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Les Misérables Dramaturgy Guide

Table of Contents

Vocabulary & Definitions……………………………………………….3Pronunciation Guide…………………………………………………….6Biographies of Creative Team…………………………………………..7Musical Information……………………………………………………..9History………………………………………………………………….10Les Misérables Novel Summaries……………………………………..15Themes…………………………………………………………………26

Vocabulary and Definitions

Parole: the conditional release of a person from prison prior to the end of the maximum sentence imposed.

Mark of Cain: refers to a person's sinful nature

Cur: a mongrel dog, especially a worthless or unfriendly one.

Serf: a person in a condition of servitude, required to render services to a lord, commonly attached to the lord's land and transferred with it from one owner to another. A slave

Reverence: a title used in addressing or mentioning a member of the clergy

Plight: a condition, state, or situation, especially an unfavorable or unfortunate one

Martyrs: a person who willingly suffers death rather than renounce his or her religion.

Foreman: a person in charge of a particular department

Grafting: British slang for work

Repute: estimation in the view of others; reputation

Virtuous: conforming to moral and ethical principles; morally excellent; upright

Stoke: to poke, stir up, and feed (a fire).

Bagatelle: something of little value or importance; a trifle.

Centime: a monetary unit of France, Belgium, and Luxembourg until the euro was adopted, the 100th part of a franc.

Repentance: regret for any past action.

Condemn: to pronounce to be guilty; sentence to punishment:

Alibi: a person used as one's excuse

Intercede: to attempt to reconcile differences between two people or groups; mediate.

Dissolute: indifferent to moral restraints; given to immoral or improper conduct; licentious; dissipated.

Homing: capable of returning home, usually over a great distance

Rooking: to cheat; fleece; swindle.

Bon viveur: person who enjoys the good things of life

Sou: either of two bronze coins of France, equal to 5 centimes and 10 centimes.

Boon: something to be thankful for; blessing; benefit.

Valises : a small piece of luggage that can be carried by hand, used to hold clothing, toilet articles, etc.; suitcase; traveling bag.

Voltaire: French philosopher, historian, satirist, dramatist, and essayist

Inebriate: an intoxicated person.

Haggle: to bargain in a petty, quibbling, and often contentious manner

“hanging round my pitch”: to erect or set up (a tent, camp, or the like).

Lamarque: a French commander during the Napoleonic Wars who later became a member of French Parliament.

Bourgeois: belonging to, characteristic of, or consisting of the middle class.

Fugitive: a person who is fleeing, from prosecution, intolerable circumstances, etc.; a runaway

Sentinels: a person or thing that watches or stands as if watching

Don Juan: fictitious character that is a symbol of a person who is unrestrained by convention or morality.

Pensive: dreamily or wistfully thoughtful:

Rue: to feel sorrow over; repent of; regret bitterly

Legions: a military or semi-military unit.

Renounce: to give up or put aside voluntarily

Sappers: a soldier employed in the construction of fortifications, trenches, or tunnels that approach or undermine enemy positions.

Shrine: any structure or place consecrated or devoted to some saint, holy person, or deity, as an altar, chapel, church, or temple.

Dominion: the power or right of governing and controlling; sovereign authority.

Communion: association; fellowship.

De-colletage: The neckline of a dress cut low in the front or back and often across the shoulders

Hob nobbing: To associate on friendly terms

Croesus: king of Lydia 560–546: noted for his great wealth.

plough-share: a sharp steel wedge that cuts loose the top layer of soil

Name and Location Pronunciations

Babet (Bah-bay)Bamatobois (Bam-ah-tah-bwah)Brujon (Broo-zhan)Claquesous (Klak-soo)Combeferre (Kom-fair)Cosette (Ko-zet)Courfeyrac (Ko-fer-ak)Enjolras (Ahn-jol-rahs)Eponine (Epp-oh-neen)Fantine (Fahn-teen)Fauchelevant (Fosh-luh-vohn)Feuilly (Foo-ee)Gavroche (Gav-rosh)Grantaire (Grahn-tair)Javert (Jah-ver)Jean Valjean (Zhan Val-zhan) Joly (Zshow-lee)Lamarque (Lamark)Lesgles (Lay-glay)Madeleine (Mad-eh-lenn)Marius (Mar-ee-us) Montparnasse (Mont-parnass)Pontmercy (Pohn-mair-see) Thenardier (Ten-are-dee-ay)

Toulon (Too-lohn)Montreuil-Sur-Mer (Mon-twee-soor-Mair)Saint Michele (San Mee-shell)Notre Dame (No-truh Dahm)Rue de Bac (Roo-duh-Bahk)St. Antoine (San An-twan)St. Martin (San Mar-tanRue Plumet (Roo-Ploo-may)Rue de Villette (Roo-duh-Vee-ette)

Biographies of the Creative Team Behind Les Misérables (Information provided by MTI)

