-
Victor Hugo1802-1885 1802 born to a high-ranking officer in
Napoleons armyStatesman, human right campaigner, supporter of
republicanism1848 Revolution, French Second Republic, Louis
Napoleon (Napoleon III) as President 1851 Napoleon III as emperor,
Hugo in exile
-
Victor Hugo 1802-1885Worked on Les Mierable during exile1870 the
Third Republic, Hugo returned to France 1881 France celebrated
Hugos 80th birthday 1885 Hugo passed away, the country mourned
-
Accomplishment the greatest French poetNovelist, playwright,
essayistProponent for RomanticismPassion, imagination, eloquence,
plot 1831 Notre-Dame de Paris 1845 began to work on Les
Miserables1861 the publication of Les Miserable, a runaway
success
-
Introduction
-
IntroductionLes MiserablesJean ValjeanFantineCosetteJavert
-
Historical Background
-
18-19 Century FranceFrench Revolution (1789-1799): a period of
political and social changes, violent turmoil, mass executions and
repressionThe First Republic (1792-1804)The First French Empire
(1804-1814 Emperor Napoleon)The restoration of the Bourbon
Monarchy(1820)The Second Republic (1848 Revolution, Louis
Napoleon)The French Empire (1851 Napoleon III)The Third Republic
(1870)
-
Inspiration for Les MiserablesDuring the 17 years of formation,
Hugo incorporated many personal experiences into his
masterpiece.
Hugos friend, Priest Miollis A convict had just been released
from jail. When asking for an overnight stay on his trip home, he
was turned down because of his criminal past. Bishop Miollis kindly
offered him much help and care. Hugo heard of many of Miollis good
deeds.Miollis the bishopThe ex-convict Jean Valjean
-
Inspiration for Les MiserablesDuring the 17 years of formation,
Hugo incorporated many personal experiences into his
masterpiece.
One snowy day, on his way home, Hugo witnessed an event. A young
man followed a young lady stealthily. Suddenly, the man tucked a
big clump of snow into behind her neck. She turned angrily and
fought with him. The police arrested the girl and sentenced her 6
months in jail. Hugo defended the girl by telling what he saw.
Irritated by the polices cold-shoulder attitudes, Hugo identified
himself. The polices attitude changed immediately and released the
girl. The lady Fantine
-
Inspiration for Les MiserablesDuring the 17 years of formation,
Hugo incorporated many personal experiences into his
masterpiece.Hugo projected himself in the story as Marius, who also
has a father serving in military.Hugo Marius
-
Inspiration During the 17 years of formation, Hugo incorporated
many personal experiences into his masterpiece.
1848 Revolution stopped Hugos writing until 1859. During the
exile, Hugo traveled to a battle field in Brussel, where Napoleon
once fought with the British army. Hugo was so impressed with the
war that he described in details the Battle of Waterloo in part
IICOSETTE.June 30, 1869, Les Miserables was accomplished
-
2. The Characters
-
Jean Valjean An ex-convict19 years of imprisonment for stealing
food for his starving familyA changed man, a wealthy factory owner,
a mayorChased by Javert, haunted by his criminal past
"What have I done? Sweet Jesus what have I done? Become a thief
in the night, become a dog on the run!"
-
Javertan inspectorA believer of justice and lawEven when he was
captured by the revolution army and Vajean saved him, he stick to
his belief of justice and vowed to capture Vajean."The world is
inside out, the world is upside down!" "My heart is stone and still
it trembles...... the world I have know is lost in shadows."
-
FantineMother of CosetteLost her job as a factory worker and
worked as a prostitute to raise her daughter
"But the tigers come at night, with their voices soft as
thunder. As they tear you hope apart. As they turn your dreams to
shame!"
-
CosetteFantines daughter, an orphanValjean promised Fantine to
raise her as his own daugherFell in love with Marius
"How strange the feeling that my life's begun at last! This
change, can people really fall in love so fast?!"
-
The Thenardiers the innkeeper"Kidney of a horse, liver of a cat,
filling up the sasuages with this and that."
-
Marius, a student Eponine, Thenardiers daughter"Life without
Cosette means nothing at all! Will you weep Cosette, should Marius
fall? Would you weep, Cosette, for me?"
-
Gavroche, a street boy "This is my school my high society here
in the slums of St. Michele. We live on crumbs and humble piety
tough on the teeth but what the Hell!"
-
4. Themes
-
Themes/Motifs The importance of love, compassion and mercy
Social injustice in nineteenth-century France
The long-term effects of the French Revolution on French
society
The plight of the orphan
The true definition of Justice
-
3. The Musical
-
Look down, Look down
-
Jean Valjean is nothing now. Another storymust begin!
-
At the end of the Day
-
I dreamed a dream
-
Who am I?
-
There is a castleon a cloud
-
Master of the House
-
I didn't see you there, forgive me
-
One day more! At the end of the day you're another day older And
that's all you can say for the life of the poor It's a struggle.
It's a war And there's nothing that anyone's giving One more day
standing about What is it for? One day less to be living!
-
Reference http://www.lesmis.com/index.htm
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/lesmis/
http://home.kimo.com.tw/jrchyn/les/
http://www.lib.ntnu.edu.tw/Art/hugo/hugo-story.htm
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist255/bohem/tmizbook.html
http://www.answers.com/topic/les-mis-rables-musicalhttp://members.aol.com/REELMACK/LesMisClub1.html
http://www.londonnet.co.uk/ln/out/ent/theatre.html
http://www.musical-cat.com/world/index.php?lan=bg5&name=lemiz
... Fantine... Cosette... ThenardierThenardier...