Les Miserables 4 Essay, Research Paper

Les Miserables

Jean Valjean spent 19 years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread. He made several attempts of escape and never made it but finally released. His imprisonment hinders his chances of refuge for the night as shown at Digne where he is repeatedly refused shelter until he arrives at Monseigneur Myriel’s

house, the bishop, and he welcomes him. The bishop and his take very good care of him, but all Valjean does to repay them is steal their silverware. Valjean also steals money from a little chimney sweep,Gervais. The last time that Jean Valjean is a thief he repents and under the new name of Monsieur Madeline, starts a factory that brings wealth to the town of Montreuil.

Fantine who now a young mother has an illegitimate child, Cosette, and is on her way back to her hometown, Montrueil, to find a job. She entrusts the Thenardiers with her daughter so she does not have to go back home with an illegitimate child.

Fantine finds a job in Montrueil at M. Madeleine’s factory and attains a limited amount of wealth. Unfortunately things get worse for Fantine all of the sudden when she is fired from her job and,at the same time, must meet increasing finances for her daughter from the Thenardiers. Fantine looks for money and does everything possible such as selling her hair, her central incisors, and then turns to prostitution. She is arrested one day but is saved by Madeleine. Fantine moves in with Madeleine and gets very sick. Fantine wants to see her daughter which Madeleine promises her that he will bring her to her before she dies.

However, Madeleine has some problems of his own. A man gets arrested under the name of Jean Valjean and is about to be condemned for his crimes. After a night of deep meditation, Madeleine decides to confess his past. Madeleine goes to Arras where the trial is taking place and Madeleine confesses to be Jean Valjean. A few days later Jean Valjean is arrested by Javert at Fantine’s bedside and this scene kills her.

The same evening Valjean escapes, but is quickly recaptured and sent to Toulon. One day he saves a fallen sailor. As he plunges into save him, he escapes by making the belief that he drowned. He then goes to Montfermeil where the Thenardiers’ inn is located. After burying his money in the woods, he frees Cosette by buying her from the Thenardier’s then they move to Paris.

In Paris, he lives in the Gorbeau House. Javert finally tracks him down once again but, Valjean flees to a convent where he sees an old friend named Fauchelevent who is a gardener there and who Madeleine has saved once before. Valjean persuades him to take him as an assistant gardener there and to enroll Cosette as a student. Several happy years are spent in isolation of the convent. Jean Valjean sneaks out by way of burial.

Marius is a seventeen-year-old who lives with his grandfather, M. Gillenormand. Marius’s father, Georges Potmercy, a hero of the napolionic wars, lives in retirement in a nearby city. Marius’s father dies right before he see’s him, but no reaction was shown from Marius. Marius leaves his grandfather’s house as a result of his father’s love that he wasn’t told about and his political views.

Marius lives in the Latin Quarter and becomes friends with a group of radical students, the Friends of the A.B.C. He switches his allegiance from monarchy to Napoleon. Marius finally finds a good job, and with this helps build his satisfaction. He then falls passionately in love with a beautiful young lady in the Luxembourg Gardens, who is Jean Valjean’s daughter, Cosette.

One day, Marius gets very curious and peeps through a hole in the wall to the neighbors room and sees the family living in poverty. Soon after he witnesses the entrance of a philanthropist, so called M. Leblanc and his daughter. To Marius’s surprise, the daughter is Cosette. An attack was planned on Leblanc but Marius contacts police and on the instructions of Javert returns to his room with the two pistols that were given to him. The plot of Thenardier and his 4 sidekicks fail as Javert comes in just in time to save Leblanc. When Javert is arresting everyone, Leblanc escapes out the window.

Once again the young girl has vanished but, Eponine, Thenardier’s oldest daughter who is totally in love with Marius finds his sweetheart for him. One day, Marius sees Cosettte from afar and finds the courage to tell her his love for her, as she does the same. Marius happiness is again destroyed when Valjean finds out his daughter’s love for someone else and is horrified and they move.

Marius is unaware of the political situation because of his love for Cosette. His friend Enjolas directs the erection of a barricade in front of the Corinth wine shop. Javert is found as an unmasked spy and the rebel’s tie him up to await his execution.

Marius decides to join in the revolution to seek his death. He joins the fighting at the barricade since he lost his love again fights valiantly to the end. Valjean gets out his old National Guard suit but like Maruis joins the ranks for the rebel’s after he discovered Marius’s and Cosette’s love for each other as he read a letter by a mirror.

Valjean volunteers to execute Javert. Instead he spares him his life and, sends him away. He then takes Marius, who is very seriously injured, and carries him through the sewers. He gives Thenardier all the money he has to open up the gate for him to get out. As soon as they get out, Javert arrests Valjean. Javert then let’s Valjean go just as Valjean did earlier. Javert cannot forgive himself of what he just did and then commits suicide by jumping off a bridge.

Marius survives and overcomes his grandfather’s hospitality toward marriage and then marries Cosette. It is a horrendous blow to Valjean. Valjean confesses his past to Marius and Marius doesn’t want to see Valjean much and eventually doesn’t see him at all. Valjean’s life deteriorates and is dying because he hasn’t seen Cosette. Marius still doesn’t know that Valjean saved his life in the sewer. Thenardier for money reveals to Marius that Valjean was his savior and some other facts that Marius already knew about. Because of Thenardier, Marius and Cosette visit Jean Valjean on his deathbed and then that makes Valjean a little better but dies. Jean Valjean’s tombstone is written in pencil and eventually washes away, and becomes unmarked.

Victor Hugo’s handy work lead to tons of plots given in movies, television shows and even plays. The Dukes of Hazzard, an older TV show, has Bo and Luke Duke always running from Boss Hogg, Rosco and Enos. They always change cars or appearances to get away and they always get away, but if they get caught they let them go, but the police do not necessarily commit suicide, just get humiliated by Boss Hogg for letting them go. Bo and Luke fit in with how Jean Valjean felt, always running and watching his back.

Javert would be like Boss Hogg, Rosco and Enos. The bad guys who are after the good guys. Javert would also be like the police that chased Smokey and the Bandit, another example of bad chasing the good.

Romeo and Juliet would be a great example of Marius and his love, Cosette. Romeo of course would be Marius and Juliet would be Cosette. Cosette is so beautiful to Marius and he is in love with her. Any time they are apart it break’s each other’s heart. They would do anything for each other and if it came down to it, die.