food, and shelter are scarce. Communities are torn apart by these hardships and everyone is left empty inside. Eventually, it is discovered that love alone has the power to fill the gaping holes within their hearts. In the novel Les Miserables, Victor Hugo suggests devoting one’s life to love results in feelings of fulfillment through the lives of Marius Pontmercy, Eponine, and Jean Valjean. Due to the extravagant new feelings of love that Marius experiences for Cosette, he…

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,…

Despite doing everything to not be overlooked, Eponine somehow does not escape this reality for all the good she did throughout the story Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, perhaps because people were unwilling to look beyond her stereotype. It is evident, in both the musical movie and the novel, Les Miserables, that Eponine Thernardier is the most resilient, sacrificial character while also being the most overlooked. Victor Hugo uses symbolic light references like shadows to emphasize how…

Love at first sight is a common phrase known to almost everyone. However, as we grow up, we know that love is more complicated than a first sighting. There’s more to it than looks. However, in Les Miserables written by Victor Hugo, the immaturity shown throughout his writing leads to Eponine losing out in the long run. With almost everything about women being physical characteristics written in the book, Eponine is looked down upon even though her personal traits had more to offer. Eponine was a…

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo displays a great deal of emotions between characters. Love is one emotion in the novel that brought the characters together but tore them apart as well. One example of this love is the triangle between Marius, Cosette, and Eponine. The longing that Eponine has for Marius causes her to risk her life for the one man who would not love her back. Throughout the novel and movie, Eponine shows a deeper love for Marius than Cosette had when she laid eyes on him for the…

one child like a god and mistreating another is barbaric. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini supply the evidence needed to support these claims . In Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables, it is stated on page 63 “It was the money they wanted. They gave the skirt to Eponine. The poor lark still shivered”. The Thenardiers are using Cosette to get money, they do not care for her, unless it…