Les Misérablesby 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 well-off 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