The French Revolution in Literature

1. The French Revolution in Literature Katie Perko EDU-104 May 6, 2005 Professor Meinke

2. The French Revolution • Cause: The Enlightenment in Europe (1700s) which was a revolution of thought • Chain reaction of revolution around world • 1688 English Revolution • 1776 American Revolution • 1789 French Revolution

3. Ancien Regime in France • Social Order was the 1st Estate, 2nd Estate, 3rd Estate (most wealthy, powerful > poorest) • Old system in France: King is an absolute monarchy • Famine, high taxes, war • High levels of exposure to Enlightenment ideas

4. Victor Hugo • Born 1802 in France • Father was general in Napoleon’s army • Spent childhood in Spain, Italy, and Paris, France • Avid reader and writer in youth • Wrote Hunchback of Notre Dame in 1831 • Very political, elected to National Assembly in 1848

5. Victor Hugo (Continued) • Extremely liberal, opposed Napoleon • Exiled in 1851 • Writings (Fiction, Non-Fiction) were very political • Every character and situation had political meaning • Wrote Les Miserables over a 20 year span of time (published in 1862)

6. Les Miserables: Summary • Jean Valjean, the main character, is released in the beginning of the story after spending 19 year in prison. He had been in prison for stealing a loaf of bread. • In the city of Digne, he cannot find work or shelter. • He assumes a false name in the city of Montreuil-sur-mer and is loved by everyone. He eventually becomes the Mayor. • Another of the main characters, a girl named Fantine, becomes pregnant out of wedlock. Her boyfriend abandons her and her newborn daughter, Cosette. • In a small town outside of France, Fantine arranges for a family to foster Cosette so the child can have better opportunities growing up. Cosette

7. Summary (Continued) • Fantine loses her factory job when her co-workers discover the secret of Cosette. • She can no longer pay the family that shelters her daughter and resorts to prostitution. She is then arrested and put in jail. • At the same time, Jean Valjean’s identity is discovered and he is again jailed. He escapes a few years later, rescues Cosette from her foster family, and they go into hiding. • Eventually, they are welcomed at a convent where Cosette studies and Valjean gardens. • Marius Pontmercy is a rich man living as a poor man. Through his unsuspected work, he allows Valjean to be discovered by his enemy the police man, Javert.

8. Summary (Continued) • Pontmercy cannot marry Cosette, who is his true love, so he joins a group of radicals who have started a political uprising. • Javert is discovered as a spy within this group, and is set to be exectued. • During thebattle, Marius is wounded and sends a letter to Cosette, which Valjean reads. • Valjean arrives at the site and sets Javert free. They later fight and Javert must let Valjean go because Valjean had freed him. • Marius recovers and marries Cosette. But, when Marius discovers Valjean’s criminal history, he refuses to let Cosette remain in contact with Valjean. • Valjean is old and lonely on his death bed. • Marius realizes his mistake in time for a reconciliation before Valjean’s death. Valjean

9. Politically-Charged Characters • Jean Valjean -  the adopted father of Cosette. He is idealistic and innovative. Although he steals and is accused of other criminal activities, he is a good man. He leads his life in search of redemption for his “sins.” • Cosette -  An illegitimate child who is adopted daughter to Valjean. She is abused as a child in a foster family but eventually escapes. Her experiences do not make her into a bitter, mean person. She grows to be an intelligent, beautiful woman who is gentle but adventurous. • Javert -  a police inspector who sees the world in black and white. Stops at nothing to catch criminals and enforce the strict law. Captures and re-captures Valjean many times, although he cannot say whether he truly believes Valjean is a criminal. He is a symbol of the harsh laws in France that did not allow for error or ambiguity.

10. Characters (Continued) Pontmercy • Marius Pontmercy -  a wealthy son of a colonel in Napoleon’s army, and grandson of a monarchist (opposite of Napoleon). Falls in love with and marries the lower-class Cosette. He represents the changing times when class systems were losing all distinctions. • Fantine -  A small-town girl who moves to France as a young woman. She has an affair with a wealthy playboy which results in a child, Cosette. To give her daughter a chance for a better life, she leaves Cosette with a foster family and pays them to take care of her. Whenshe loses her factory job, she resorts to prostitution and is arrested. She dies in jail. Fantine is Hugo’s “everywoman” of 19th century France. She is an example of the harsh realities of life. Fantine

11. Implications of Les Miserables • Les Miserables was a watershed book • Extreme social commentary and interesting characters allowed book to become popular • Famous novel, a “classic” • Adapted into an award-winning Broadway Play

12. Works Cited • http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/lesmis/www.lesmis.de/ de/hugo.html • www.senat.fr/evenement/ archives/D24/misere.html • www.mtholyoke.edu/.../ renee/valjean.jpg • www.mtholyoke.edu/.../ h.interpretprost.html • www.cyranos.ch/ lithug-d.htm • etext.lib.virginia.edu/.../ Hug3Mis/HugMis354.jpg