Summary of les miserable les miserable is a story about valjean, a man who was sent to prison for stealing a loaf of bread. Valjeans selflessness is overwhelming and extends virtue to even the reader. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis. Check out our revolutionary sidebyside summary and analysis. Beginning in 1815 and culminating in the 1832 june rebellion in paris, the novel follows the lives and interactions of several characters, particularly the struggles of exconvict jean valjean and his experience of redemption. 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. Only the saintly bishop, monseigneur myriel, welcomes him. 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. The best study guide to les miserables on the planet, from the creators of sparknotes. However, several alternatives have been used, including the miserables.
When victor hugos novel les miserables first came out in 1862, people in paris and elsewhere lined up to buy it although critics were less receptive, the novel was an instant popular success. When the police catch him, he says it was a gift from the bishop, who goes along with the story. This is our monkeynotes downloadable and printable book summarybooknotessynopsis for les miserables by victor hugo in pdf format. Page 63 he was an officiating priest and a man of war. Les miserables is a novel by victor hugo that was first published in 1862. An adventure story for children, the adventures of tom sawyer is a funfilled book that shows life along the mississippi river in the 1840s. His struggles to adhere to the truth and to restorekeep his honor continue to push him down. The title is french, translating in english to the wretched ones. Free online study guide summary for les miserables by victor hugo book notes chapter summary synopsis booknotes study guide analysis online notes. Victor hugo, les miserables quotes with page number, page 83. On another level, it is a drama of crime, punishment and rehabilitation set against a panoramic description of french society after napoleon. Les miserables synopsis broadway musical the musical takes place at the beginning of the xix century. Through one very strong relationship with a child is he able to find worth in life.
Its not easy to put les miserables in a nutshell, considering that its one of the longest novels ever written. Les miserables cliffsnotes study guides book summaries. Les miserables or, as it is often shortened, les mis is a novel by victor hugo, published in 1862. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary. It was an instant popular success and was quickly translated into several languages. The plot fails with the timely arrival of the inspector.
The descent fantine, books sixeight cosette, books onetwo cosette, book three. Javert decides to put another patronminette man, brujon, among other men rather than alone in prison, so that he might spill secrets. Written by mark twain, the book shows masterfullydone sati more. Victor hugo, les miserables quotes with page number laughter is sunshine, it chases winter from the human face. The bishops background destined him to a worldly career. If a writer wrote merely for his time, i would have to break my pen and throw it away, the largerthanlife victor hugo once confessed. At digne, he is repeatedly refused shelter for the night. Les miserables summary jean valjean is an exconvict who was imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread. It is set in france and spans the course of 17 years, starting in 1815 and ending in 1832. Reflection on les miserables les miserables, which means the miserables ones in english, is a musical portrayal of the french revolution. Montparnasse and claquesous had managed to escape as well.
His eyes were deep, his lids a little red, his lower lip was thick and easily became disdainful, his brow was lofty. Les miserables by victor hugo meet your next favorite book. Les miserables study guide literature guide litcharts. Chapter summary for victor hugos les miserables, part 3 book 8 summary. A great deal of brow in a face is like a great deal of horizon in a view. Told in omniscient, thirdperson narration, les miserables begins in 1815 in the small, obscure town of digne. 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 released, but. Section 3 marius book eight the noxious poor both summer and autumn pass and monsieur leblanc and the young girl fail to return to the park. The book begins in 1815, following napoleons defeat by the british at waterloo. But during the french revolution, he was forced to emigrate to italy, and his wife died before having children. Synopsis this version is a close adaptation of the broadway stage musical with the dialogue entirely in song in 1815 france, convict jean valjean hugh jackman is released on parole by prison guard javert russell crowe after serving a 19year sentence for stealing a loaf of bread as well as repeated escape attempts. The story opens in 1815 with a detailed description of monsieur myriel, a widower become priest, along with his sister mademoiselle baptistine and their housekeeper, madame magloire.
The book begins in 1815, following napoleons defeat by the. 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. Our exclusive literature summaries monkeynotes and. The episcopal palace was a huge and beautiful house, built of stone at the beginning of the last century by m. Les miserables is the lifestory of jean valjean, a rehabilitated criminal. Soon, he finds out that brujon has been managing to send messages to several parisian addresses, probably. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. 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. When no one is willing to allow a convict to stay the night, bishop myriel kindly welcomes him into his home. June 5, 1832 paris is in the throes of a cholera epidemic, and the climate is so unstable that the slightest spark threatens to set off an insurrection.
