Little Girl, You Are the Queen of France: A Synthesis and Review of Victor Hugo’s ‘Les Miserables’
Émile Bayard (1837–1891), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
[Editor’s Note: Alex’s excellent reflection on Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables examines the wound ACODs carry as explored in literature. This article was written in response to our first annual Summer Online Reading Group in 2025. For Summer 2026, we will gather to discuss the book Forgiving as Unity with Christ by Dr. Robert Enright. We hope you will join us in reading, and discussing, this formative work. More information about the Summer Online Reading Group can be found here.]
Hugo, V., & Porter, L. M. (2003). Les Miserables (Abridged) (Barnes & Noble Classics Series). Barnes & Noble Classics. 896 pages
Before anything else, I would like to make a disclaimer. This blog article is written for those who are either already familiar with the story of Les Miserables and who want to revisit it through a “Life-Giving Wounds lens,” or for those who are not familiar with the story and would like to read an abbreviated version. In any case, this article is a longer read (20-minutes). If you do not want to read any spoilers from Les Mis, do not read any further.
This blog article is the fruit of the LGW Summer Online Reading Group that I conducted in 2025. I selected Les Miserables for our community not only because it is a marvelous tale with themes of redemption and mercy, but more specifically because one of the main characters–Cosette–is a child of separated parents. Although her father Felix is not depicted in the popular musical, in the book Felix abandons his lover Fantine when their daughter Cosette is very young. Cosette is thereby plunged into abuse and work at an early age on account of the separation, but then she is lifted out of poverty and given a father-figure in Jean Valjean, given a place of refuge and healing in the Church, and eventually given away happily in marriage—a progression which I thought would be a welcome subject of reflection for our community. Here, I would like to provide a shortened version of the story from beginning to end, so that you can trace the steps we took, relating our own experiences to those of Cosette.
Before beginning our journey through the book, I would like to mention that Victor Hugo’s own parents were separated. Joseph Léopold Sigisbert Hugo and Sophie Trébuchet married in 1797 and had Victor in 1802. From 1803-1812, there were marital problems and both parents had affairs. In 1818, Sophie and Leopold got legally separated and they may well have gotten divorced, if divorce had not been outlawed in France at the time. In any case, for us, this means that Victor Hugo, the author of our text, was himself very familiar with the interior and exterior effects of divorce on the children.
The story begins with a long background of the virtuous character Bishop Bienvenu (which literally translates to “Bishop Welcome”). Where most people fend for themselves or turn their backs on the needy, the bishop goes out of his way to help those in need and minister to the most destitute. This beautiful, noble character provides not only for material needs but also their spiritual needs: bringing hope to those who have none. I think this is very important.
On the other hand, we have Jean Valjean (whose name will be discussed at the end of this article). Valjean stole a loaf of bread to save his sister’s son but was caught and thrown in jail. Because he tried to escape a few times, he ended up serving nineteen years. Valjean was on the chain gang, meaning he carried heavy burdens and was perpetually covered in sweat, grease, and blood. Through this process, he became so strong that he was the equivalent of four men and was given the nickname, “Jean the Jack.” He finally finishes serving his time and is placed on parole. In the musical, you see Inspector Javert call him not by name but by his number—24601—and give him his yellow passport.
Valjean goes off and tries to find work, but everyone either turns him away or pays him very poorly. Finally, he is encouraged to knock on the door of the Bishop’s home. The Bishop welcomes him in and gives him food and a bed. However, because Valjean has already condemned the world to his hatred, he tries to steal a bunch of silver and sneak out in the middle of the night. The police catch him, and Valjean swears that it was all a gift from the bishop. When the guards bring him to the Bishop, Bishop Bienvenu says, “That is right, but my friend, you left so early. Surely something slipped your mind. You forgot I gave these also - would you leave the best behind?” And he gives him two massive silver candlesticks, which he would light while hosting the poor. Valjean is astounded, but he is released. The Bishop tells him to become an honest man with this gift. Keep these candlesticks in mind. It may seem random now, but this will resurface later.
