Les Misérables facts for kids
Jean Valjean, under the alias Monsieur Madeleine, illustration by Gustave Brion
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| Author | Victor Hugo |
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| Translator | Charles Wilbour |
| Illustrator | Emile Bayard |
| Country | First published in Belgium, when author was in self-imposed exile in Guernsey |
| Language | French |
| Genre | Epic novel, historical fiction, tragedy |
| Publisher | A. Lacroix, Verboeckhoven & Cie. |
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Publication date
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31 March 1862 |
| Pages | 1,462 |
Les Misérables is a famous French historical novel written by Victor Hugo. It was first published on March 31, 1862. Many people consider it one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. The story has become very popular through many different versions, including movies, TV shows, and a well-known musical.
In English-speaking countries, the book is usually called by its original French title, Les Misérables. This title can mean "The Miserable Ones," "The Wretched," or "The Poor Ones." The story begins in 1815 and ends with a student uprising in Paris in 1832, known as the June Rebellion. It follows the lives of several characters, especially an ex-convict named Jean Valjean and his journey to find goodness and a new life.
The novel explores important ideas about fairness and kindness. It also shares details about the history of France, the design of Paris, politics, and different kinds of love within families and between people.
Contents
About the Story
How Victor Hugo Got His Ideas
Victor Hugo found inspiration for Les Misérables from real-life events. In 1829, he saw a man being taken away by a police officer for stealing a loaf of bread. This incident helped create the character of Jean Valjean. Nearby, a mother and daughter watched, inspiring the characters of Fantine and Cosette. Hugo imagined what their lives would be like.
Valjean's character was also partly based on a real ex-convict named Eugène François Vidocq. Vidocq later became a police chief and even started France's first private detective agency. He was also known for his kindness and charity.
Hugo visited the Bagne of Toulon (a prison) in 1839 and took many notes. He also witnessed the arrest of a bread thief in 1846. He walked the streets of Paris during the 1832 uprising, seeing the barricades and even taking shelter from gunfire. He used all these experiences to make his story feel real.
Hugo also gathered information about working-class people's lives and visited historical places like Waterloo. He even included personal details, like the date of Marius and Cosette's wedding night, which was a special date for Hugo and his lifelong friend, Juliette Drouet.
What Makes This Novel Special
The novel is considered one of the world's greatest. Victor Hugo explained his goal for Les Misérables in its introduction:
As long as there are unfair laws and customs that create suffering on Earth, and make life harder for people; as long as the big problems of our time—people struggling with poverty, women facing extreme hardship, and children growing up in difficult conditions—are not solved; as long as people face social challenges; in other words, as long as ignorance and sadness exist, books like this one will always be important.
Hugo also described the story's overall journey:
The book you are reading right now is, from beginning to end... a journey from bad to good, from unfairness to justice, from lies to truth, from darkness to light, from selfish desires to a good conscience, from corruption to life; from animal-like behavior to doing what is right, from a difficult life to a hopeful one, from nothingness to understanding God. It starts with everyday life and ends with the human spirit.
Hugo's Message to the World
Hugo wanted his novel to be read by everyone, everywhere. He believed that social problems like poverty and suffering affect people across all countries. He wrote that wherever people face hardship, Les Misérables is there to remind us of these challenges.
A Story with Many Parts
The novel has many smaller stories, but the main one follows Jean Valjean. He tries to do good in the world but cannot escape his past as a former prisoner. The book is divided into five main parts, with many smaller chapters, totaling 48 books and 365 chapters. Each chapter is usually short, just a few pages long.
The original French version of the novel is very long, with over 650,000 words. Hugo sometimes included long essays in the book that don't directly move the plot forward. These essays share his thoughts on topics like convents, the Paris sewers, and the lives of street urchins. He even dedicated a large section to the Battle of Waterloo, which he saw as a turning point in history.
Main Characters
- Jean Valjean – The main hero of the story. He was sent to prison for five years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister's hungry children. After several escape attempts, he spent 19 years in prison. When he is released, society rejects him. He meets Bishop Myriel, who shows him kindness and inspires him to change his life. Valjean takes on a new identity, Monsieur Madeleine, and becomes a successful factory owner and mayor. He saves Fantine and later rescues Cosette from the Thénardiers. He keeps his promise to the bishop and Fantine, living a life of goodness.
- Javert – A strict police inspector who believes strongly in the law. He was born in a prison. Javert becomes obsessed with catching Valjean, whom he knew from prison. He constantly pursues Valjean, believing that once a criminal, always a criminal. Javert faces a difficult choice between his duty and his conscience, leading to a tragic end.