Alain Boublil (Book, lyricist, Original French Lyrics): His first musical, La Revolution Française in 1973, marked his transition from songwriting to musical theatre and the start of his collaboration with Claude-Michel Schönberg with the hit album that became the first ever staged French musical. His idea of writing a musical version of Les Misérables brought them together again in 1978. The acclaimed show was written over a two-year period and recorded as an album before its opening at the Palais de Sports in Paris in September 1980. In 1983 Mr. Boublil met Cameron Mackintosh which led to his first London production Abbacadabra (a musical fairy-tale set to ABBA music) and to working with Claude-Michel and directors and writers on the English language adaptation of Les Misérables. The show has subsequently opened in 19 countries and 14 languages. Among the many awards Mr. Boublil has received were two Tony Awards in 1987 for Best Score and Best Book for the NY production and a 1988 Grammy for the Best Original Broadway Cast Recording which he co-produced with Claude-Michel Schönberg. Miss Saigon opened on September 20, 1989 at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London and on April 11, 1991 in NY. The show has also played in Tokyo and Toronto with future production scheduled for Sydney, Australia and Stuttgart, Germany. Mr. Boublil will maintain a close association with all the international productions of Les Misérables and Miss Saigon while working with Claude-Michel on the screenplays for motion picture versions of both musicals.

Claude-Michel Schönberg (Music and Book): A successful record producer and songwriter who began his collaboration with Alain Boublil in 1973, writing the very first French musical, La Revolution Française. Mr. Schönberg played the role of Louis XVI in that production and also co-produced the double-gold record album of the show. In 1974, he recorded an album, singing his own compositions and lyrics, which included the number one hit single Le Premier Pas. In 1980, after two years' work on the score, Mr. Schönberg and Mr. Boublil's musical Les Misérables opened in Paris, where it was seen by more than 1.5 million people. In 1983, Mr. Schönberg produced an opera album in Paris with Julia Migenes Johnson and the Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra. Following work on the London production of Les Misérables (the 3rd longest running musical in British theatre history), Mr. Schönberg co-produced the double-platinum London cast album and became involved in casting all the major overseas productions of the show, including the American, Japanese and Australian companies. He won two coveted Tony Awards, for Best Score and Book, for the Broadway production of Les Misérables and a Grammy Award for the Best Original Cast Recording, which he co-produced with Alain Boublil. He also worked closely on the symphonic recording of the show. His score for Miss Saigon, again written in collaboration with Alain Boublil, is now repeating the international success story of Les Misérables. Produced by Cameron Mackintosh and again bringing together many members of the creative team behind Les Misérables, Miss Saigon opened with huge success at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London in September 1989, in NY in April 1991, in Tokyo in May 1992 and in Chicago (the first national U.S. tour) in November 1992. Future productions will open in Sydney, Australia and Stuttgart, Germany. Now Claude-Michel is back at the keyboards, composing their next musical, Martin Guerre, while keeping close eye on the development of the screenplays for Les Misérables and Miss Saigon.

Herbert Kretzmer (Lyricist): Kretzmer was born in South Africa, came to London in 1954, and has since pursued twin careers as a newspaperman and songwriter. He was a feature writer at the Daily Sketch and a profile writer at the Sunday Dispatch. He joined the Daily Express in 1960 and later became its drama critic, a post he held for 18 years. Since 1979 he has been writing TV criticism for the Daily Mail and has won, in this capacity, two national press awards. As a lyric writer he wrote weekly songs for BBC-TV's That Was The Week That Was. He won an Ivor Novello Award for the Peter Sellers/Sophia Loren comedy song Goodness Gracious Me. Other award-winning lyrics include two written for Charles Aznavour: Yesterday When I Was Young and the chart-topping She. Mr. Kretzmer wrote book and lyrics for the West End's Our Man Crichton, which starred Kenneth More and Millicent Martin, and lyrics for the Theatre Royal Drury Lane's The Four Musketeers. He also supplied lyrics for the Anthony Newly film “Can Heironymous Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe And Find True Happiness?” Tony Award, 1987, Best Score, Les Misérables.

Victor Hugo

Hugo was born February 26th, 1802. His father, General Joseph Leopold Huge, was a part of Napoleon’s citizen army. Victor married Adele Foucher in 1822, despite his mother’s disapproval when she was alive. They had 5 children. In 1830, Hugo led a group of Romantic writers trying to loosen classical literature. His play Hernani made him a large sum of money and started a path towards realistic theatre. He earned the title of the greatest writer in France by writing six plays, four verse volumes, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Hugo acquired a mistress in 1833 named Juliette Drouet, and his wife Adele acquired a suitor named Saint-Beuve in 1831. Hugo experienced great loss when one of his daughters died and his play Les Burgraves (1843) was a failure. He then chose to focus more on political issues in France. Hugo was made Peer of France in 1845. When Louis Napoleon reestablished the Empire in France in 1851, Hugo rallied and was sent into exile. He escaped to Brussels where he wrote his most famous work, Les Misérables. Hugo returned to Paris after the Franco-Prussian War. He was elected in 1876 into the Senate, but was in too poor of health to maintain his position. Victor Hugo died in 1885.