Valjean is tortured interiorly by this act of mercy. It is said that he did not know if he should feel touched or humiliated, that it would have been better to be back in prison, because that would have given him less agitation than this act of love. He steals one last 40-sous coin from a child and immediately feels a deep pang of conscience for the first time. He is guilt-ridden, not only for this small coin, but for having lived in hatred for so long.
He realizes that there is no middle road for him anymore: he must either become the best of men—even higher than the bishop—or lower than the lowest galley slave, a monster. The last we see of him at this moment: he is weeping bitterly, perhaps like Peter after having denied Christ. In the musical, the build-up of this interior tension is brilliant, and the number ends with him singing at the top of his lungs, “Another story must begin!” and he tears up the yellow passport and throws it away, showing that he has no intention of surviving merely as an ‘ex-convict,’ but starting a brand new life.
Another character is introduced to us: Fantine. She and her three girlfriends are dating men from Paris, and Fantine is absolutely in love with Felix. Fantine’s name (which is similar to the French word for infant, enfant, as well as the word for fountain, fontaine) seems to be an expression of her being either orphaned or naive on the one hand, and on the other she is the mother, the fountain from which comes Cosette. Felix’s name is also a clear expression of this character’s self-centered quest for pleasure.
Felix and Fantine spend three or so years together and have no cares in the world. Together, the four girls ask their boyfriends for a surprise: they expect something like a gift or a trip somewhere. Instead, what the boys plan and carry out is a terrible thing: they dump the girls and return to Paris. Fantine puts on a brave face in front of her friends, but when she goes home, she too weeps bitterly. Only at this point is it mentioned that Felix and Fantine have a child of about two or three years old. Clearly for them, the child was not center stage in their lives.
Abandoned by her lover and without parents of her own, Fantine realizes that she cannot both work and be at home with her child. Felix was rich, so she did not have to worry about this until now. Fantine decides to look for someone who is willing to care for her daughter while she spends all day working. Fantine comes across Madame Thenardier, who by all appearances seems to be a good mother, and makes this arrangement.
Fantine’s child’s actual name is Euphrasie but is called “Cosette” when she is handed over to the Thenardiers. This name change speaks volumes: her original name speaks of the fling between Fantine and Felix—euphoria—but in the fallout of their separation, she becomes a poor little thing—Cosette.
Valjean, after his decision to live an honest life, arrives at Montreal sur Mer. Shortly after his arrival, he rushes into a burning building and saves two children. When the townspeople ask him his name, he says, “Madeleine.” They are so grateful, they do not even think to verify this or ask him for his papers. In a flash, he has taken on a new identity and the respect of the town. Madeleine, by the way, is the French version of the name Magdalene, as in Mary Magdalene, who was forgiven by Our Lord in the Gospel. Valjean’s assumed name, therefore, is an homage to the Bishop’s act of forgiveness towards him.
Monsieur Madeleine then devises a new way to manufacture ‘jet,’ a material used for glass trinkets, a method which becomes extremely lucrative. Within three years, he becomes rich and runs a warehouse full of workers. He only gives one condition to those in his employ: to become an honest man or woman. Within another two years, he is elected mayor of that town.
Police Inspector Javert keeps a watchful eye on this Monsieur le Mayor, since nobody really knows where he came from. Javert has a very stern appearance, and we learn that he is uncompromising when it comes to law and order: in fact, the law in a certain sense becomes ‘God’ for him, and this God is not forgiving. If you transgress the law, you are a criminal through and through, and you can never be redeemed. We can begin to see just how different Valjean and Javert are. If Javert discovers the true identity of this mysterious mayor, we know he will be swift to put Valjean back in jail for violating parole.
One day an old man, by the name of Fauchelevent, experiences a terrible accident in which he ends up pinned underneath a heavy cart. He has mere moments to live before he is crushed and killed, so there is no time to wait for a jack. But Valjean is there, and we remember his nickname in prison: Jean the Jack! He has the strength of four men. So he leaps into action, lifts the cart, and saves Fauchelevent. Javert, half-recognizing Valjean, says, “There is only one man who can do what you have done; he was a convict in the galleys at Toulon. He broke parole and disappeared.” Valjean turns pale, thinking that he is about to be arrested. But, for the moment, nothing happens.