- Fantine – A young woman who moves to Paris. She has a daughter, Cosette, but her lover abandons them. Fantine leaves Cosette with the Thénardiers, who are dishonest innkeepers. To earn money for Cosette, Fantine loses her job, sells her hair and two front teeth, and takes on desperate work. She becomes very ill. Valjean tries to help her, but she dies from shock and illness.
- Cosette – Fantine's daughter. From a young age, she is treated poorly and made to work hard by the Thénardiers. After her mother dies, Valjean rescues her and raises her as his own daughter. She grows up in a convent school and becomes a beautiful young woman. She falls in love with Marius Pontmercy and marries him.
- Marius Pontmercy – A young law student who is part of a revolutionary student group called the Friends of the ABC. He has strong political beliefs that differ from his traditional grandfather. Marius falls deeply in love with Cosette. He fights bravely during the student uprising.
- Éponine – The Thénardiers' older daughter. As a child, she is spoiled, but later becomes a poor street kid. She gets involved in her father's dishonest plans. Éponine is secretly in love with Marius. She helps him find Cosette but also tries to keep them apart. She makes a great sacrifice for Marius during the uprising.
- Monsieur Thénardier and Madame Thénardier – A dishonest husband and wife who run an inn. They have five children, including Éponine and Gavroche. They treat Cosette very badly and constantly demand money from Fantine. After their inn fails, they move to Paris and continue their criminal activities. Madame Thénardier dies in prison. Monsieur Thénardier tries to trick Marius but eventually moves to America and continues his dishonest ways.
- Gavroche – The Thénardiers' middle child and oldest son. He lives on his own as a brave and clever street kid, often sleeping inside an old elephant statue. He helps the students during the uprising and shows great courage.
- Bishop Myriel – The kind and generous Bishop of Digne. He offers shelter to Valjean when everyone else turns him away. Even after Valjean steals from him, the Bishop shows him mercy and inspires Valjean to change his life for the better.
The Friends of the ABC: Young Revolutionaries
This is a group of revolutionary students who want to make France a better place. In French, "ABC" sounds like "abaissés," meaning "the abased" or "the downtrodden," showing their concern for the poor.
- Enjolras – The determined and inspiring leader of the Friends of the ABC. He is passionate about making society fair and just.
- Courfeyrac – A friendly and honorable law student, and Marius's closest friend in the group.
- Grantaire – A student who often drinks and is pessimistic, but he deeply admires Enjolras and eventually stands with his friends.
- Combeferre – A medical student who represents the thoughtful and philosophical side of the revolution.
- Feuilly – An orphan who taught himself to read and write. He is the only member of the Friends who is not a student.
- Joly – A medical student with unique ideas about health, known for being the happiest of the group.
- Lesgle – The oldest member of the group, known for being unlucky. He introduces Marius to the Friends.
- Bahorel – A stylish and carefree student, well-known in Paris cafés.
- Jean Prouvaire – A romantic student interested in languages and history.
The Story Unfolds
Part 1: Fantine's Struggles
In 1815, Jean Valjean is released from prison after 19 years. He was jailed for stealing bread and for trying to escape. Because his yellow passport marks him as a former prisoner, no one will give him a place to stay. He feels angry and bitter.
The kind Bishop Myriel of Digne offers Valjean shelter. During the night, Valjean steals the Bishop's silverware and runs away. When the police catch Valjean, the Bishop pretends he gave Valjean the silver and even adds two silver candlesticks, telling Valjean to use them to become an honest man. Valjean is deeply moved by the Bishop's mercy.
Valjean struggles with the Bishop's words. Out of old habit, he steals a coin from a young boy, Petit Gervais. He immediately regrets it and searches for the boy, but it's too late. His theft is reported, and if caught, he would return to prison for life.
Six years later, Valjean has changed his name to Monsieur Madeleine. He becomes a wealthy factory owner and the mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer. One day, he saves a man named Fauchelevent from being crushed under a cart, showing incredible strength. The local police inspector, Javert, who remembers Valjean from prison, becomes suspicious.
Meanwhile, a young woman named Fantine falls in love with Félix Tholomyès, but he abandons her and their daughter, Cosette. Fantine leaves Cosette with the dishonest Thénardiers, who run an inn in Montfermeil. The Thénardiers treat Cosette poorly and make her work hard, while demanding more and more money from Fantine.
Fantine loses her job at Valjean's factory because she is an unwed mother. Desperate to pay the Thénardiers, she sells her hair and two front teeth, and takes on desperate work to earn money. She becomes very ill. Javert arrests Fantine after she defends herself against a man who harasses her. Valjean, as Mayor Madeleine, intervenes and orders Javert to release her. He feels responsible for her troubles and promises to bring Cosette to her.
