Enc1101: 1632 words

Many of the greatest works of literature ever written tend to vibrate to a single chord of influence- that chord being, namely, the social issues of that particular era. Such meaning can be found to dominate novels such as Les
Miserables by Victor Hugo- whose own character reveals the truth in the phrase "whosoever will be a man, must be a nonconformist" (Emerson Self-Reliance). Les Miserables is well known for it's sociopolitical backdrop, but the setting of the French Revolution displays how much character shines through man when he is put to the test as well, making the book a masterful guide to moralistic and humanitarian issues. The social unrest caused by civil war left France devastated; people lived in poverty, the priests were corrupt, businessmen were merciless, political parties were ruthless, and honor was placed above love. Victor Hugo used the setting of Les Miserables to show that, though war is horrendous, society should never man to be inhumane to his fellowman.

In every age, in every society, there has been issued a complaint against corrupt clergy. Victor Hugo greatly acknowledges this fact, and in Les Miserables he creates a bishop who seems to be one of the most righteous men who ever lived. Through this humble character of Monseigneur Bienvenu, described as "more saintly than masculine" (The Boston Review 1), Hugo is able to criticize the greedy clergy. Hugo goes as far as having Bienvenu comment to one of the archbishops (while on a tour of the man's house): "What fine clocks! Fine carpets! Fine liveries! This must be very uncomfortable. Oh! How unwilling I should be to have all of these superfluities crying forever in my ears: 'There are people who hunger! There are people who are cold! There are poor! There are poor!'" (Hugo 40). The author later states, even more plainly: "a wealthy priest is a contradiction. He aught to keep himself near the poor. The first sign of charity in a priest, and especially a bishop, is poverty" (Hugo 41). Apparently, Hugo found the avaricious priest of his day appalling, and he used examples of extreme characters either totally corrupt or totally charitable- to display society's downfalls. "They are larger than life. Marius loves passionately, Valjean is a modern saint, Thenardier a satanic villain" (Marsland 12). Hugo stressed a point that had been expressed centuries earlier in Utopia, "What, then, is to be concluded, but that [society] first makes thieves and then punishes them?" This is shown through Jean Valjean, who was locked away in prison for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread in order to feed eight small starving children in the middle of winter. "Man is not inherently evil, he was made so by an unjust society" (Cerisola 1). The aforementioned priest gave the convict Jean Valjean more than a second chance after he was released- he showed him what a heart of true compassion and forgiveness was. Valjean never forgot Monseigneur Bienvenu's kindness, and he dedicated himself to like acts of benevolence for the rest of his life; thus demonstrating that one person can have a positive and lasting effect on people who are in a desperate situation.

However, it can also be said that only a few people can lead the road of one's life to misery. Oftentimes, misery and compromise go hand in hand- such was the case with Fantaine. Fantaine's tragedy was caused by the greed of a "businessman" by the name of Thenardier, whom Fantaine had endowed her precious Cosette to. Fantaine could not bring Cosette to town with her- she would not have been allowed to work if it was discovered that she had a child out of wedlock. The Thenardiers, "a rude and even savage people" (The Boston Review 1), took care of Cosette until Fantaine could get on her feet- and often took advantage of this opportunity, mind you- "the guilty one is not he who commits the sin but, he who causes the darkness" (The Boston Review 3). Fantaine only lived for Cosette, and when it was discovered that she had a child she was immediately fired- she did everything she could, though she was barely alive, to pay for her Cosette. The greed, and horrendous effect of greed, of the Thenardiers is best shown in the letters that they wrote: "Cosette is sick of an epidemic disease. A military fever they call it. The drugs necessary are dear. It is ruining us, and we can no longer pay for them. Unless you send us forty francs within a week the little one will die" (Hugo 154). Fantaine, having already sold one of her two most beautiful attributes- her hair- to get money for Cosette, only had one left- her teeth: "It was a sickening smile, for the corners of her mouth were stained with blood, a dark cavity revealed itself there. The two teeth were gone. She sent the forty francs to Montfermeil. And this was a ruse of the Thenardiers to get money. Cosette was not sick" (Hugo156). The grimy fingers of greed were long reaching and death showed no sympathy- Fantaine eventually lost her life and health after reverting to the oldest profession in order to pay for Cosette. "Social evils are created and fostered by existing laws and customs" (Konstantarakos 6).