Fantine, whom we last saw handing over her child to the Thenardiers, had found work in Valjean’s warehouse. Since she was not married, she wanted to keep Cosette’s existence a secret. However, her coworkers figure this out, they tell the foreman, and he sends her away “on behalf of the mayor.” It becomes clear, though, that Valjean has no idea about her being fired. Fantine quickly falls into disgrace: selling her teeth and her hair, and eventually becoming a prostitute. She sends every last coin she makes to the Thenardiers for the care of Cosette.
One late winter night, a despicable man named Bamatabois looks to take advantage of Fantine; the narrator actually makes reference back to Felix, the man who had abandoned Fantine, saying that these two men are similar. Bamatabois insults Fantine and shoves snow down her back. She lashes out at him, scratching his face. Javert is nearby, and he quickly snatches her, takes her to the courthouse, and tries to put her away for six months. Valjean was also nearby. He follows them to the courthouse and, as the mayor, orders her to be released. Fantine, thinking that it was Valjean who decided to fire her, is confused why he is now going out of his way to save her. Valjean secures her release, and she accuses him for being at fault for her coming to grief. Valjean swears he had no idea, but he promises to pay off her debts and reunite her with Cosette. Fantine is overjoyed, but then she faints. She is taken to the infirmary at the nearby convent.
Javert comes to Valjean and asks to be reprimanded. For what? He had apparently gone to the prefecture of police in Paris, reporting that he had found the long-missing Jean Valjean… But they say to him: Impossible!Jean Valjean has already been found and will soon go to trial. Yes, a man who bears a resemblance to Valjean, whose actual name is Champmathieu, had been taken in by the police. Valjean only learns about this through Javert at this moment.
Valjean realizes that he is at a crossroads: either he can keep silent and let Champmathieu—his look-alike—take the fall for him, or he can reveal his identity as the true Jean Valjean and be sent back to prison. It is a mysterious reversal: by holding onto his freedom, he would become a criminal far worse than he had been before, as this sin of omission would send an innocent man to jail. On the other hand, he could live up to his call to be an honest man, reveal his true identity, and be thrown back in prison. As the number in the musical goes: “If I speak, I am condemned; if I stay silent, I am damned.” After much interior struggle, he looks at the Bishop’s candlesticks and he knows what he has to do. He goes to the courthouse and heroically reveals his identity as the true Jean Valjean.
While everyone is paralyzed from shock, Valjean then rushes back to be with Fantine in her dying moments. Valjean, knowing that he cannot go on as the mayor of Montreuil sur Mer, promises Fantine that he will find Cosette and care for her himself. Fantine is elated and gives him a note to give to the Thenardiers. And then she dies.
For several years, Cosette has been suffering at the hands of the Thenardiers. Besides the ways in which they lie, cheat, and steal with regard to other adults, they treat little Cosette very differently than how they treat Eponine and Azelma, their own daughters. They dress their own in nice clothes and shoes, but Cosette is barefoot and in rags; they call their own girls by name or title “young lady,” but Cosette they call “little monster/ the wench/ that beggar;” their own girls can spend their time playing with toys and dolls, but Cosette is put to work; their daughters eat with them at the table, while Cosette is under the table like a dog; Eponine and Azelma have warm, soft, dry beds to sleep on, but Cosette has to find a nook filled with garbage underneath the stairs; the Thenardier girls are described as lively, neat, plump, fresh, and healthy, while Cosette is described as thin and pale, with sunken eyes, bones visible, and black and blue marks on her skin. Being treated with such unrelenting cruelty, her entire expression is summed up in a single word: fear. In the musical, Cosette dreams of heaven where she no longer suffers and a lady dressed all in white – perhaps Our Lady – cares deeply for her.
One cold winter night, the inn is in need of more water, and so Cosette is sent out into the woods to fetch some water from the well. She is absolutely terrified, but seemingly out of nowhere, a strong, gentle hand lifts the heavy bucket of water from her grasp. In this moment, she was not afraid. Valjean had gone into this forest to retrieve some valuables that he had buried there, then he discovered this poor, shivering girl. He asks her name and is amazed to discover that it is Cosette, for whom he was going to search the next day.