Javert later tells Valjean that he reported him as the escaped convict Jean Valjean. However, another man, Champmathieu, has been arrested by mistake. Valjean decides to reveal his true identity to save the innocent Champmathieu. He goes to the trial and confesses. Valjean returns to Fantine, who is in the hospital. Javert confronts him there, revealing Valjean's true identity to Fantine. Fantine, weakened by her illness, dies from shock when she realizes Cosette is not there. Valjean leaves with Javert, and Fantine's body is laid to rest in a simple grave.
Part 2: Cosette's Childhood
Valjean escapes from prison again. He is recaptured and sentenced to life in prison. During his imprisonment, he bravely saves a sailor. Valjean then fakes his death by falling into the ocean, and the authorities believe he is gone.
On Christmas Eve, Valjean arrives in Montfermeil. He finds Cosette fetching water alone in the woods. He walks with her to the Thénardiers' inn and sees how they treat her badly while spoiling their own daughters, Éponine and Azelma. Valjean gives Cosette a beautiful new doll, which makes the Thénardiers' daughters jealous.
The next morning, Valjean pays the Thénardiers a large sum of money to take Cosette with him. The Thénardiers, always trying to get more money, try to stop them, but Valjean shows them Fantine's letter, proving his right to take Cosette.
Valjean and Cosette flee to Paris and live happily for a few months. However, Javert soon discovers their location. Valjean and Cosette escape again and find refuge in the Petit-Picpus convent, with help from Fauchelevent, a man Valjean once saved. Valjean becomes a gardener there, and Cosette attends the convent school.
Part 3: Marius and the Revolution
Eight years later, a group of revolutionary students called the Friends of the ABC, led by Enjolras, are preparing for a protest in Paris in June 1832. This uprising follows the death of General Lamarque, a popular leader who sympathized with the working class. The students are joined by poor people from Paris, including Gavroche, the Thénardiers' eldest son.
One of the students, Marius Pontmercy, has grown apart from his family because of his strong political beliefs. After his father, Colonel Georges Pontmercy, dies, Marius learns that his father believed he owed a debt to a sergeant named Thénardier, who supposedly saved his life at Waterloo. In truth, Thénardier was looting the battlefield and only accidentally helped Marius's father.
Marius falls in love with the now grown and beautiful Cosette, whom he sees in the Luxembourg Garden. The Thénardiers, now living in poverty in Paris under the name Jondrette, happen to live next door to Marius in the Gorbeau House.
Éponine, now a poor teenager, visits Marius to beg for money. She is secretly in love with him. Marius gives her some money. He then observes the "Jondrettes" (the Thénardiers) through a crack in the wall. Éponine announces that a kind man and his daughter are coming to visit. To appear even poorer, Thénardier breaks things in their apartment and causes a small injury to Azelma.
The kind man and his daughter are actually Valjean and Cosette. Marius immediately recognizes Cosette. After they leave, Marius asks Éponine to find Cosette's address for him. The Thénardiers also recognize Valjean and Cosette and plan their revenge. Thénardier gets help from Patron-Minette, a group known for their illegal activities.
Marius overhears Thénardier's plan and reports it to Javert. Javert gives Marius two pistols and tells him to fire one if he needs help. When Valjean returns with money for the Thénardiers, they ambush him. Marius is torn because he recognizes Thénardier as the man who supposedly saved his father.
Valjean denies knowing Thénardier. He tries to escape but is tied up. Thénardier demands a huge sum of money and forces Valjean to write a letter to Cosette, asking her to return. When Madame Thénardier goes to get Cosette, she finds the address is fake. Valjean manages to free himself. Thénardier plans to harm Valjean. Marius throws a note into the apartment, warning them that the police are coming. Javert arrives and arrests the Thénardiers and Patron-Minette. Valjean escapes before Javert sees him.
Part 4: Love and Danger
After Éponine is released from prison, she finds Marius and sadly tells him she found Cosette's address. She leads him to Valjean and Cosette's house on Rue Plumet. Marius watches the house for days, and eventually, he and Cosette meet and fall in love. Meanwhile, Thénardier, Patron-Minette, and Brujon escape from prison with help from Gavroche. One night, they try to break into Valjean and Cosette's house, but Éponine, who is watching, scares them away. Cosette tells Marius that she and Valjean are moving to England soon, which upsets Marius.
The next day, Valjean receives an anonymous note telling him to move out. He takes Cosette to another house in Paris and confirms they will move to England. Marius asks his grandfather for permission to marry Cosette. His grandfather, M. Gillenormand, is very traditional and refuses, suggesting a different, less formal arrangement that Marius finds insulting. Marius leaves in anger.
The students revolt the next day, building barricades in the streets of Paris. Gavroche spots Javert and reveals he is a spy. Enjolras and the students tie Javert up. Later, Marius returns to Cosette's empty house. A voice tells him his friends are waiting at the barricade. Heartbroken that Cosette is gone, he goes to join the uprising.
