Les Misérables
by Victor Hugo
19th Century France!
A turbulent time after the
Napoleonic Wars
and the setting for the story
What does Les Misérables mean?
“misérables”
(Fr. noun)
(1) poor wretches
(2) scoundrels
or villains
Les Miserables Introduction
• Written and published by Victor Hugo in
1862; set in the time period between 1789
and 1848
• Paints a vivid picture of Paris after the
French Revolution and the controversial
rule of Napoleon Bonaparte.
• Hugo explores the challenges faced at
every level of society during this time,
especially the injustices endured by the
poor.
French Revolution (1789-1799)
• Period of political and social upheaval and
radical change in the history of France, during
which the French government, previously an
absolute monarchy with privileges for the
aristocracy and Catholic Church, underwent
radical change based on Enlightenment
principles of citizenship and inalienable rights.
• These changes were accompanied by violent
turmoil, which included the execution of Louis
XVI and Marie Antoinette. Hugo supported
these revolutionary ideals.
Reign of Terror
• A period of violence that occurred fifty months
after the onset of the French Revolution, incited
by rival political factions within the new French
Republic.
• It was marked by mass executions of "enemies
of the revolution." Estimates vary widely as to
how many were killed, with numbers ranging
from 20,000 to 40,000. Most “enemies” were
royalty, aristocrats, or loyal bourgeois.
• The guillotine ("National Razor") became the
symbol of a string of executions.
Napoleonic Era
Several short-lived
governments follow the
revolution, including the
Directory, which was
intended as a
representative
government. However,
Napoleon Bonaparte
overthrows appointed
leaders.
Napoleonic Wars
• Most historians agree that the Napoleonic wars
were a continuation of the wars sparked by the
French Revolution. They refer to the conflict
between Napoleon’s French empire and various
European alliances.
• French power conquered most of Europe but
collapsed rapidly after the disastrous invasion of
Russia in 1812. Napoleon goes into exile.
• Napoleon's empire ultimately suffered complete
military defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
*(This is when Les Miserables begins!)
Les Misérables: The Story
• Hugo divided his story into five parts. He named
each part after a major character.
• The storyline of each major character develops
separately but eventually intersects with the
other characters.
• Together, these characters represent the society
of Paris in the early 1800s. Each character takes
on a different social role or represents a social
issue from this time period.
The Hero: Jean Valjean
Protagonist, Jean Valjean, begins the story as an
impoverished ex-convict, newly released after serving
nineteen years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread.
Through the course of the story, he defies the odds and
rebuilds his life to become a respected man.
The Villain: Inspector Javert
Inspector Javert represents the corrupt justice system of
France during this time period. In the story, he works as
a prison guard and later as a police chief. Javert serves
as opposition to Jean Valjean’s character at every turn.
Yet, he is a complex man who cannot be viewed as just
another “bad guy.”
The Damsel: Fantine
Fantine represents the plight of women, especially poor
women, in 19th century France. Because of limited
opportunities for work, women without husbands or welloff families often ended up on the streets. After being
jilted by her fiance, Fantine struggles to survive. She
works in factories and later on the street corner.
The Children: Cosette / Gavroche
Cosette and Gavroche are both young children affected by
the poverty of this society. Cosette is Fantine’s illegitimate
daughter and Gavroche is an orphan who roams the streets
of Paris. He forms a family by “adopting” younger orphans.
Both play pivotal roles in the story.
The Lover: Marius
Readers don’t meet Marius Pontmercy until the second half of
the novel. This character offers an important glimpse into the
lives of the revolutionaries. By the 1830s, France has returned
to rule under a monarchy. However, many young students
and thinkers refused to give up on the fight for individual rights
and democracy. Marius is one of the revolutionaries involved
in the Liberals’ Rebellion of 1832.
Les Misérables:
Rationalism & Romanticism
Age of Rationalism
• A movement that began in Europe and
spanned the 17th and 18th centuries, which
held that human beings can arrive at truth
by using reason rather than relying on the
authority of the past, on religious faith, or
intuition.
• Rationalists felt that reason was the most
reliable means to discover truths
Rationalism cont.
• Reason is the ability to think in an ordered,
logical manner which enables a person to
discover both scientific and spiritual truths
• The rationalists believed that all people
were born with an innate ethical sense and
had the ability to regulate and improve
their own lives
Highlights of Rationalism
• Also known as the Enlightenment
• 17th & 18th centuries
• Reason accepted as greatest authority in
art, thought, and politics
• Replaced traditional knowledge with
formal laws based on analysis of natural
phenomena
• Determined to uphold the values already
established by a society
Highlights of Rationalism cont.
•
•
•
•
•
Stressed the spirit of society as a whole
Freedom of speech
Freedom from illogical rules
Freedom to experiment
Freedom to question existing laws and
institutions of authority
Age of Romanticism
• A revolt against Rationalism that affected
literature and the other arts, beginning in the late
18th century and remaining strong throughout
most of the 19th century
• Romantics felt that emotion and imagination
were relied upon to discover truth
• Romanticism is NOT associated with romantic
love—although the romanticism movement dealt
with emotions, feelings and often beauty
Highlights of Romanticism
• Came after Rationalism (18th & 19th
Centuries)
• Rejected objectivity, rationality, and
harmony
• Characteristics:
– Conviction that intuition, imagination, and
emotion are superior to reason
– Poetry is superior to science
– Return to nature (untamed nature a source of
inspiration)
Highlights of Romanticism cont.
• Characteristics cont.:
– Belief in the goodness of humanity
– Nationalistic pride
– Exalting senses and emotions over reason
and intellect
– Prized subjectivity and imagination
– Optimistic
– Emphasis on individuality and worth of
individual rather than worth of society
Highlights of Romanticism cont.
• Characteristics cont.:
– Refusal to accept human limitations
– Desire for social change
– Distrust of industry and city life
– Idealization of rural life and of the wilderness
– Prefer youthful innocence to educated
sophistication