He accompanies Cosette back to the inn, where he begins to barter for her release. Not only does he fight for her freedom, but he also gives her a magnificent doll from the front window of a nearby shop. It is such a striking gesture—this wealthy man giving this beautiful gift to a pitiful little girl in rags - that even the people at the bar stop drinking to watch. To quote Hugo directly: “Cosette looked upon the wonderful doll with a sort of terror. Her face was still flooded with tears, but her eyes began to fill, like the sky in the breaking of the dawn, with strange radiations of joy. What she experienced at that moment was almost like what she would have felt if someone had said to her suddenly: little girl, you are the queen of France” (page 246).
Valjean proposes the idea that he relieve the Thenardiers of this little girl. Valjean offers fifteen hundred francs, with the stipulation that he does not need to reveal who he is or where they are going. Mrs. Thenardier agrees, the child is called, and they leave. But then Mr. Thenardier thinks that he could get much more out of this deal, so he chases them down and demands 15,000 francs. Valjean opens his pocket book but instead of pulling out banknotes, he pulls out the letter from Fantine, ordering her release. This enrages Thenardier, but he knew that he would not be able to get any more money out of the man. Valjean and Cosette leave.
They go to Paris, where they find an apartment in a tiny rundown place. Cosette is able to play with her doll, and Valjean, for his part, begins to love in a way he has never loved before. He began teaching her how to read and how to pray. She begins calling him ‘father,’ and he realizes that he needed her as much as she needed him.
For a short time, the two live humble lives in this tenement, but Valjean would always give alms to those he encountered on the street. One day, he gave alms to someone, but when the man looked up, he recognized the face of Javert. He knew at that moment that the inspector in disguise must have recognized him as well, and so he ran home to grab Cosette to leave as soon as possible. Javert and his officers set traps all over the city but are unable to catch Valjean and Cosette.
Valjean and Cosette are able to climb over a wall into some private property. They find themselves in a garden, and a man with a limp is nearby. Valjean approaches him and asks if he and the girl can be given refuge for the night. The man looks at him and replies, “Can it really be you!?...Father Madeleine! Don’t you remember me? You saved my life. It’s me: Fauchelevent. You saved me from underneath that cart in Montreal sur Mer!” And so this man, whom Valjean had saved years ago, was now able to save the lives of Valjean and Cosette from the snares of Inspector Javert.
Valjean and Cosette find themselves now in a complex situation. The private property into which Jean Valjean and Cosette had climbed is a convent of cloistered nuns; Fauchelevent is only allowed to be there because he is the gardener. Even so, he has to wear a bell at his knee, so that the women in the house know when he is close by. This place is the perfect hideout for Valjean and Cosette if they can be granted permission; on the other hand, if they are discovered already within the walls before obtainingpermission, Valjean will most certainly go straight back to jail. Since Fauchelevent is indebted to Valjean, he will go to any length to help him So he asks the mother prioress if his “older brother” and little niece could come to live at the convent, since he himself is getting old, his brother is strong, and the little girl might become a nun one day. This seems like it will work, but now they have to figure out how to get Valjean and Cosette out of the convent first, so that they can be properly welcomed. The two devise an elaborate plot for Valjean to be escorted out of the convent in a coffin, since one of the sisters is dying.
Where is Cosette in all of this? Since she is small enough, she is able to be carried right out the front gate in a basket. Simple enough plan. But this was a tall order for Cosette, since she had no idea what was going on. In Hugo’s own words, “Cosette had passed the twenty-four hours wondering what it all meant and trembling in silence. She trembled so much that she had not wept, nor had she tasted food nor slept… Cosette did not let a word of all she had heard and seen, in the last two days, escape her. She divined that a crisis had come. She felt, in her very heart, that she must be ‘good.’ Who has not experienced the supreme effect of these two words pronounced in a certain tone in the ear of some frightened little creature, ‘Don’t speak!’ Fear is mute. Besides, no one ever keeps a secret so well as a child” (page 329). Poor Cosette, our child of parental separation, still faces these awkward and inhuman challenges, even as she is being lifted up out of hell.