Information About the Musical

-World premiere in September of 1980 at the Palais des Sports in Paris.

Following the world premiere run of the original French version, Herbert Kretzmer and James Fenton were given the task of adapting the material into English. This new version, produced by Cameron Mackintosh and directed by Trevor Nunn and John Caird, opened on October 8, 1985 at the Barbican Arts Centre in London.

On December 4, 1985, the world premiere production of the English version transferred to the Palace Theatre in London. It eventually moved once more on April 3, 2004, to the Queen's Theatre. It has become the second longest-running musical in the world and the second longest-running show on the West End.

-U.S. premiere in December 1986 at Kennedy Center’s Opera House

-Premiered on Broadway March 12th, 1987 at The Broadway Theatre.

-In October 1990, the show moved to the Imperial Theatre where it ran over 6,500 performances.

-Original production closed May 18, 2003.

-Revival on November 9th, 2006 at the Broadhurst Theatre. Closed on January 6th, 2008.

-Third longest running Broadway musical

The musical has had more concurrent productions (fifteen at one time) than any other musical in history, as confirmed by the Guinness Book of Records.

It celebrated the 10,000th performance on 2 January 2010.

Les Misérables has won over 100 major theatre awards including an Olivier, Tony & Grammy.

HISTORY

1830 REVOLUTIONSThe Monarchy

The French Revolution ended the age of absolute monarchy in France, but was followed by the Reign of Terror, a violent spell in which rival factions dueled it out for power, resulting in the executions of nearly 40,000 people. What emerged from the rubble was an empire under Napoleon I. A popular general, Napoleon Bonaparte came to power after a coup d’état in 1799. He was made first consul, then consul for life in 1802, and then emperor in 1804. But Napoleon’s dynasty did not last quite as long as the monarchy that had come before it—his collapsed in 1814 after a series of military defeats, including a failed invasion of Russia. He was briefly restored the following year, after escaping from his island exile. But his restoration was brief. Following the famous defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon was exiled once more—this time to an island much further away.

But France wasn’t ready for a genuine democracy just yet. Instead the country saw the return of the Bourbon monarchy through Louis XVI’s younger brothers. First, Louis XVIII, followed by Charles X. Even then, the revolutions were far from over. After elections in May 1830 resulted in a majority unfavorable to Charles X, he responded by dissolving the Chamber of Deputies and instituting repressive ordinances, which led the people to revolt. During the July Revolution of 1830, Charles abdicated in favor of his young grandson. But Charles’s cousin Louis-Philippe concealed the abdication document, and the crown was offered to Louis-Philippe. He reigned until another revolution dethroned him in 1848.

Social Classes and Ranks in 1800s France

Upper Class Aristocracy

-Heditary Aristocracy, Newly Wealthy, Priests

Middle Class Bourgeoisie

-commercial and industrial capitalists, mental skills (doctors, teachers)

Lower/Working Class

- sub-groupings of highly skilled handcrafters, semi-skilled workers, and unskilled laborers

Impoverished Underclass-Homeless, beggars

Weaponry

1830 example

Lefaucheux 20-Round Double Barreled Revolver (1823)

Sabers

Fashion

1815-1830

1832-1836

1832

June Rebellion of 1832June 5th-June 6th

Causes for the June Rebellion-Economic crisis such as an increased cost of living and food shortages.-Cholera outbreaks. The working class believed that the government was poisoning their drinking wells.-General Lamarque’s death. His death was vastly under celebrated, as he showed support for the Republicans and revolutionaries.

How the June Rebellion Started-Several secret societies formed. The main one was the Society for the Rights of Man. These groups took the crowd that had gathered for Lamarque’s funeral and led them to the Place de la Bastille. These societies were supported by the French youth, workers and refugees from Poland, Italy, and German. This crowd gathered about Lamarque’s body and gave speeches about a topic that Lamarque greatly supported; Polish and Italian liberty. During these speeches a member of the crowd waved a red flag and said “Liberty of Death”. This action caused shots to be fired and chaos to ensue.

AftermathThis battle lasted only one day, but injured or killed 800 protestors. The revolution did very little to help the revolutionaries cause. The revolution itself would have been forgotten if it was not the background for Les Misérables.

Jean Maximilien Lamarque

-military hero. General

-opposed restoration of monarchy.

