One of the worlds most iconic and longestrunning musicals, les miserables tells the story of jean valjean, a former convict who spends a lifetime seeking redemption. Charles francoisbienvenu myriel has been bishop of digne for nine years. Les miserables is the worlds longest running musical a true modern classic based on victor hugos novel and featuring one of the most memorable scores of all time. Upon his release, he finds that he is treated like an outcast everywhere he goes, until the bishop myriel helps him to create a new life for himself. The few persons who at this time were at their windows or their doors, regarded this traveller with a sort of distrust. Valjean, who has become known as mayor madeleine, forces javert to release her and takes her into his own house when he hears her story. Each chapter is relatively short, commonly no longer than a few pages. Set in postrevolutionary france, the story reaches resolution against the background of the june rebellion. Set in early 19thcentury france, les miserables is the story of jean valjean, a french peasant, and his desire for redemption after serving nineteen years in jail for having stolen a loaf of bread for his sisters starving child. This is the worldfamous story of the power struggle between jean valjean and the police inspector javert over a period of 20 years.
He is trying to run away after being convicted by the police since he stole bread to feed his sister. The urgency thats pulsating through the film is endemic of that same restless energy that ly is. Jean valjean, released on parole after 19 years on the chain gang, finds that the yellow ticketofleave he must, by law, display condemns him to be an outcast. The bishop then, in addition, gives him two silver candlesticks. What is the significance of the title les miserables. Javert pretends to ally with the students, gavroche identifies he as a spy and he is tied up, to be dealt with later. It continues the story of cosette and marius, but is more a sequel to the musical than to the original novel. He grew up in the streets and become a prison guard in the galleys in toulon when he was young, where he met the convict jean valjean, then known as 24601 or jean le cric, notorious for.
He finds fulfillment in loving his adopted daughter and helping people who are in difficult situations, even when it. It was an instant popular success and was quickly translated into several languages. Hugo now turns to another leading character, marius. Les miserables tells the fictional story of jean valjean, a man who has unjustly been condemned to nearly two decades of prison for stealing a loaf of bread to save a starving child. Amp was able to perform the original les mis in 2015, during a brief time period when it was made available to community theatres, and several of our cast and production team. The story is about a former convict named jean valjean. The book is nearly 3,000 pages long and considered an epic. Anonymous based on the novel by victor hugo, les miserables travels with prisoneronparole, 24601, jean valjean, as he runs from the ruthless inspector javert on a journey beyond the barricades, at the center of the june rebellion. The books opens by describing the life of a really upstanding dude named bishop myriel.
Les miserables synopsis broadway musical the musical takes place at the beginning of the xix century. But the officers eventually have no choice but to let him go. He is a wealthy dissolute young man who thinks of himself as a gentleman. The multiawardwinning les miserables is as groundbreaking today as it was when it first premiered in london in 1985. Because the story takes place in paris, involves the misery of the parisian underclass, and comes to a climax during a battle, many people assume that the story is set during the french revolution. Les miserables, victor hugo les miserables is a french historical novel by victor hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. The former has been published in an english translation. Les miserables is an invigorating tale of poverty and revolt.
Inspector javert is the false main antagonist from the novel les miserables by victor hugo and its musical counterpart. Valjean realizes he has given him a chance to regain his soul. Set in early 19thcentury france, the plot follows the stories of. The subtle seduction in hugos story and lest this condemnation of the ruling class in les mis be taken as an endorsement of the angry men and their revolutionary ideology, let me just say that i regard the glorification of revolutionary violence as one of the central and most subtle seductions of hugos story, and one that discerning.