Valjean is introduced to the prioress as Fauchelevent’s brother “Ultimus,” and the two are welcomed in. The prioress enrolls Cosette in classes, and Valjean is given responsibilities around the grounds. A very pleasant life begins for them! Cosette began making friends at the convent, and she was also allowed to visit with her “father” for an hour everyday. Hugo writes: “For now, Cosette laughed. Even her countenance had, in a measure, changed. The gloomy cast had disappeared. Laughter is sunshine; it chases winter from the human face” (page 333). They are safe, and they will remain in this arrangement for several years.
At this point, the story turns towards what is happening outside the convent. The Thenardiers, who used to live in Montfermeil, have now moved to Paris. They have taken the name “Jondrette,” though they employ multiple fake names so as to swindle more people out of money. Their two daughters still live with them, but now they all live in absolute poverty. They have a son too, Gavroche, although he spends most of his time out in the streets.
We are also given the background of a young man by the name of Marius Pontmercy. Here we see even more intentionality in Hugo’s choice of names. Pont is the French word for ‘bridge,’ and mercy is the same as the English word. Thus, Marius’ last name means something to the effect of “bridge to mercy,” or quite possibly “bridge to thanks,” if we consider the French word merci. Marius’ first name seems to be derived from the Latin name of the god of war, Mars. Put together, Marius Pontmercy’s full name encapsulates his dual role in the story, as we will see further below.
For political reasons, young Marius had been taken away from his father Georges by his extended family. However, Georges Pontmercy is on his deathbed and he calls for the now seventeen-year-old Marius to come see him. By the time Marius arrives, the old man is dead, but he receives a letter that he wrote. In this letter, Georges says that the emperor had made him a baron, that that title will now pass to Marius, and also that he had been saved from death on the battlefield by a man named Thenardier. He charges Marius to do anything he can for Thenardier, should they ever meet. Marius then discovers that for ten years his father had secretly watched over and adored him from a distance. In the ensuing days, weeks, and months, Marius becomes thoroughly devoted to the memory of his father, and he becomes passionate about the dawn of a new era for France. Marius decides that he can no longer live with his extended family, so he moves out with very little money and possessions, and has to take up residence right next door to Thenardier, though he does not know who they are yet on account of their pseudonyms.
Within the next few years, Marius joins a secret society called “The Friends of the ABC.” A, B, C in French are pronounced ah-bay-say, exactly like the French word abaisse, meaning, “the abased.” Thus, the Friends of the ABC were revolutionaries, who wanted for the nation of France a new age, an age of fraternity, equality, and liberty for all, but especially for the oppressed lower class. Marius and his friends wait for just the right moment to spark a revolution.
After spending about five years in the convent, Valjean and Cosette have returned to society. Marius, now twenty years old and living on his own, likes to take long walks through the Luxembourg Gardens. On his walks, he notices Cosette. She is dressed in her school uniform, and she sits next to a man with white hair who seems to be her father. Marius does not know their names, so he imagines that their names are Monsieur Leblanc and Ursula. During one of his walks, Marius and Cosette make eye contact, and he begins to take interest. However, since Valjean is always with Cosette in the Gardens, the two are unable to converse for some time.
Marius recruits the help of Eponine to obtain the address of Valjean and Cosette, and Eponine begins to show subtle signs that she has an affection for Marius. Some time passes and Cosette becomes more and more beautiful. Valjean begins to worry that Cosette would cease to love him one day, and Valjean and Cosette finally start to make trips back to the Luxembourg Gardens. Marius and Cosette, in a dance reminiscent of the Song of Songs, gaze longingly for each other from afar. They still have not even said a single word to each other.
Before we go any further, it would be prudent to note something: We learn at this point why Valjean and Cosette left the convent and re-entered society. What had happened? In a word, nothing had happened. They were not on the run, nor were they not kicked out. They really only moved out because Valjean realized that it would be a grave injustice to Cosette if he just kept her in the protective bubble of the convent for the rest of her life. Through the years in the convent, Cosette had found refuge, received a basic education, and was well-socialized. But Valjean knew that he had to re-introduce her to society and let her choose for herself if she wanted to become a nun or not. So, he decided that they would leave, even though it meant that he would have to face the demons of the past and possibly lose Cosette.
Returning to our current point in the timeline, Marius has obtained the address of Valjean and Cosette, thanks to Eponine. Cosette spends a lot of time in her garden, and she begins to think that someone is watching her, or that she sees someone’s shadow. She tells her “father,” who looks into things but then decides that it was just a shadow of a nearby chimney that was shaped like a hat. Still, he wonders if Javert is closing in on their location.
One morning, Cosette goes out to the garden and picks up a rock– she finds an envelope and letter underneath. She opens it and discovers it is from the boy from the Gardens! She is quickly captivated by his letter and goes out that evening. There, she finally encounters this young man, who has snuck into her own garden. He professes his love for her, she reciprocates, they share a kiss, and they speak softly for an hour. About what? Their dreams, their frenzies, their ecstasies, their despondencies, how they had adored each other from afar, how they had longed for each other, their despair when they had ceased to see each other, and on and on. By the end, they were in love. The final thing they say to each other: “My name is Marius. And yours?” “My name is Cosette” (page 547)” After that first encounter, Marius came to visit her every evening. Valjean, in the meantime, has no idea what was going on.
Gavroche, the male child of the Thenardiers, has befriended Marius and the other members of the Friends of the ABC. Thenardier, for his part, discovers the address of Valjean and Cosette and plans to rob them, since he suspects that the beautiful young lady is the poor little girl they once abused back in Montfermeil. When he arrives to rob them, he discovers his daughter Eponine is already there. She sees that they are about to break in, so she threatens to scream, to alert the police or at least get the attention of the neighbors. They end up going away, but Valjean is suspicious that Javert is hiding out there in the shadows, so he tells Cosette that they will soon leave for England.
Not only does Valjean believe that Javert is hot on his trail, but he can see that Paris was not quiet and that there might soon be trouble in the streets. General Lamarque, a politician who had been a champion for the poor and working class, had just died, and the Friends of the ABC took this as their cue to spark a revolution. Their hope is that, with their show of strength and courage for a new France, the people too will rise, and together they will simply outnumber the authorities.
Eponine ties up her hair, finds boys' clothes, and joins the young men who are building a barricade in the street. She finds Marius and tells him that he is needed at the front. An older man volunteers to join the barricade, claiming that he had served in the military when he was younger, and that he knew how they would strategize to take down the revolutionaries. Little Gavroche, however, recognizes this man as Javert, and tells Enjolras that the man is a spy. They quickly apprehend him, bind him, and confiscate his weapons. They keep him in holding for the time being. All they say to him is that he will be shot before the barricade falls.
Here, we see the first battle in the streets. The civil authorities organized their forces and approached the barricade with muskets and cannons. A musket peeks through, aimed at Marius, but at the last second, someone’s hand reaches out and takes the bullet, saving Marius’ life. He hears his name and looks to see who it was who saved him: it was Eponine. She is dying, and it is at this late hour that she tells Marius that she was in love with him. She has a letter for him from Cosette, and yet she asks Marius to kiss her on the forehead after she dies. Eponine expires, and Marius honors her wish.
The letter from Cosette states their address and that they will be in England within a week. Marius quickly writes a letter for Cosette, saying essentially that he loves her and that he will likely die at the barricade. He gives the letter to Gavroche and sends him on a mission to deliver the letter to the address that Cosette had just mentioned.
Jean Valjean, back at the house, stumbles upon something unexpected: he notices from the blotter on the desk that Cosette had recently written a letter. A blotter was a common office tool for absorbing excess ink in those days, since the people wrote with quills and fountain pens rather than ball-point pens. Valjean notices that the blotter has writing on it, so he looks and reads backwards the message that Cosette had written. Valjean has finally discovered the romance that has been developing between Cosette and Marius.
At first, he is absolutely revolted: to have gone to such lengths for Cosette, only now to be on the brink of being cast aside for some young man. However, he looks at himself, and he sees that this is not in keeping with the generous and self-sacrificing man that he has been called to become. Before long, Gavroche arrives at the front door with the letter for Cosette. Valjean assures him that he will give it, so he takes the letter and reads it himself. He sees from the letter that this young man is part of the barricade, and that he fully expects to die. Valjean decides that he must at least meet this young man, to see what he is like. He dons an old National Guard uniform, which used to belong to Fauchelevent’s actual brother, and he goes out.
