Who is the most important character in Les Misérables? (2023)

Who is the most important character in Les Misérables?

Jean Valjean

is the protagonist of Victor Hugo's novel 'Les Misérables'. He was convicted of stealing a loaf of bread and sentenced to 19 years of hard labor. Upon his release, he is filled with rage and resentment due to his unjust treatment and the years he spent in prison.

Who is the hero of Les Misérables?

JEAN VALJEAN is the hero of the show. It is his life journey that we follow. Jean Valjean is supposed to be stronger than other men, and so physically should appear robust. He should reasonably carry himself as mature and paternal.

Why Jean Valjean is important in Les Misérables?

Hardened by prison and rescued by the kindness of M. Myriel, Valjean is a blank slate, molded by his encounters and circumstances. This ability to change makes him a universal symbol of hope—if he can learn love and charity after suffering so much injustice, anyone can.

Is Jean Valjean the main character?

Jean Valjean (French: [ʒɑ̃ val. ʒɑ̃]) is the protagonist of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel Les Misérables.

Who are the two main characters in Les Misérables?

Les Misérables follows the story of Jean Valjean, a man who became a prisoner after stealing food to feed his starving family. He skips parole, and is pursued by police inspector Javert. Other characters include Fantine, a factory worker turned prostitute after she loses her job, and her daughter Cosette.

Who are the 4 main characters in Les Misérables?

Who was the best Fantine in Les Mis?

Fantine: Ruthie Henshall

Since then, she has become one of the most recognisable and acclaimed faces in British musical theatre, having played such iconic roles as Nancy in Oliver!, Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Mrs.

What is the main problem in Les Misérables?

major conflict Valjean struggles to transform himself from a thief into an honest man; over the years he struggles to stay a step ahead of the zealous police officer Javert and tries to raise his adopted daughter, Cosette.

What is the moral lesson of Les Misérables?

2) Moral values in “Les Miserables” show four moral values: love and sincerity, forgiveness, sacrifice, and justice/injustice. Love and sincerity are more dominant than the other elements. The value of love and sincerity reach 42% because it shows more about love and sincerity.

What is Jean Valjean punished for in Les Misérables?

Jean Valjean, after spending nineteen years in jail and in the galleys for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his starving family (and for several attempts to escape) is finally released, but his past keeps haunting him.

Who is the best character in Les Misérables and why?

Fantine is by far the best character in the show. Her story is hauntingly compelling; as a young and naive girl she was abandoned by her lover and now society looks down on her, but she will do anything for Cosette because her daughter is all she has left.

Who is the nemesis of Jean Valjean?

While imprisoned Valjean meets his future nemesis, the fanatical Inspector Javert. After serving his time, Valjean attempts to forge a new life as a good citizen, but the obsessive Javert can't let him go and pursues Valjean throughout the years to come.

What causes the death of Jean Valjean?

Answer and Explanation: Jean Valjean, the protagonist of the novel, dies of natural causes at the end of the novel.

Who falls in love in Les Misérables?

Marius Pontmercy: A student revolutionary who is friends with Eponine, Marius falls in love with Cosette and is later rescued from the barricades by Valjean who eventually gives Marius and Cosette permission to be married.

What does Cosette represent in Les Misérables?

However, in a novel of symbolism and metaphor, Cosette may also be seen as a symbol of hope in the world of Les Misérables, representing the rise of the oppressed and abused from darkness to a bright future.

Why did Fantine sell her teeth?

In the acclaimed musical and novel Les Miserables, an unmarried woman named Fantine struggles to support her daughter in 19th century France. Fantine resorts to selling her possessions, her hair, her teeth, and eventually herself in order to send more and more money to the family caring for Cosette.

Who is Favourite in Les Misérables?

Favorite Thénardier

Gavroche turned out to be the most well-liked Thénardier in Les Misérables.

Who is the main female character in Les Misérables?

Collins stars as the tragic Fantine, abandoned by her lover and left to raise her daughter Cosette, alone in the world.

Who is alive at the end of Les Misérables?

Cosette and Marius are alive at the end of Les Miserables. They are the only main characters left as Valjean dies a little bit after their wedding.

Who is the most famous Jean Valjean?

Colm Wilkinson was the go-to leading man in the '80s. So much so, his superhero name would be The Originator. The famed tenor is a seasoned solo artist as well as musical theatre performer but is probably best known for being the first ever Jean Valjean.

What is the saddest part of Les Misérables?