Apr 12, 2020 les miserables tells its story in a brief 100 minutes, and it feels shorter than that. The sungthrough musical was originally written in french by claudemichel schonberg, alain boubil and jeanmarc natel and staged in 1980. In the englishspeaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its original french title. He is trying to run away after being convicted by the. Jean valjean is an exconvict who was imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread. The literal meaning of les miserables is the miserable ones. Jan 10, 2020 les miserables is set in the parisian suburb of montfermeil, where sections of victor hugos 1862 novel is set, though the movies connection to that earlier story reaches even deeper than that. But please, do me a big favor, in the spirit of the season. When valjean arrives at the town of digne, no one is willing to give him shelter because he is an exconvict. Published in 1862, the book referenced what were already historic events. Les miserables tells the fictional story of jean valjean, a man who has unjustly been condemned to nearly two decades of prison for stealing a. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of les miserables by victor hugo. His schemes range from robbery to fraud to murder, and he has strong ties to the criminal underworld in paris.
One day, an ex convict wanders into the bishops village and cant find any food or lodging because everyone turns him away. Gillenormand, by threatening to disinherit marius, has forced georges. Javert was born in a prison in 1780 to a fortuneteller mother and a galleyslave father. Cosette ou le temps des illusions and marius ou le fugitif. Sep 16, 2016 a brief synopsis for those who might be unfamiliar with the story. In one act of desperation he broke a window and stole a loaf of bread.
Short summary synopsis the major plot involves jean valjean who is released from prison, and through the kindness of father myriel, becomes a new man. Set against the backdrop of 19thcentury france and the aftermath of the french revolution, this timeless story of intertwined destinies reveals the power of compassion and. When the police catch him, he says it was a gift from the bishop, who goes along with the story. Les miserables story the tony awardwinning musical that first ran on broadway for 16 years is back with a fresh, young cast moving audiences to tears all over again. Everything you need to know official london theatre.
Jean valjean, after spending nineteen years in jail and in the galleys for stealing a loaf of bread and for several attempts to escape, is finally. He lived with his sister and her family in extreme poverty in france after the french revolution. The convict jean valjean is released from a french prison after serving nineteen years for stealing a loaf of bread and for subsequent attempts to escape from prison. He tries to find a meaningful life, but is followed by a police officer. He gets a new name via association with myriel and his obvious kindness and generosity to others and gradually builds a successful and prosperous life for himself with a renovation of the jetwork industry in montreuilsurmer. Les miserables school edition music theatre international. The novel is a global success story which continues to this day, with two new english translations appearing in the past decade. Feb 23, 2015 discover more about the story of les miserables futurelearn. Victor hugos les miserables is such a popular and loved book that it has been adapted into plays and movies many times, most recently in 2012. The student version of this iconic story does not water down the content nor the lyrics for our teens, so be prepared for pg content and language, as in the original. Summary of the novel set in the postnapoleonic era just after the french revolution, les miserables is the story of jean valjean, a convict, who has just been released from prison after serving. Les miserables is a french historical novel by victor hugo, first published in 1862, that is.
Its not easy to put les miserables in a nutshell, considering that its one of the longest novels ever written. The novel contains various subplots, but the main thread is the story of. Les miserables or, as it is often shortened, les mis is a novel by victor hugo, published in 1862. Les miserables character descriptions bamatabois bamatabois is the customer who taunts fantine into violence. A story filled with outrage and idealism becomes somehow merely picturesque.
Les miserables, by victor hugo, is an epic historical novel that, though titled les miserables, which translates to the miserable people, is also a story about undying love set largely against the backdrop of the june rebellion, also known as the paris uprising of 1832. Set in the postnapoleonic era just after the french revolution, les miserables is the story of jean valjean, a convict, who has just been released from prison after serving 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread. Les miserables is a novel that tells the story of jean valjeans struggles to escape his criminal past and provide for his adopted daughter, cosette. Valjean is an exconvict who leaves behind a life of hatred and deceit and makes his fortune with his innovative industrial techniques. In 2001, two french novels by francois ceresa that continue hugos story appeared.