However, myriel, a priest helped him live a new life and valjean, under a new name, had become successful. Les miserables is a novel that tells the story of jean valjean s struggles to escape his criminal past and provide for his adopted daughter, cosette. He adopts the name monsieur madeleine, and becomes a successful factory owner. 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. Fulfillment of the promise made to the departed cosette, books fourfive cosette, books sixeight marius. The book is nearly 3,000 pages long and considered an epic. Free online study guide summary for les miserables by victor hugobook notes chapter summary synopsis booknotes study guide analysis online notes. Buy les miserables classics by hugo, victor, denny, norman, denny, norman, denny, norman from amazons fiction books store. There are four main characters acknowledge the adversities they have faced. Les miserables is a french historical novel by victor hugo, first published in 1862, that is. Shop for les miserables book hardcover online at target.
It focuses on jean valjean, a former prisoner who tries to rebuild his life, and goes on to tell the stories of cosette, fantine. Download our free epub, pdf or mobi ebooks to read on almost any device your desktop, iphone, ipad, android phone or tablet, amazon kindle and more. Free chapter notes book summary chapter summaries with notes analysis fantine book first. The story starts in 1815 in digne, as the worker jean valjean, just discharged from 19 years detainment. Victor hugo, les miserables quotes to love or have loved, that is enough. Les miserables popular novel study guides and summaries. Find a summary of this and each chapter of les miserables. See a complete list of the characters in les miserables and indepth analyses of jean valjean, cosette, javert, marius pontmercy, and fantine. The characters are french and the book is centered around their lives. 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. 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. One day, an ex convict wanders into the bishops village and cant find any food or lodging because everyone turns him away. However, several alternatives have been used, including the miserables, the wretched, the miserable ones, the poor ones, the wretched poor, the victims and the dispossessed.
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. Les miserables by victor hugo monkeynotes summarystudy. Les miserables full performancerecording 20 school edition duration. It provides a thorough exploration of the novels plot and main themes, as well as a valuable introduction to the historical context of the book. Chapter 2 javert is still convinced that the prisoner who escaped was the most valuable. He was paroled and released from prison after 20 years, but society discriminates him from work, shelter, and food because he is an exconvict. Welcome the episcopal palace of d adjoins the hospital. After several months of drifting around france, valjean is offered food. On one level les miserables is a detective story in which the relentless inspector javert obsessively pursues the escaped convict jean valjean.
However, several alternatives have been used, including the miserables, the wretched, the miserable ones, the poor. Charles francoisbienvenu myriel has been bishop of digne for nine years. Free study guide for les miserables by victor hugo. Sparknotes is here for you with everything you need to ace or teach. Indeed, this 19thcentury french authors books from the epic drama les miserables to the classic unrequited love story the hunchback of notre dame have spanned the ages, their themes of morality and redemption as applicable to our times as to his. After 19 years of penal servitude, jean valjean is released by policeman javert. The spark finally comes on june 5, 1832, during the funeral procession of general lamarque, a popular defender of liberty and the people. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of les miserables by victor hugo. A stout and hardy traveler in his late 40s passing through digne attempts to find food and shelter after visiting the. Jean valjean, a man arrested for stealing bread nineteen years earlier, is released on account of mrs. Find summaries for every chapter, including a les miserables chapter summary chart to help you understand the book.
In the englishspeaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its original french title. Like this is our monkeynotes downloadable and printable book summarybooknotessynopsis for les miserables by victor hugo in pdf format. 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. 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. The musical is an epic tale and portrayal of the spirit of the very poor, people who have suffered throughout their lives. 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 books opens by describing the life of a really upstanding dude named bishop myriel. Les miserables, novel by victor hugo, published in french in 1862. Les miserables is a novel in five volumes and is about how people in the lower.
When valjean arrives at the town of digne, no one is willing to give him shelter because he is an exconvict. Les miserables quiz that tests what you know about important details and events in the book. The literal meaning of les miserables is the miserable ones. Les miserables study guide contains a biography of victor hugo, literature essays, a complete etext, quiz questions, major themes, characters. There is no other pearl to be found in the dark folds of life. Monkeynotes study guides download storedownloadable study guidesbook summary,book notes,notes,chapter summarysynopsis. He was the son of a man of parliament, and he spent his younger years devoted to worldly affairs. Les miserables quotes with page number study guides and.
939 1010 726 988 845 1024 492 250 1003 361 1049 863 830 1085 584 355 455 1158 1400 87 489 510 378 987 640 59 192 144 1538 930 163 80 295 1003 360 134 190 572 139 1172 926