Fantine dies with Valjean by her side, Eponine dies with Marius by her side, Enjolras, the students, and Gavrcohe die for their cause and all together. Valjean dies with Cosette and Marius by his side. So Javert is really the saddest from that point of view.

Who is the best Eponine ever?

In conclusion, Frances Ruffelle is the best Eponine in Les Misérables. Her voice, acting, and stage presence are unmatched, and her portrayal of Eponine will always be remembered as one of the best performances in musical theatre history.

What is the true meaning of Les Misérables?

Updated September 30, 2021. Les Misérables has several shades of meaning in French. Translators say that Victor Hugo's novel, published in 1862, could just as well be titled The Miserable Ones, The Outcasts, The Wretched Poor, The Victims or The Dispossessed.

What is the climax of the Les Misérables?

The climax of Les Misérables is Jean Valjean's rescue of Marius from the barricade. Marius has been shot and is in desperate need of medical care. Valjean drags him, unconscious, through the Paris sewers, where he briefly encounters M. Thenardier.

What is the initial incident in Les Misérables?

Fittingly, the "falling action" of this book begins right after Inspector Javert literally falls off a bridge. Valjean is in the clear, but now that Marius and Cosette are married, he feels obligated to tell Marius about his criminal past. When he does, he gets himself banished from Cosette's life.

What is the conclusion of the story Les Misérables?

Les Misérables ends with Jean Valjean's reconciliation with Cosette and her new husband Marius and Valjean's subsequent death. He manages to tell Cosette about his past as a convict, and receives her forgiveness. He also tells her the story of her mother, Fantine, and of how he adopted her from the Thénardiers.

Why was Les Misérables significant?

Hugo used Les Misérables to criticize the injustices of 19th century France. However, issues dealt with in the novel are universal and still resonate — the rights of women, intergenerational conflict, cruelty of the justice system, and the failure of society's institutions.

What revolution is Les Misérables based on?

The actual French Revolution took place nearly 20 years before the start of Les Misérables. It began in 1789 and lasted until 1799. The French Revolution consisted of the overthrow of Louis XVI and the introduction of the National Assembly. Remember that the poor in Les Mis are urban!

Does Jean Valjean fall in love with Cosette?

Poor old Jean Valjean, of course, loved Cosette only as a father; but, as we noted earlier, into this fatherly love his lonely single status in life had introduced every other kind of love; he loved Cosette as his daughter, and he loved her as his mother, and he loved her as his sister; and, as he had never had either ...

What does Jean Valjean symbolize?

Valjean — who broke the law only to save a child and is himself saved by the mercy and forgiveness of the priest — embodies the ideal of justice as humanity.

What is Jean Valjean moral dilemma?

The moral dilemma that Valjean is faced with is brought about when the city's inspector of police, Javert, under whom Valjean had been imprisoned in the galleys, unexpectedly reveals to him both that he had suspected him of being Valjean and that he realized he was in error since a person he now believes, as he has ...

What is unique about Les Misérables?

Les Misérables is a sung-through musical, but there are only two soundtrack albums that feature the whole score. One of these, The Complete Symphonic Recording, features cast members from all over the world and had to be recorded in three different places.

Who is the black man in Les Misérables?

Why was Javert disgusted with Jean Valjean?

Javert is obsessed with Jean for several reasons. First, Valjean commits offences after being released from prison, so he is legitimately wanted by the law. Second, Javert's entire way of life is dedicated to the law. Valjean is not just a criminal; in Javert's eyes he is Crime.

What is Javert's problem?

Javert is so obsessed with enforcing society's laws and morals that he does not realize he is living by mistaken assumptions—a tragic and ironic flaw in a man who believes so strongly in enforcing what he believes is right.

Why does Valjean turn himself in?

Valjean's desire to exonerate Champmathieu is laudable, but doing so would be, in his thinking, an act of egotism: since the entire town has come to depend on Valjean's business and philanthropy, he would be abandoning many people who count on him if he turned himself in to satisfy his own guilt.

How old was Cosette when Fantine dies?

Young Cosette Female, 7-12. FANTINE's daughter at the age of six who has been living with the Thenardier's since the age of two. Valjean adopts her after Fantine gives Cosette to him on her deathbed.

What is Jean Valjean sick with?

Given that Jean Valjean was exerting himself at the point at which he died, it seems reasonably likely that the primary symptom of death was heart failure.

What does Valjean promise Fantine as she is dying?

At the hospital, as Fantine is dying, Valjean promises to take care of her daughter, Cosette.

Is there a happy ending in Les Misérables?