Les miserables, or popularly referred to as les mis or les miz, is a musical based on the novel of the same name by french poet and playwright, victor hugo. In a nearby town, georges pontmercy, marius father, a hero of the napoleonic wars, lives in retirement. He is seventyfive years old and lives only with a sister baptistine, ten years younger than he, and an old servant, madame magloire, the same age as his sister. The history behind les miserables by caleb hughes, junior a musical entailing a dramatic story of love, revolutionary passion, and redemption, les miserables is commonly known and credited as one of the most beautifully composed and written musicals of all time. The world awaits in joyful expectation the coming of les miserables in a theater near you. Thenardier extorts money from whomever he can, and he frequently serves as an informant to whoever will bid the highest. A brief synopsis for those who might be unfamiliar with the story. Discover more about the story of les miserables youtube. The students, including marius, build a barricade in the street, and are told to surrender by an army officer. In modernday montfermeil, the setting of victor hugos novel, the filmmaker ladj ly stages his own impassioned cry. The sequel to les miserables was published in 1995.
Set in the parisian underworld and plotted like a detective story, the work follows the fortunes of the convict jean valjean, a victim of society who has been imprisoned for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread. Les miserables study guide contains a biography of victor hugo, literature essays, a complete etext, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Describe how each of these characters see the poor. He is drunk and in a sadistic mood and chauvinistically feels it is his right to buy anything, even fantine. The novel is a global success story which continues to this day, with two new english translations appearing in. Based on the classic novel, les miserables, by victor hugo, and the classic broadway stage show of the same name, les miserables is the story of jean valjean, a prisoner who breaks parole, and the police inspector, javert, who tries to hunt him down for breaking parole. Based on the classic novel, les miserables, by victor hugo, and the classic broadway stage show of the same name, les miserables is the story of jean valjean. Mar 11, 2019 the history behind les miserables by caleb hughes, junior a musical entailing a dramatic story of love, revolutionary passion, and redemption, les miserables is commonly known and credited as one of the most beautifully composed and written musicals of all time. Les miserables les miserables bedtime story bedtimestory. Les miserables study guide contains a biography of victor hugo, literature essays, a complete etext, quiz questions, major themes, characters. Summary plot overview the convict jean valjean is released from a french prison after serving nineteen years for stealing a loaf of bread and for subsequent attempts to escape from prison.
Click the link for more information on the show, to buy tickets and much much more. Les miserables, by victor hugo, is an epic historical novel that, though titled les miserables, which translates to the miserable people, is also a story about undying love set largely against the backdrop of the june rebellion, also known. Marius is a seventeenyearold who lives with his grandfather, m. The characters are french and the book is centered around their lives.
It is set in france and spans the course of 17 years, starting in 1815 and ending in 1832. Les miserables, novel by victor hugo, published in french in 1862. Set against the backdrop of 19thcentury france and the aftermath of the french revolution, this timeless story of intertwined destinies reveals the power of compassion and the quiet evil of indifference to human. Eponine returns, but has been shot crossing the barricade.
The title is french, translating in english to the wretched ones. Les miserables at its most basic is the story of jean valjean. Thenardier a cruel, wretched, moneyobsessed man who first appears as cosettes keeper and tormentor. He adopts the name monsieur madeleine, and becomes a successful factory owner. The story starts in 1815 in digne, as the worker jean valjean, just discharged from 19 years detainment. After 19 years of penal servitude, jean valjean is released by policeman javert.
The book begins in 1815, following napoleons defeat by the british at waterloo. The music was composed by claudemichel schonberg and the lyrics were written by alain boublil and jeanmarc natel, with an englishlanguage libretto by herbert kretzmer. He totally goes along with valjeans story and pretends that the cutlery was a gift. In fact, he picks up two silver candlesticks that valjean apparently forgot to take with him. Les miserables is like a perfectly respectable classics illustrated version of the victor hugo novel. It contains the moments of high drama, clearly outlines all the motivations, is easy to follow and lacks only passion.