Jean Valjean
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Jean Valjean is a fictious character and the chief protagonist of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel Les Misérables.
The character's prison number, 24601 and his twenty year-long struggle with the relentless policeman Javert have both become famous archetypes in literary culture.
[edit] Character's biography
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The story's author, Victor Hugo, uses imagery and subplots to portray Jean Valjean as a man taken advantage of by societal hierarchy and the law. Hugo shows how unjust the government was during that time, especially as Jean Valjean, a desperate man, was sentenced to five years in prison for merely stealing a loaf of bread. Jean Valjean is a tree pruner in Faverolles who, when his parents died, looks after his sister and her seven children. In 1795, when resources become scarce, Jean Valjean steals a loaf of bread from a local baker. He is imprisoned for five years in the Bagne of Toulon, the Toulon prison, and is assigned the number 24601. He attempts to escape four times, and is punished by being imprisoned for fourteen more years. Finally, after nineteen years in the prison, he is released back into the world. When released, he is turned down by every inn due to his yellow passport--a document showing his recent incarceration--but is taken in by Bishop Myriel, a kind-hearted old clergyman, in the town of Digne. The bishop trusts Jean Valjean, feeds him supper, and gives him a bed for the night. Knowing nothing else, during the night he steals the bishop's silverware and silver plates, and runs off into the night. He is arrested and brought back to the bishop. However, the Bishop tells the policemen that the silver was a gift and sends them on their way, giving Valjean his silver candlesticks in addition. The Bishop tells Jean Valjean that he promised the bishop to become a new man. Jean Valjean does not understand what the bishop is talking about, and that afternoon he steals a five-franc piece from a chimney sweep, Little Gervais. After he has, he is horror-struck at what he has done, and begins a new life.
He assumes a new identity as Father Madeleine, and becomes a respectable citizen in the town of Montreuil-sur-Mer. After gaining a fortune by revolutionizing the town's black bead and jet production, he saves an old man named Fauchelevent from death and gets him a job at a convent, but the event has dire consequences. A police inspector, Javert, notices him and is reminded of an incredibly strong man he knew at the galleys, no other than Jean Valjean. Later, Javert arrests a woman named Fantine for insulting a citizen. Madeleine knew what had really happened, the citizen was in the wrong, and should have been arrested. Hence, Madeleine frees Fantine, and lets her stay at the convent, where he oversees her care. Javert is furious at Jean Valjean for interfering with the police duties and denounces 'Madeleine' to the prefect of police at Paris, saying that he really is Jean Valjean. They tell him that he is mad, because the 'real' Jean Valjean (who is in reality Champmathieu) has been found. Javert apologizes to Madeleine, and tells him that the 'real' Jean Valjean has been found and is to be tried the next day. That night Jean Valjean has a terrific struggle within himself, but finally decides to go to the trial and reveal that HE is really Jean Valjean and free Champmathieu. He does, and, after giving his evidence, returns to Montreuil-sur-Mer. Javert comes to arrest him the next day while Jean Valjean is in Fantine's room, and Fantine dies of fright (and tuberculosis) when she sees Javert. Jean Valjean allows Javert to arrest him, but quickly escapes and removes his money and hides it. He is re-arrested as he is on his way to get Fantine's eight-year-old daughter, Cosette, and is sent back the prison in Toulon. He changes his number to 9430, but escapes after only a few months' imprisonment by jumping into the sea. Thereafter he is officially presumed dead.
Valjean goes to Montfermeil, where Cosette works for the Thénardiers, and buys her for 1500 francs. He takes her to Paris, but Javert finds his house, so Jean Valjean leaves during the night, and barely escapes from Javert, who trapped him in an alley. He unknowingly enters the convent where Fauchelevent is, and Fauchelevent helps him become a gardener in the convent. Jean Valjean and Cosette live in the convent for several years, 'and Cosette grew.' They eventually leave the convent and move to an abandoned house at no. 54 rue Plumet.