-popular oppression leader

-died of cholera in June 1832

Les Misérables Novel chapter summaries

Fantine Books 1 & 21815We are introduced to a Digne (commune of France) Bishop named Myriel. He holds only two luxuries to his name, a set of silverware and 2 candlesticks. We are then brought to a scene where a mysterious man walks into Digne. He is issued a yellow ticket, showing that he is an ex-convict. His name is Jean Valjean. He has been released from prison after 19 years; five for stealing bread to feed his starving family and fourteen for trying to escape. After wandering throughout the city, he is only welcome at Myriel’s home. Even though Valjean is warmly greeted, he steals Myriel’s most prized possessions and runs off into the night. Valjean is caught by the police , however Myriel states that he has given Valjean these items as a gift. He then tells Valjean to keep them, and use them to create a better life for himself. As Valjean leaves, he steals a coin from a young boy. Valjean breaks down and prays to become an honest man.

Fantine Books 3 & 4The year is now 1817. We are introduced to an orphan girl named Fantine. She is a mistress to a University student named Tholomyès. She loves him and eventually loses her virginity to him. Tholomyès and his three friends, who also have mistresses play a prank on all of their girls and fire them. We then learn that Fantine is pregnant. Fast forward a few years to Fantine traveling to her hometown, Montreuil-Sur-Mer. She realizes however that she cannot hold a job in fear that people will discover her illegitimate daughter, Cosette. She stops by an inn and tavern where two young girls are playing outside. Fantine begs the owners, The Thenardier’s, to watch over Cosette while she looks for work. She must pay the Thenardier’s every month, but Fantine is happy that Cosette will be safe. We then see that the Thenardier’s are cruel to Cosette, making her do heavy work and beating her. They also discover that Cosette is illegitimate and demand more money.

Fantine Book 5Twelve years later (1820) in Montreuil-Sur-Mer, we focus on the town’s Mayor, Monsieur Madeleine, who mysteriously arrived in town during 1815. He became mayor by impressing the King for creating a cheaper method for making black beads. This sparked an industrial revolution. The town does not ask questions about his past as he has been a tremendous benefit and even saved two children’s lives. The only person who is suspicious is a police inspector named Javert. Javert believes Madeleine to be Valjean, and he is even more keen on this idea when he sees Madeleine save Fauchelevent from under a carriage. Meanwhile, Fantine writes letters to the Thenardier’s through a scribe, as she is illiterate. She now has a job in Madeleine’s factory, but the other workers are wary of her. The scribe tells everyone of Cosette, and she is fired. To meet the ever growing demands from the Thenardier’s, Fantine sells her hair, her front teeth, and finally is led to prostitution. One night a client harasses Fantine and hits her with a snowball. She attacks him and is arrested by Javert. Her sentence is for six months. Madeleine appears and offers to take care of Fantine and Cosette, but Fantine spits on his face for firing her from his factory. For Javert, this is the final straw and he begins to investigate Madeleine’s past.

Fantine Book 6Fantine contracts a chronic chest ailment. Madeleine holds true to his word and takes care of her as well can continuing to send money to the Thenardier’s. They refuse to send Cosette as they know it is more in their favor, money wise, to keep her. One night, Javert visits Madeleine, insisting he be fired for accusing Madeleine of being Valjean. He now knows that this is not true as Valjean has been arrested in Arras. This “Valjean” is actually a man named Champmathieu, and is to be at trial the next day.

Fantine Book 7M. Madeleine is now torn between turning himself in or not. He decides to stay and burns all of his personal things that could reveal him to be Jean Valjean. He finds a coin that he once stole from the young boy and remembers Myriel, and his promise to become a better man. Madeleine decides to do the humane thing and turn himself into Javert and save Champmathieu from being falsely accused. On his way to Arras, Madeleine is delayed several times, which leads him to believe that he is too late to save Champmathieu and confess. He finds a secret door in the courtroom and sees that he has arrived just in time. He confesses that he is Jean Valjean.

Fantine Book 8Valjean returns to Fantine in Montreuil-Sur-Mer and aids her in any way he can. Javert follows him and attempts to arrest him. Valjean pleads to retrieve Cosette before he is arrested. Fantine dies of shocking hearing that Valjean has not gotten Cosette already. Valjean is put in jail but immediately breaks out. He escapes and leaves all of his fortune for the poor citizens of Paris.

Cosette Book 1The date is June 18th, 1815. It is the Battle of Waterloo. After the battle, pillaging runs rampant. A thief steals items from a dead officer, but ends up reviving him. The thief is revealed to be Thenardier and the officer is Georges Pontmercy. Pontmercy tells Thenardier that he will always remember him for saving his life.

Cosette Book 2Rumors about Valjean are being spread around the town. The rumors include that Valjean has had an affair with Fantine and that he withdrew a grand amount of money before he was arrested. We are then taken to Montfermeil, where the Thenardier’s inn is located. Here, a man named Boulatruelle is digging holes. Thenardier gets Boulatruelle drunk. Boulatruelle says he saw a former prisoner come into the forest with a shovel and now believes that there is treasure in the forest. It is now November 1823. We are then told of a newspaper article about a Toulon warship called the Orion. A sailor falls off a mast and another prisoner asks permission to rescue him. The prisoner saves the fallen sailor but falls into the water, unseen again. The convict is Valjean and he is pronounced dead.