Social unrest was the cause of many other misdeeds as well. The passion of war tends to sweep into young men's hearts and possess the legendary question: which is more important, love or honor? In all actuality it is a question of gender- if one is female, one invariably sides that love is greatest; but men- especially in a time of war- tend to lean toward honor "the eventual triumph of duty over passion, of freedom over nature" (Cerisola 3).Monsiur Gillenormand put the honor of his social class and political beliefs above his grandson, Marius' passion for independence: "A baron like this gentleman, and a bourgeois like myself cannot live under the same roof. Be off!" (Hugo 545). This severed a life-long love between the two and left Marius to his revolutionary passions. Then Marius made the same mistake when he placed the honor of fighting and dying for his cause above the privilege of living to love Cosette. "I die. When you read this, my soul will be near you." (Hugo 963). Richard Lovelace expressed this same feeling in a poem through the lines "I could not love thee, dear so much; loved I not honor more." (Lovelace To Lucosta) Hugo, a romantic expressed his view, that love is most important, through the actions of the main character, Jean Valjean. Valjean entered the barricade and pulled Marius- half-dead "to dominate his jealousy but to save the life of Marius" (Cerisola 2)- into a sewer at the very moment that the remainder of Marius' friends were being martyred for their cause. Honor is an excuse for death, love- a reason to live.

Still, the harshest punishment that fellow countrymen held each other to is merciless unforgiveness. This is shown through Javert's perpetual hunt for Jean Valjean "History will not reverse it's verdicts"(The Boston Review 5). After prison, Jean Valjean broke parole- a minor offense that, according to law, was payable upon death. This is regardless of the fact that Jean Valjean had found God, saved lives, set up a utopia out of a poverty- stricken town, prevented hundreds of people from dying, reared the bastard child of a prostitute, and freed Javert- keeping him from being shot by revolutionaries. Yet, Javert still hunted, and found, Jean Valjean "Vengeance is his proper name and function" (The Boston Review 4). Jean Valjean's reaction to what Javert considered "justice" was in his baffeling: " 'Inspector Javert,' said he, 'you have got me. Besides, since this morning, I have considered myself your prisoner. I did not give you my address to try to escape you. Take me!" (Hugo 1095) Also, foolish Marius had prevented his wife, Cosette, from seeing Jean Valjean, under the excuse of several misconceptions. This action broke Valjean's heart and drove him to his deathbed. Marius was under the impression that Valjean was: "a robber, because he robbed a rich manufacturer, M. Madeline, whose ruin he caused. An assassin, because he assassinated the police officer Javert," (Hugo 1207) The truth was that Jean Valjean was M. Madeline and Javert had committed suicide. Marius' ignorance and stubborn unforgiveness had drastic effects- Marius only discovered the truth with time enough to bring Cosette to visit Valjean mere seconds before his death "Healing the gash does not obliterate its mark" (The Boston Review 2). Jean Valjean was buried in an unmarked grave- forgotten by the world.

Hugo's well knit tapestry-of-a-tale tells of a virtuous convict, a prostitute with good intentions, and a relentless police office. It shows how one can "see the splinter in other's eyes, and miss the plank in their own eyes" and how no one has a right to judge another without being in their situation. "It is a chronicle of misery, every day ploughing its furrows through society to sow new harvests of sorrows"(The Boston Review 6). The determined hunt for justice, and true achievement of such is a story that turned heads, softened hearts, and challenged views. Hugo's words shined with a light of revolutionary vision when he prefaced his book with the lines: "So long as there shall exist, by reason of law and custom, a social condemnation, which in the face of civilization, artificially creates hells on earth. So long as ignorance and misery remained on earth, books like this cannot be useless." (Hugo 11) Victor Hugo creatively used the characters of Les Miserables as a forum to express his view: that man should not treat each other inhumane.