All the while, in the story's most famous element, he is dogged by Javert, a police inspector whom fate keeps bringing to Valjean (and vice versa); this cat-and-mouse game goes on, absurdly, for decades. They eventually become wrapped up in a revolution of the people against the government, called the "Lamarque Riots" after the celebrated General Lamarque died from an outbreak of cholera. Javert acts as a spy at the barricades and is caught by the rebellion. He is then taken prisoner and set to be put to death at the will of the people. Valjean comes to the barricade to watch over Cosette's love, Marius Pontmercy, whom he is puzzled by – should he save Marius or let him die and keep Cosette to himself? Meanwhile, Valjean does his part in the insurrection and proves to be an excellent shot. Enjolras, the barricade's leader, wishes to thank Valjean and offers him anything he wants. He asks for the life of Javert, which he receives. Instead of executing him, Valjean sets Javert free, and tells him to leave immediately. Javert does not believe Valjean and warns him that should he be set free, he will still chase Valjean to the end of his days. Sometime after Valjean releases Javert, the fighters on the barricades are all killed with the exception of Marius, whom Valjean reluctantly carries through a mile of Parisian sewers to safety. After climbing out of the sewers on the shore, which faces the Grand-Caillou, Valjean meets Javert again and convinces him to allow Marius to be taken to his grandfather. Javert also allows Valjean to return home to the rue de L'Homme Armé for a short time, but disappears while Valjean is inside. It is later revealed that Javert has committed suicide.
After recovering from his severe injuries, Marius asks to marry Cosette and they wed on 16 February 1833. The day after the wedding, Valjean reveals to Marius that he is, in fact, Jean Valjean and an ex-convict from Toulon. After this, Valjean's previously habitual visits to Cosette at Marius' grandfather's house (no. 6, rue des filles-du-calvaire) become shorter and shorter, until he suddenly ceases to visit. M. Thénardier, who claims that Marius’ father-in-law is a murderer and shows him several Moniteur articles “proving” this, pays Marius a visit. Marius realizes that Valjean was the man who carried him through the sewers on 6 June, and hurries with Cosette to Valjean's flat on the rue de L'Homme Armé. Unfortunately, they are too late and see that Valjean is dying. Before he dies, though, Valjean makes peace with Marius, whom he had had uneasy relations with, and tells Cosette the name of her mother, Fantine. Happy, he finally dies.
[edit] Historical backgrounds
Several parts of Valjean's life are based on real events:
The 22nd of February, 1846, Victor Hugo witnessed the arrest of a bread thief. A Duchess and her child were also watching the scene pitilessly from their coach. While this cannot be considered as the inspiration for Les Misérables (Hugo had started the novel years previously), the note in his diary makes clear that the scene impressed him nevertheless. Both the contrast between rich and poor and rich people watching the poor struggle are often used in the novel.[1]
In 1841, Hugo saved a prostitute from arrest for assault. He would let Valjean perform the same deed, even using a short part of the dialogue between himself and the constables.[1]
Another event that has a historical model is the accident of the cart. It is based on an event in Vidocq's life: In 1828, Eugène François Vidocq saved one of the workers in his paper factory by lifting a heavy cart on his shoulders. Hugo only added the fact that Valjean betrayed his real identity with the act (Vidocq had already been pardoned at the time). Valjean's incredible strength in general is based on Vidocq's, who helped Hugo with his research for Claude Gueux and Le Dernier jour d'un condamné (The Last Day of a Condemned Man).
Valjean saving the sailor on the "Orion" is also based on a real event, though not witnessed by Hugo himself. A friend wrote Hugo a letter, detailing what had happened. Hugo reproduced the letter nearly word by word, only letting Valjean escape afterwards (which had not happened in reality).
The numbers: Popular myth states that 24601 stands for the date Hugo was conceived (24th of June 1801). On the other hand, the 24th of June is St. John's Day (Jean is the French form of John). 9430 was most likely chosen because of the death of Hugo's daughter in September 1843.
Valjean's behavior on the barricades is again based on Hugo himself, who "fought" on the barricades against Napoleon III in December 1851. There he refused any weapons and just made himself useful tending to the wounded.
A small note in Hugo's diary tells us, that he was just as unhappy as Valjean to marry his daughter: "The saddening joy of marrying one's daughter" [1].
[edit] References
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