Cosette Book 3It is Christmas Eve, 1823.Cosette is now eight years old. She is beaten, starved and overworked by the Thenardier’s. They treat their biological daughters Eponine and Azelma extraordinarily well, but leave their son Gavroche in the backlights. To the, he is just another mouth to feed. Madame Thenardier tells Cosette she must get water from their well in the woods in the pitch black night. Cosette hesitantly goes. As she is filling up her bucket, a hand helps her lift it from the well. This hand is Valjean and Cosette is not afraid of him. He follows her to the inn and gives the Thenardier’s money to allow Cosette to properly celebrate Christmas Eve. He even buys her an expensive doll. He gives the Thenardier’s 1500 francs to take Cosette with him. The Thenardier’s say they cannot give Cosette to him without Fantine’s permission, but really they are just trying to swindle Valjean out of more money. Valjean produces a note from Fantine and leaves with Cosette.

Cosette Book 4Valjean and Cosette find a new home at the Gorbeau House. They tell the landlady that Cosette is Valjean’s granddaughter. Due to his ragged clothes but generous spirit, Valjean is known as the beggar who gives alms. Valjean gives money to a beggar and swears that it is Javert. He tells himself that he is imagining things, but later that night hears footsteps outside of his home. Valjean tells Cosette to hide inside and stay silent.. The person with the unknown footsteps stays until the morning. It is Javert. When Valjean asks his landlady if there were any strange people outside, she says that a new tenant named Dumont moved in. Valjean suspects that his landlady is going undercover for Javert.

Cosette Book 5Valjean packs to leave that night. Javert and two of his officers follow them. No matter which way they go, Valjean and Cosette cannot escape Javert especially since Javert has an ever growing number of officers joining him. Valjean eventually hits a dead end and decides to climb to the roof, escaping just in time. They find themselves in a garden where a man is sitting. This man is Fauchelevent, the man that Valjean saved from under the wagon cart years ago. He informs them that they are in the convent called Petit-Picpus. Meanwhile, we learn that the reason Javert has found Valjean is that he heard that Cosette has been kidnapped. The Thenardier’s say that she was taking by her grandfather, to hide their own crimes from Javert. This story reminds Javert of the beggar who gives alms. He returns to his home feeling ashamed that once again he could not capture Valjean. Cosette Book 6Petit-Picpus is a convent that was founded by Spaniard Martin Verga. Here there are very strict rules. One nun must always be praying for the sins of the world while another kneels in devotion before the Holy Sacrament. The only men that allowed in the convent are the Archbishop and the gardener. The convent also serves as a boarding school. Due to the many rules, recruitment slows and eventually stops.

Cosette Book 7The narrator uses this chapter to tell the reader that the principles of democracy and religious beliefs do not always contradict each other. The narrator also criticizes monasticism, organizing religious sects like a convent. Monasticism leads to isolation from society and fanaticism about religion. The narrator links this to the Petit-Picpus nuns, as they have little knowledge of the world around them..

Cosette Book 8Fauchelevent thinks that Valjean is hiding from creditors but offers to help him obtain a job at the convent. The job is an assistant to the gardener. Meanwhile a nun dies at the convent. The nuns wish for her to be buried inside the walls of Petit-Picpus, but the law states she must be buried in a municipal cemetery. The nuns concoct a plan to fill her coffin with dirt, so it seems a body is inside being buried. In order for Valjean to obtain the assistant gardener job, Fauchelevent hides Valjean in the coffin. Valjean reenters the convent, is hired, and lives happily and safe.

Marius Book 1The Thenardier’s now live in the Gorbeau House, living under the name Jondrette. Gavroche, their ten year old son, is a pickpocket.

Marius Book 2Marius Pontmercy lives with his grandfather, Monsieur Gillenormand. Gillenormand is a supporter of the monarchy. Marius’s father, Georges Pontmercy, was a colonel for Napoleon’s army. He was persecuted for his support of Napoleon and constantly threatened by Gillenormand, saying he will disinherit Marius. Eventually, Georges gives Marius’s custody to Gillenormand.

Marius Book 3It is 1827 and Marius is 18 years old. Marius holds little respect for his father, as he thinks that he has abandoned Marius. Marius’s grandfather tells Marius that his father is ill and Marius has to visit him. Marius heads to Vernon but arrives just a few minutes too late. His father leaves him a note saying Marius must find a man named Thenardier because Thenardier saved Marius’s father, Georges, during the battle at Waterloo. Marius also learns that his father would visit every few months to watch Marius grow. Marius gains a new respect for his father and for Napoleon’s policies. He brings this home to his grandfather and gets into an argument and leaves the home.

Marius Book 4Marius meets a young revolutionary group, The Friends of the ABC. They believe in social change and learning about politics over regular school studies. This group is led by Enjolras. Marius ends up getting into an argument with the group as he prefers Napoleon’s political message over the group’s yearning for complete democratic freedom.

