Les Misérables (novel)/Characters

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Characters from Les Misérables (novel) include:

Main Characters

Jean Valjean

The lead character, a convict who spent nineteen years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread. After getting his parole ticket, Valjean steals two candlesticks from the Bishop of Digne but is allowed to take them with the promise he uses them to make something of his life. Several years on, Valjean becomes the guardian of young Cosette after making a promise to her mother Fantine.

Tropes exhibited by this character include:

Inspector Javert

Inspector Javert is head of the prison Jean Valjean is released from, and makes it his goal in life to track Valjean down after he breaks his parole and bring him to justice.

Tropes exhibited by this character include:

Fantine

A single mother, Fantine suffers through life trying to earn money to send to her daughter Cosette, under the care of the Thenardiers. After losing her job, beauty and her dignity, Fantine dies in a hospital - but not before Jean Valjean appears with the promise to find and care for Cosette until his death.

Tropes exhibited by this character include:

Cosette

The poster girl of the book and musical, Cosette is the daughter of Fantine, left in the "care" of the Thénardiers. Becoming their abused cleaner, Cosette manages to keep an optimistic outlook on life and is eventually adopted by Jean Valjean as her mother's final request. She grows into a lovely woman and falls in love with Marius.

Tropes exhibited by this character include:

Marius Pontmercy

A charming young bachelor, Marius falls in love with Cosette, leading to Love Triangle between the two and Éponine, who is very much his friend and confidante (whether he wants her to be or not). He is a member of the Friends of the ABC and fights in the revolution against the French law.

Tropes exhibited by this character include:
  • Adorkable
  • Author Stand In: Hugo Victor revealed Marius is a portrait of how he was as a youngster.
  • Break the Cutie: When all his friends die.
  • Emo Teen: Somewhat.
  • Heroic BSOD: When he learns he is the only survivor of the barricade fight.
  • Lonely Rich Kid: Losing his father and isolating himself from his strict, but well-meaning grandfather turns him into this.
  • Oblivious to Love: Oblivious to Éponine's love, and sending her off to deliver a love letter to Cosette is a right dagger in her heart.
  • Relationship Compression: With both Cosette and Éponine in the musical. Éponine becomes his best friend rather than a mere associate.
  • Survivor Guilt: Especially in "Empty Chairs and Empty Tables."
  • Tell Me About My Father: Marius researches on his father after his death, learning he was a colonel in Napoleon's army and was saved by Thénardier of all people.

Éponine Thénardier

The eldest daughter of the Thénardiers, Éponine starts off as spoiled bratty girl who is mean to Cosette. But, her parents' inn becomes bankrupt and the family are forced into poverty. She falls in love with Marius, but ends up bringing him and Cosette together.

Tropes exhibited by this character include:

Enjolras

Head of the Friends of the ABC club, Enjolras seeks radical change in France and starts a revolution against the French law, building a barricade to take a stand with his friends.

Tropes exhibited by this character include:

Monsieur and Madame Thénardier

A pair of devious, greedy innkeepers who take in Cosette but use her as a cleaner, demanding bigger payments from Fantine. After Jean Valjean adopts Cosette, the Thénardiers are forced out of their inn and becomes criminals in Paris. They have several children including Éponine, Azelma, Gavroche and two other unnamed sons.

Tropes exhibited by this character include:
  • Abusive Parents: Mainly Thénardier, Madame Thénardier seems to genuinely care for her girls.
  • Apron Matron: Madame Thénardier to her daughters.
  • Dirty Coward
  • Evil Gloating: Thénardier pulls this when he has captured Valjean.
  • Evil Is Petty
  • Evil Matriarch: Madame Thénardier.
  • The Fagin
  • Karma Houdini: Thénardier gets away with all of his crimes in the book and musical.
    • Averted in the anime.
  • Parental Abandonment: To their three sons.
  • Plucky Comic Relief: In the musical. Still creepy, though.
  • Self-Serving Memory: Thénardier claims that he sold Cosette to Valjean for a pittance and tries to find a way to extort more after their paths cross again. In fact, Valjean paid him 1500 francs to get custody of Cosette, which was a lump sum worth considerably more than what Fantine would have been paying for him to raise Cosette in that time period, delivered in monthly payments of 10 francs.
  • Spared by the Adaptation: Madame Thénardier in the musical and the 2007 anime.
  • Unholy Matrimony
  • Villain Song: "Master of the House," "Dog Eat Dog" and "Beggar At The Feast."

Gavroche

The eldest son of the Thénardiers, Gavroche fends for himself in Paris and has little connections to his family. He joins the rebels at the barricade.

Tropes exhibited by this character include:

Supporting Characters

Bishop Myriel of Digne

A friend bishop who takes Jean Valjean in after he left prison. Valjean steals two candlesticks but is arrested and taken back to Bishop Myriel. To Valjean's shock, the Bishop claimed he had given to him as a gift and tells Valjean to use the candlesticks to make something of his life.

Tropes exhibited by this character include:

Friends of the ABC Club

A group of gentlemen led by Enjolras who start the revolution against the French law. Other members include Marius, Courfeyrac, Combeferre, Jean Prouvaire, Feuilly, Bahorel, Laigle (nicknamed Bossuet), Joly and the resident drunk Grantaire.

Tropes exhibited by this character include:

Azelma Thénardier

The second daughter of the Thénardiers, Azemla is dependent and weak-minded and never disobeys her parents.

Tropes exhibited by this character include:

Monsieur Mabeuf

An elderly churchwarden, Mabeuf was a friend of Marius' father and buries Colonel Pontmercy after meeting Marius. He is fond of books and plants, but when he is forced to sell all of his books and his wife dies, he joins the rebellion.

Tropes exhibited by this character include: