I Dreamed a Dream

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I Dreamed a Dream is a solo sung by Fantine during the first act of the musical Les Misérables.

Most of the music is soft and melancholy, but towards the end becomes louder and taut with frustration and anguish; as she cries aloud about the wretched state of her life and her unfair mistreatment. The song is called J'avais rêvé in the original French version of Les Misérables.

[edit] Overview

The lyrics are about lost innocence and broken dreams. Fantine is abandoned by her lover, gives birth to a daughter, Cosette, out wedlock, wrongly dismissed from a desperately-needed job, and forced into prostitution to survive and to support her daughter. It is sung directly after "At the End of the Day".

[edit] Relation to "On My Own"

Both the "plot" and music to "I Dreamed a Dream" bears an extreme resemblance to "On My Own," a solo sung by Eponine in Act II of the play. The two can in many ways be considered reprises of each other.

Some notable relations include:

  • I Dreamed a Dream starts in Eb Major, then E Minor, then F Major - On My Own starts in D Major, moving to Bb Major, and ending in F Major
  • "I Dreamed a Dream" outlines unfairness and woe in Fantine's life, the second half dedicated to her former male partner, who deserted her after the conception of Cosette. In "On My Own," Eponine outlines her desire to be with the character Marius, and (similarly to Fantine), dreams and imagines him by her side.
  • Near the one-minute mark (slightly after in "I Dreamed a Dream"), the final key signature change is made and the music and singing grows louder and more intense, as is done in On My Own.

[edit] Relation to "One Day More"

  • When Eponine sings her solo it's the same tune
  • When Eponine holds her long note (on the word "there" in "but he never saw me there") the undertoned music is the same as Fantine's (on the word "shame" in "and they turn your dream to shame")
  • Similarly, on a side note, the duet between Cosette and Marius in "One Day More" is the same tune as Eponine's "On My Own", though higher/lower in pitch and accented differently: their words are of happiness, a great contrast to Eponine and Fantine
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