Marius Book 5Marius quits the Friends of the ABC and goes to live on his own. He lives in poverty but continues schooling. He passes all of his law exams by a great margin. His family continually offers support, but he denies any help.

Marius Book 6Marius grows into a handsome young man. He is indifferent towards women until he sees a young woman and an older man in the Luxembourg Gardens. He calls her Lanoire, which means “The Black One”, because of her dark clothing. We know this girl to be Cosette. Courfeyrac names the older man Leblanc, because of his white hair. This man is of course Valjean. Marius returns to the Gardens six months later and see that Cosette has become a beautiful young woman. He renames her Ursula, as he finds a handkerchief with a U embroidered on it. Marius begins following the pair. Valjean soon discovers Marius following him and faces him and stares him down. Valjean then moves away with Cosette.

Marius Book 7This chapter is dedicated to talking about four men in Paris who lead the criminal world. Their names are Montparnasse, Babet, Claquesous, and Gueuleme. They call themselves the Patron-Minette.

Marius Book 8Marius cannot stop obsessing over Cosette. He realizes though that there are other people who have worse lives, such as his friend Eponine Jondrette. She goes to Marius to ask for money. To help him realize her love for him, Eponine writes “the cops are here” on a slip of paper to prove she is literate. After talking more to Eponine, Marius decides to investigate into her home life more. He is horrified by what he sees. He witnesses Ursula and Leblanc entering the Jondrette’s inn with Eponine. Thenardier pretends to be a poor actor and attempts to get money from Leblanc for rent. When Leblanc leaves, Thenardier plots to rob and kill him, which Marius overhears. The Jondrette’s look for service from the Patron-Minette to get as much money as they can from Leblanc. Marius runs to the police and finds Javert. Upon hearing his story, Javert hands Marius two pistols. He says when the robbery is at its highest point Marius should fire a gun to alert the police to come. When Leblanc is ambushed, he refuses to give them any money. Jondrette reveals that he is actually Thenardier, and Valjean denies knowing who he is. Marius remembers Thenardier’s name from his father’s note and is now torn on whom to back in this fight. Valjean is then forced to write a note to Cosette telling her to go to the Gorbeau House. The messenger sent with the letter returns saying that he was given the wrong name and address. Valjean is on the brink of being killed by Thenardier and the Patron-Minette when Marius sends Eponine’s note, “The cops are here” through the window. Javert enters the scene and arrests everyone, except Valjean who once again escapes.

Saint-Denis Book 1 Saint-Denis is a commune in the northern suburb of Paris as well as the first Bishop of Paris circa 250 A.D.). This chapter elaborates on the causes that started the 1830 July Revolution in France. Napoleon’s defeat in Waterloo (1815) led to the Monarchy attempting reinstating rights they had before the 1789 French Revolution. The government collapses while trying to regain those rights. The new king Louis-Philippe tried to find a middle ground between the two parties but alienated every side instead. This led to the revolution in 1832, where we find our main characters now. Enjolras and his group of student revolutionaries start a political rebellion in Faubourg, Saint-Antoine.

Saint-Denis Book 2Marius is now referring to Cosette as “The Lark”. He goes to grieve for her at the Field of the Lark every day. Eponine finds Cosette, in the wake of her ever growing love for Marius. She finds out that Cosette is now living in Saint-Germain, but she does not tell Marius she was there because she was there doing work for a robber who is in prison. Marius, still oblivious to Eponine’s affection, tries to give her five francs. Eponine drops it on the ground claiming she does not want it.

Saint-Denis Book 3Valjean and Cosette once again live happily at Rue Plumet. However, Cosette begins to wonder why they are hiding and if the only reason is because of Javert. She begins to think that Valjean is trying to hide her from other men, especially since they stopped going to the Luxembourg Gardens. Never being in love himself, Valjean struggles to understand Cosette’s feelings. Valjean slowly realizes that Cosette is all he really has left in the world and he cannot afford to lose her.

Saint-Denis Book 4Gavroche overhears Father Mabeuf worrying about his finances. He then sees Montparnasse attack a man, who is reveled to be Valjean. Valjean puts up a valiant fight. He pins Montparnasse on the ground, scolds him for attacking innocent people, gives him his wallet, and orders him to go. Gavroche then picks the wallet from Montparnasse’s pockets. He takes it and throws it over a wall to Mabeuf.

Saint-Denis Book 5Marius interrupts Valjean and Cosette’s newly regained happiness. He spies on them at night and leaves a love declaration for Cosette. One night while Valjean is on his nightly walk, Marius and Cosette exchange mutual feelings for each other.

Saint-Denis Book 6Gavroche meets two starving boys and uses his little money that he has to feed them. Little does he know that these two boys are his brothers. He also gives a freezing woman clothes so she can survive. He brings the two boys to his “home” in an elephant statue near the Bastille prison. That night, criminals escape from the prison, including Thenardier. Gavroche helps his father from the rooftop, but Thenardier does not recognize his own son.

Saint-Denis Book 7The narrator devotes several pages to an describing the vocabulary and origins of Parisian street slang.

Saint-Denis Book 8Spring has arrived. Marius and Cosette are in love. Valjean interrupts the couple’s happiness by telling Cosette that they will be moving to England in a week. Valjean knows his home is being watched by Thenardier and must leave. He also wants to leave at the fear of losing Cosette to Marius and the ever growing promise of political unrest. Eponine stalls Thenardier’s plan to rob Valjean. Meanwhile, a heartbroken Marius goes to Gillnormand, who says that Cosette is meant to be a mistress, not a wife.

Saint-Denis Book 9Marius returns to Saint-Germaine. He realizes after Cosette doesn’t show up at their scheduled time that she has moved. A voice, which is unknown, tells him to join the revolution.

Saint-Denis Book 10It is June 5th in 1832. There is a cholera epidemic in Paris. Tensions are very high and the smallest thing could start the revolution that is inevitable. The spark that ignites the fire is during the funeral of General Lamarque. The French Monarchy believe that the funeral will start violence so they set guards in the crowd. Shots are fired on the Austerlitz Bridge. This causes an outbreak and barricades begin to be built.

Saint-Denis Book 11The Friends of the ABC are the first to answer the calls of the revolution. They prepare to fight the Army. Gavroche and Mabeuf join the ranks.

Saint-Denis Book 12The Friends of the ABC build a barricade around Corinth Wine-Shop. While building, Gavroche notices Javert, who is spying on the revolutionaries. They take Javert as prisoner. A drunken revolutionary shoots a homeowner and Enjolras executes him immediately. Courferyac notices a young laborer looking for Marius has joined their ranks.

Saint-Denis Book 13Marius walks the streets of Paris, utterly depressed. He heads to the center of Paris with the two pistols that Javert gave him.

Saint-Denis Book 14At the barricade, the Army shoots down the Revolutionary flag. As Mabeuf tries to raise it again, he is shot and killed. Javert is held as a prisoner in hopes to exchange him for a revolutionary who is being held captive as well. Enjolras learns that the revolutionary has been killed so he announces that they will execute Javert ten minutes before the barricade falls. The Army attacks and Marius arrives just in time to save Courfeyrac and Gavroche. Marius threatens to blow up the entire barricade and the Army recedes. During this conflict, Eponine, who has disguised herself as man, saves Marius’s life. She takes a bullet for him. As she lays dying, she confesses her love to Marius and hands him a letter from Cosette. Marius writes a letter back to Cosette informing her that he will die in the barricade. He sends the letter to her through Gavroche.

Saint-Denis Book 15Valjean sees Gavroche heading towards Cosette’s room and says that he will deliver Marius’s letter to her. Gavroche hands him the letter and informs him on where the barricade is located. Valjean reads the letter and is overjoyed that Marius won’t stand between him and Cosette. However, once again, Valjean’s decency shows and he heads towards the barricade dressed as a member of the National Guard.

Jean Valjean Book 1The revolutionaries are victorious for a while, but know that the rest of the city has not joined them in this fight. While the Army preps another attack, Enjolras tells all of the men in the revolutionaries that have families to go home. The group votes on five men to send home in disguise. However, there are only four uniforms. Valjean appears in the crowd and volunteers his uniform to be used. Valjean fights among the remaining revolutionaries but makes a point to not kill anyone. On the other end of the spectrum, Enjolras kills for what he believes in but holds extreme regret. The revolutionaries run low on ammunition. Gavroche volunteers to gather ammunition from dead soldiers. He makes it safely up the barricade and gathers more ammunition. At the last second before he is safe, Gavroche is shot twice and killed. This moment cause Enjolras to know that the army is about to take over the barricade. He demands that Javert’s execution begins. Valjean volunteers to fulfill the execution. He takes Javert inside the café and sets him free. Valjean fires a shot into the air to make it seem like he did kill Javert. As Valjean returns, he sees Marius being shot and catches him. The army has now infiltrated the barricade and they enter the wine shop. Here they only find Enjolras and execute him on the spot. Valjean manages to escape into the sewers with an injured Marius over his shoulder.

Jean Valjean Book 2This chapter is focused the nightmare that is the Paris sewer system. In 1802 a flood came and covered the city in waste and muck. The narrator gives a detail that Parisians spend large sums gathering bird droppings for fertilizer. After a cholera outbreak, a man named Bruneseau redesigned the sewer system.

Jean Valjean Book 3Valjean navigates through the sewers even though he cannot see due to the muck and darkness towards the Seine. He avoids police, fatigue and hunger until he finds an exit. However, the exit is locked. Luckily for Valjean, someone appears outside the exit. Unluckily for Valjean, it is Thenardier, who says he will open the exit for money. As Valjean leaves, Thenardier rips a part off of Marius’s jacket to later identify Valjean’s “victim”. As Valjean heads towards the Seine, Javert appears . He does not recognize Valjean, but Valjean reveals himself anyway. He begs Javert to allow him to take Marius to his grandfather, and Javert agrees. Valjean also asks to see Cosette one last time before he is arrested. As he heads into the apartment to say goodbye, Valjean turns and finds that Javert is nowhere to be seen.

