Hugo’s abridged Les Miserables

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Hugo’s Abridged Les Miserables
‘Les Miserable’ is based on a prisoner known as Jean Valjean as he escapes from an inspector named Javert. Valjean was sentenced to nineteen years for stealing loaf bread. Val jean experienced the barricades during the June Rebellion. Hugo reveals the plight of the French people in the 19th century (Vargas 2007).
Hugo condemns the social injustices affecting France in the 19th century. The underlying claim that Hugo is advancing is that class –based structure of France transforms the right people in the society into hardcore criminals and beggars. In particular, Hugo identifies education, the plight of woman and crimes as the key areas which needs to be addressed. There is sufficient and convincing information from the characters to support the claim. Firstly, Fantine represents good and productive women in the society, but they are impoverished and driven to the point of desperation by the inhuman society (Vargas 2007). The reputation of Fantine is eroded when she was abandoned by her lover by the name Tholomyès. Moreover, the life of Fantine comes to despair in that she gave birth to an illegitimate baby. The struggle for Fantine to hide the circumstances is hindered by the fact that she lacks education. Despite the ordeals that Fantine has, she is losing her job from the factory. The reason behind the firing from the factory is that she involved herself too much in immorality.As a result, Fantine opts for prostitution.

In Fantine scenario, Hugo reveals the hypocritical society which does not treasure education on women by encouraging immoral acts of men such as Tholomyès. Secondly, Hugo uses Valjean to reveal how the law enforcement in France is rotten. Hugo shows how a thief in a society can transform into a hardcore criminal by the ineffective justice system. Valjean’s mistreatment in the chain which lasted for nineteen years turns him to a hardcore criminal. On the contrary, the kindness offered by Myriel almost changed the life of Valjean in one night (Hugo 1862). Additionally, Hugo reveals the rotten justice system by the way in which the police handles the issue of Patron-Minette which was a crime ring. Patron-Minette is sentenced for a short period in prisons which are easy to escape despite the fact that they are murderers. Hugo brings into sight unfairness in the French society in that the worst criminals receive petty punishment while the criminals who are convicted of petty crimes are punished severely (Vargas 2007).
Hugo brings into brings into remembrance the impact of French Revolution in France. He attempts to find the root of the social effects of revolutions, insurrections, and executions which took place in France between 18th and 19th century. Hugo portrays the life uncertainties in the current life by giving the rise and fall of Napoleon. Moreover, fall of Bourbon monarchy reveals how the political instability triggered instability in life. Despite the fact that Hugo sympathizes mostly with the republican movements as compared to monarchy he raises a lot of criticism on French Revolution. The reason behind the criticism is that the regime failed in removing the rigid class system and their ineffectiveness in handling social injustices, (Victor 1984). Hugo, for instance, defines the Battle of Waterloo in bitterness but he, however, he reminds the people that some people such as grave robbers will still exist in the society. Along a similar line, the battle which took place at the barricade proved too heroic as well as futile. Notably, the insurgents were killed having achieved nothing but few soldiers lose their life in the event. Hugo campaigns for a moral revolution in which the former system which was marred by greed and corruption are reinstituted with systems which have more compassion on the people (Hugo 1862). Napoleon and the students almost come to adopting the right values of compassion, but the values cannot be attained through violence .on the contrary, Hugo indicates that Napoléon and the students can just collapse with ease in the same manner monarchy collapsed, (Victor 1984).
Hugo develops the revelation of the benefits of love and compassion in the society. Hugo emphasizes on the virtue of love by the life of Valjean which was transformed from a hardcore criminal to an honorable philanthropist. Valjean improved his life regarding love by loving others. The effects of Valjean to fight for other people are hindered by several problems, but the unfavorable circumstances become source of joy to his life .The love that Valjean shows to Cosette gives him strength in desperate periods. Hugo shows demonstrates that loving someone even in difficulty is not a thankless act. In particular, Valjean and Fauchelevent prove that love produces love while compassion produces compassion. Precisely, Valjean rescues Fauchelevent in front of the people, and Valjean reaps the fruits of his love when Fauchelevent gives him refuge in the course of Petit-Picpus. The virtue of love is transmitted from one person to another in the novel. Myriel changed the life of Valjean through trust and compassion, and Valjean latter showed compassion to Cosette. Valjean rescued Cosette from the snares of Thénardiers. Cosette demonstrated a lot of love by marrying Marius, and their love led to the forgiving of Val jean’s criminal past (Hugo 1862).
The author used the characters to explain the circumstances faced in France during the French revolution. Hugo reveals the plight of the French people in the 19th century, (Victor 1984).
Reference
Bromberg, Victor. Victor Hugo and the visionary novel. Harvard University Press, 1984.
Hugo, Victor. “Les Miserables (Abridged).” (1862).
Llosa, Mario Vargas. The Temptation of the Impossible: Victor Hugo and” Les Miserables.” Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007.