Answer and Explanation: While some characters in Les Misérables meet terrible ends, such as Cosette's mother and Marius' brothers-in-arms, the main characters receive as happy an ending as can be expected for people in their circumstances. Jean Valjean saves Marius' life, and Marius and Cosette are reunited.

How old was Fantine when she died?

What does the name Cosette mean?

Meaning:people of victory; little thing. Cosette is a feminine name of French and Greek origins that will sure to have baby reaching for success. Coming from the Greek name Nicolette, it translates to “people of victory,” and is a wonderful choice to inspire baby to strive to win.

What was Cosette famous lines?

What does the Fantine symbolize?

Fantine represents Hugo's deep compassion for human suffering, especially for women born into low estate".

What does Cosette call Jean Valjean?

He refuses to kiss her, refuses her invitation to dinner, even addresses her formally as "Madame." Cosette is puzzled and disturbed by Valjean's eccentricity, especially his insistence that he be called Monsieur Jean. She pleads with him to return to their former intimacy and scolds him affectionately.

How did Anne Hathaway lose so much weight for Les Miserables?

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Hollywood starlet Anne Hathaway credits a strict diet of dried oatmeal paste for helping her shed some 25 pounds (11 kg) for her role in the forthcoming big screen musical “Les Miserables.”

Does Jean Valjean love Fantine?

He was never in love with fantine, not according to the book. Jean valjean was simply a nice person who wanted to a help a woman who had ran out of luck.

Why did they cut her hair in Les Miserables?

At one point during "Les Mis," Fantine, an ill-fated prostitute, chops off her hair in order to get money to buy food for her child, Cosette. Hathaway joined the Tom Hooper-directed film in October 2011.

Is Jean Valjean a superhero?

One can indeed read Valjean as a superhero, and it's fun to find the pattern: as Haglund and others note, Valjean saves lives, he has a secret identity and a nemesis who wants to uncover it, and the novel describes him as having the strength of “four men.” Chris Gavaler tells me Valjean fits the model of other early ...

Who is best known for his Les Misérables?

Poet, novelist, and dramatist Victor Hugo is considered the most important of the French Romantic writers. Though regarded in France as one of that country's greatest poets, he is better known abroad for such novels as Notre-Dame de Paris (1831; The Hunchback of Notre-Dame) and Les Misérables (1862).

Who is currently playing Jean Valjean in Les Misérables?

Joining the company from 27 March 2023 will be Josh Piterman (The Phantom in The Phantom of The Opera, West Side Story, Blood Brothers) as Jean Valjean, Stewart Clarke (Mandela, Cabaret, Be More Chill) as Javert, Lucie Jones (Elphaba in Wicked, Waitress, Legally Blonde) as Fantine, Claire Machin (Mary Poppins, Girls ...

Why is Cosette important in Les Misérables?

Cosette is portrayed as an innocent, deeply good person, whose main characteristics are her love for Valjean and then for Marius. As a character, she also symbolizes one major aspect of social evil: the abandonment and misery of children.

What is the hardest Les Misérables song to sing?

“Bring Him Home” Les Misérables

Partially sung in falsetto, Alfie Boe characterizes what makes Jean Valjean's earnest prayer so breathtaking. To make things more challenging, the song is sometimes sung while sitting down. Tenderness of voice is a must!

What is the biggest song of Les Mis?

Some of the most well-known are: “I Dreamed a Dream”, “One Day More”, “On My Own”, “Bring Him Home”, “Do You Hear the People Sing?”, “Who Am I?”, “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables”, “Stars”, and “A Heart Full of Love”.

Why is Les Misérables so famous?

In fact, it's the plot that helps make it stand out from other shows. It's a big, epic, anti-capitalist piece of theatre, tackling difficult themes from abuse to poverty, redemption to revolution. But ultimately, Les Mis, for all its darkness and all its scenes and songs about human suffering, is a musical about hope.

Does Jean Valjean love Cosette?

Jean Valjean wants to make it clear that he loves cosette and that he would do anything for her. Jean Valjean's love for Cosette grew as the story progressed. The idea of love is emerged and refined throughout cosette and Jean Valjean's journey as they deal with hideouts, marriage and death.

How old is Jean Valjean at the end of Les Mis?

Answer and Explanation: In les Miserables, Jean Valjean is about forty-six years old when the novel begins. Valjean was born in 1769, and he was sentenced to nineteen years in prison for stealing bread in 1795 at the age of twenty-six. At the end of the novel, when he dies, he is sixty-four years old.