Jean Valjean Book 4Due to Valjean’s kindness and well doing in the community, Javert is fighting internally on whether or not he should turn Valjean in. Javert find that he has finally reached his only goal, but cannot get passed Valjean’s mercy. Javert then writes a letter to the Prefect of Paris police about prison life and discipline in the Paris system. He stands at the Seine river, watching it, and eventually drowns himself in the river.

Jean Valjean Book 5Unaware of Valjean’s heroism in the sewer, Marius recovers at his grandfather’s home. He has lost a lot of blood and has broken his collarbone. After six months, Marius makes a full recovery. He then asks and receives permission to marry Cosette. Marius and his grandfather still think that Cosette is a poor working-class girl. They then learn that she has a dowry of 600,000 francs. However Marius and Cosette do not care about the dowry, as they are focused on their love.

Jean Valjean Book 6At this moment, Valjean is the only one who holds the knowledge about Cosette’s illegitimate birth. Because of this fact, Marius and Cosette can indeed marry. Valjean fakes an accident with his writing hand so he won’t have to forge his fake name on their marriage certificate. Cosette moves into Gillnormand with Marius. Valjean now feels like he is losing the one person he has ever loved.

Jean Valjean Book 7Valjean thinks he should confess to his criminal past, so he confides in Marius. At first, Marius does not believe him, but as he begins to accept it, Marius tries to arrange a pardon for Valjean. Valjean however refuses. Marius then believes that it would be for the best if Valjean never saw Cosette again. Unable to handle not seeing his daughter, Valjean asks to see Cosette in the evening. After learning about Valjean’s past, Marius strengthens his belief that Valjean indeed killed Javert at the barricade, and also doubts Cosette’s dowry.

Jean Valjean Book 8 Marius keeps pushing Valjean further and further from Cosette’s life. After being told that he could see Cosette and having her not show up, Valjean returns to his apartment and begins to fall ill. He prays for death to come quickly, as he thinks he won’t ever see Cosette again.

Jean Valjean Book 9 Thenardier goes to Marius disguised as a statesmen. He tells Marius that he has interesting information about Valjean, and for a price, he will tell him everything he knows. Marius recognizes Thenardier but pays him 500 francs. Thenardier says that Valjean gained Cosette’s dowry from his work as Madeleine at the factory. Marius is also informed that Valjean did not kill Javert, as he committed suicide. Marius is still wary about Valjean until Thenardier tells him about seeing Valjean in the sewer that night. After seeing the ring Thenardier stole, that was Marius’s, he sends Thenardier away with more money. Thenardier takes that money and heads to America to become a slave trader. Marius quickly tells Cosette about all he has learned. They go to Valjean on his deathbed. Valjean is overridden with happiness and then dies in peace.

Friends of the ABC

Name of the society is a pun, in which abaissés (the "lowly" / "abased"), is pronounced [abese], very similar to A-B-C

THEMES

Love and Compassion

In Les Misérables, the topics of love and compassion are both expanded on throughout the show. The main incident being Valjean’s turn from criminal to a somewhat hero in many people’s eyes. Valjean demonstrates compassion for others from the very beginning by stealing food for his starving family. He knows it is wrong, but his caring for others outshines the possibility of being caught. Throughout this show, we see Valjean demonstrating many acts of kindness for many people. He saves Marius from the Barricade, releases Javert from captivity, and aids Fantine through her last moments on Earth. He always puts other’s needs before his own. We also see love demonstrated between Marius and Cosette. Clearly throughout the show, we see their love blossom. We also see that love comes with sacrifice. A prime example of this is Eponine’s dedication to Marius. She gives her life to see that Marius is safe. Eponine also realizes that while she loves Marius, she must allow Cosette to be his one love. We see that Valjean must put his own love for Cosette aside for new love to grow.

We also see the return of compassion through Valjean’s return of goodness into the world after Myriel gives him the silver candlesticks. Myriel gives the warning that Valjean must become a better man through his own compassion for Valjean’s situation.

Social Injustice

The main exploration of social injustice in Les Misérables comes from the idea that innocent, hardworking people are turned into criminals through this society. Work is so hard to come by and conditions are so poor, that people must steal just to keep their families alive. These innocent people are locked away in jail while swindlers, such as the Thenardier’s, go freely through life. The treatment of women in Les Misérables is also an example of social injustice. Women are clearly treated lesser than men. Women are harassed in the work place. Some, like Fantine, lose jobs and family due to illegitimate children. A great example of this is the moment when Fantine is arrested for attacking a passerby who taunts her. While the passerby was the instigator, it is Fantine who is punished.