With the uniform on, he is able to pass by authorities. As he approaches the barricade, he sheds the uniform during a commotion. When the revolutionaries notice him, they ask if anybody knows him. Marius, recognizing him but not knowing the reason for his presence, says that he can be trusted. Enjolras welcomes him to the group.
In the ensuing hours, more shots are fired. Little Gavroche is killed, and more and more men are shot. As one young man is injured and needs to be taken away from the barricade, Valjean provides his National Guard uniform to him, so that he may pass by the authorities without a problem. For this, Enjolras thanks Valjean and says that he is indebted to him. Valjean, seeing that Inspector Javert had been taken captive, asks if he may be the one to kill the spy. Enjolras happily grants him the honor.
A decisive moment has come: Valjean has the opportunity to end the chase once and for all—all he has to do is kill Javert, and he would never have to live in hiding ever again. He takes Javert out back behind the tavern, pulls out his knife and… cuts the ropes from around his hands and says, “You are free” (page 695).
Valjean does not kill Javert but instead sets him free and tells him their address. Javert, aghast at what has just happened, promises Valjean that this act of mercy changes nothing, and that he will indeed catch up with him at his home to arrest him. He runs away, Valjean fires his gun into the air so that the revolutionaries can hear it, and he re-enters the barricade saying that he has killed the spy.
In the next battle, Marius is shot and is passing out. He falls and is caught by someone, but because he is unconscious, he does not know who. We know that it is Jean Valjean who has caught him, and now he takes Marius into the sewers to escape from the warzone.
Why does Valjean do this? So that Marius and Cosette can hopefully be together. Cosette had become the joy of Valjean’s life, and yet he sacrifices himself, carrying Marius through the sewers, so that he can give Cosette away.
In the sewers, he comes across Thenardier, who seems to not recognize Valjean on account of his being covered in sludge. He also does not recognize Marius, and he thinks that Valjean has killed this man to take his things. Thenardier has the key to the grate which will let them out into the streets, but he asks for half of the loot from the dead body. Valjean is able to dig out 30 francs from his own pocket, but while he does so, Thenardier also tears off a piece of Marius’ coat without Valjean noticing. After this, he lets them out into the street where they immediately run into Inspector Javert.
Valjean had recently had Javert dead to rights at the barricade. But, instead of killing Javert, Valjean let him go, not even blaming him for his pursuit of justice. Javert left, saying that he would be back, and that the act of mercy changed nothing between them. Now they meet again, and Valjean pleads with Javert, asking if he can just get the wounded soldier to safety then he would let Javert take him in. We expect Javert to have none of this… but what happens? He actually allows it. He calls a cab and rides with Valjean and Marius to the home of Marius’ relatives. After dropping him off, Valjean asks Javert if he can go to his own home quickly as well. Again, uncharacteristically, Javert says OK, and goes with Valjean to his home. Valjean goes inside, fully expecting Javert to wait for him at the front door. However, when he goes inside and looks out the front window, he sees that Javert has left.
Inspector Javert, for the first time in his life, has chosen mercy instead of his own warped view of justice. This sets in motion a storm in his soul: until now, the law (and law enforcement) was his religion. Now, he discovers that he might have been wrong all his life, and that the “criminal,” Jean Valjean, might have been the better man all along. He realizes that he cannot go on as he used to, and yet he is unwilling to let himself be transformed by mercy. In a very real way, this moment resembles the crisis that Jean Valjean had experienced at the beginning of the book, where the Bishop had looked on him with kindness: he either had to harden his heart even further, or let himself be transformed. This parallel is portrayed brilliantly in the musical: the score that plays during Valjean’s crisis is only played at one other point in the production: right here, during Javert’s crisis. Their responses, however, could not be more different. Jean Valjean allowed his entire character and life trajectory to change. Inspector Javert, on the other hand, decides to walk off a bridge. He commits suicide (Cf. CCC 2280-2283).
