Novel Historical

Les Misérables
Author Year Published Original Language
Victor Hugo 1862 French

OVERVIEW

Recalled to Life, Jean Valjean begins as a victim of an unjust society, evolves into an
angry outlaw, and is transformed into a Christlike figure of
Recalled by Love compassion through the love of a kindly bishop and an orphan child.
He saves Cosette from a life of abuse and forgives his hated nemesis
Javert, a rule-bound policeman with no understanding of justice.

1 Jean Valjean steals a loaf of bread

to feed his sister’s children but is
caught and spends 19 years in jail.

2 A newly free man, Jean Valjean steals

from a bishop—but when caught, is shown
forgiveness that transforms his life.

3 Jean Valjean starts anew as Monsieur

Madeleine, a successful businessman, but
is discovered by Inspector Javert. 4 After rescuing the orphan Cosette,
Jean Valjean flees to Paris—still
pursued by Inspector Javert.

5 Years later, Cosette falls in love with the

student Marius. When revolution erupts, Jean
Valjean rescues Marius from the barricade.

6 Cosette and Marius are married, and

characters’ pasts are revealed as
Les Misérables Jean Valjean nears death.
by the Numbers

1832
Year of the June
Rebellion in Paris
Themes

Law vs. Justice

4 In an unjust society, the law excessively

punishes the poor while the
Times Jean Valjean government lets them starve and rot.
tries to escape from
prison

Love

Compassionate and unselfish

1985 love has the power to redeem

even a hardened criminal.

Year the
English-language
musical adaptation Faith
of the novel
premiered in London To survive the trials of life,
people need faith—a belief in
something or someone that
gives meaning to their striving.

17
Years Hugo
spent writing
Les Misérables

Author

Hugo was a writer in the French

romantic tradition and a politician and
social reformer who used his art to
raise people’s consciousness about
the plight of the disenfranchised. His
magnum opus, Les Misérables, is
considered one of the great novels of
the 19th century.

VICTOR HUGO
1802–85

Main Characters

Jean Valjean
Bitter ex-convict turned kind,
idealistic businessman

Cosette Fantine
Abused foster child saved by Desperate mother; turns to
Jean Valjean; loves Marius prostitution to support her child

Javert
Pitiless police inspector
obsessed with bringing
Jean Valjean to justice

Monseigneur Bienvenu Marius

Kindly bishop; protects Idealistic rebel; falls in
Jean Valjean from police love with Cosette

The Thénardiers
Scheming, greedy, cruel couple;
guardians of Cosette for several years

faith is a necessity to
man. Woe to him who
believes in nothing.
Narrator, Cosette: Book 7, Chapter 9

Sources: Barricades: The War of the Streets in Revolutionary Paris,

1830–1848 by Jill Harsin, Encyclopaedia Britannica, The Guardian,
LesMis.com, New World Encyclopedia, Playbill.com

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