At the barricade, Marius is almost shot by a soldier, but a person covers the gun's muzzle, taking the fatal shot instead. Marius climbs the barricade, threatening to blow it up with a powder keg, which makes the soldiers retreat. Marius discovers that the person who saved him was Éponine, dressed as a boy. As she dies, she confesses her love for him and that she wanted to die before him. She also gives him a letter from Cosette. Marius kisses her forehead as she requested.
Marius reads Cosette's letter and learns where she is. He writes a farewell letter to her and sends Gavroche to deliver it. Gavroche leaves the letter with Valjean. Valjean, realizing Cosette's love is fighting, puts on a National Guard uniform and leaves his home.
Part 5: Valjean's Final Act
Valjean arrives at the barricade and immediately saves a man's life. He is unsure if he wants to protect Marius or let him die. Gavroche is shot dead while bravely collecting ammunition from fallen soldiers.
Valjean volunteers to execute Javert, but instead, he lets Javert go, firing his gun into the air. Marius mistakenly believes Valjean killed Javert. As the barricade falls, Valjean carries the injured and unconscious Marius through the sewers. He avoids police patrols and reaches a locked exit. Thénardier appears, not recognizing Valjean. Thinking Valjean is a murderer with a body, Thénardier offers to open the gate for money. He secretly tears off a piece of Marius's coat to identify him later. Thénardier takes the money and opens the gate.
Outside, Valjean meets Javert. Valjean asks for time to take Marius home before surrendering. Javert surprisingly agrees. After leaving Marius at his grandfather's house, Valjean asks for a brief visit to his own home. Javert agrees but then disappears. Javert walks away, caught between his strict belief in the law and the mercy Valjean showed him. Unable to resolve this inner conflict, Javert's internal struggle becomes too much, leading to a tragic end.
Marius slowly recovers. As he and Cosette prepare for their wedding, Valjean gives them a large fortune. During their wedding celebration, Thénardier spots Valjean and has Azelma follow him. After the wedding, Valjean confesses to Marius that he is an ex-convict. Marius is horrified and tries to limit Valjean's time with Cosette. Valjean accepts this separation and loses his will to live.
Thénardier, in disguise, approaches Marius to blackmail him. However, in doing so, he accidentally reveals all the good Valjean has done. He tries to convince Marius that Valjean is a bad person and shows the piece of coat he tore off as proof. Marius recognizes it as his own coat and realizes Valjean saved him from the barricade. Marius pays Thénardier to leave France forever. Thénardier and Azelma travel to America, where he continues his dishonest ways.
Marius rushes to Valjean's house with Cosette, telling her that Valjean saved his life. They find Valjean near death and reconcile with him. Valjean tells Cosette her mother's story and name. He dies peacefully and is buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery.
English Translations
Many talented people have translated Les Misérables into English over the years, making it accessible to readers around the world.
- Charles E. Wilbour created the first English translation in 1862.
- Frederic Charles Lascelles Wraxall published the first British translation in 1862.
- An anonymous translator, "A.F.," published a version in 1863, which aimed to correct errors and omitted some passages.
- Isabel Florence Hapgood's translation was published in 1887 and is available online.
- Norman Denny's modern British translation came out in 1976.
- Lee Fahnestock and Norman McAfee published an updated version of the Wilbour translation in 1987.
- Julie Rose provided a new translation in 2007, including a detailed look at Victor Hugo's life.
- Christine Donougher's new translation was released in 2013, also with biographical details and notes.
Adaptations
Since it was first published, Les Misérables has been turned into many different forms of entertainment. You can find it as books, movies, musicals, plays, and even games!
Some well-known adaptations include:
- The 1934 French film, a long version directed by Raymond Bernard.
- The 1935 American film, which was nominated for several Academy Awards.
- A 1937 radio show created by Orson Welles.
- The 1958 French film, often called "the most memorable film version."
- The famous 1980 musical by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg.
- The 2012 film version of the musical, starring Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway.
- A 2018 British TV series by Andrew Davies.
Sequels
Some authors have written their own stories that continue Hugo's tale:
- Laura Kalpakian's Cosette: The Sequel to Les Misérables (1995) continues the story of Cosette and Marius, often inspired by the musical.
- In 2001, French author François Cérésa wrote two novels, Cosette ou le temps des illusions and Marius ou le fugitif, which imagine what happens next. In these stories, Javert survives and becomes religious, Thénardier returns from America, and Marius faces new challenges.
See also
In Spanish: Los miserables para niños
- Fex urbis lex orbis
- Jean Val Jean, an abridged English version (1935)