When Marius awakes, he and his grandfather are able to embrace each other as family. However, he has no idea who carried him away from the barricade. Valjean and Cosette come to visit him and help him recover. Valjean also shows up with 584,000 francs, which were his from when he was mayor of Montreuil sur Mer, and gives it to Marius and Cosette. He had hidden this money, along with the Bishop’s candlesticks, out in the woods after the Champmathieu affair, when he knew he might soon be caught and thrown back in prison. Marius and Cosette make plans to be married, and they want Valjean to live in the house with them. However, Valjean feels compelled to live apart from them, in solitude. He confides in Marius that he is a former convict, and that Cosette must never know. He does not tell Marius that he is the one who saved him. He does this out of a desire to be an honest man, and perhaps because he is unaware of Javert’s demise. Marius has a lot of mixed feelings—from astonishment to repulsion—towards Valjean, who then bids his farewell and goes away.
At Marius and Cosette’s wedding, an unexpected guest arrives: Thenardier! He goes to Marius and insists that he has a juicy secret to tell him—for a price, of course. Finally, he tells Marius that he saw Valjean in the sewers the night of the attack, and that he saw Valjean carrying a dead body. It turns out he had recognized Valjean that night. In any case, in trying to tarnish the memory of Valjean, Thenardier presents the torn-off piece of clothing, thinking that Marius will take it as proof that Valjean is an assassin. Instead, Marius recognizes that piece from his own coat, and the mystery of his being alive now comes to light: Jean Valjean must have saved him from the barricade! Marius runs to Cosette and the two of them go as fast as they can to find Valjean.
Jean Valjean is alone, writing his final words by the light of the Bishop’s candlesticks that he had saved all these years. He is dying, but just as he begins to fade, Marius and Cosette arrive. He is glad to be able to see Cosette one final time, and he gives them the letter he just finished, which will tell them the entire truth from beginning to end. Marius asks if Valjean needs a priest, and Valjean responds, “I have one,” pointing up above his head (page 827).The Bishop had been his priest. In his final breath, he embraces Marius and Cosette, gives Cosette the candlesticks, reminds her of the beautiful doll he once gave her, and he impels them to forgive the Thenardiers. He asks for no name on his headstone, and he gives them his blessing. Valjean breathes his last, and an angel with outstretched wings awaits his soul. Once again, the musical production portrays this scene with unspeakable beauty: the fallen Fantine and Eponine are the ones to lead Valjean to salvation.
At long last, let us consider Jean Valjean’s name. The name Jean sounds like the French word gens, meaning ‘people,’ and Valjean is said by characters in the book to be a contraction of voila, Jean, meaning ‘there is Jean.’ Put together, the name comes across as a very generic name– something like “John McJohn,” if the story had been set in Scotland. It therefore seems that Hugo is presenting Valjean as both an Adam figure (an ‘everyman’), as well as a Christ figure (echoing Pilate’s ecce homo, that is, ‘there is the man’). Hugo is therefore inviting the reader to place himself or herself in the place of Valjean, who with God’s mercy is able to lay down his life for another.
In summary, although Les Miserables seems at first like it would be a tragedy, it becomes a comedy: ending with marriage and heaven. Cosette’s parents’ separation cast her into a terrible living situation. Her life’s journey is a long slog, wrought with many uncomfortable trials and having to make due without a real home for a very long time. In the end, with her brand new husband and discovering just how deeply she has been loved by Jean Valjean, she once again might feel as though someone were saying to her, “Little girl, you are the queen of France.”
Prayer:
O Lord, in many ways, I can see myself in the place of Cosette. My parents’ divorce/ separation affected me profoundly–not just in material ways, but in spiritual and emotional ways as well. See me, Lord, and hear my cry to you. Send me the help that I need to be able to live an abundant life. Provide me with the family I need, so that I can start (or continue) my journey of healing. Help me find a place in the Church where I can find refuge, so that I am able to take the next steps. I ask you, Lord, to guide me by your most Venerable Hands, so that I may give myself freely, totally, faithfully, and fruitfully in my vocation. Finally, Lord, I ask that you always remind me of my deepest identity: that I am a beloved son/daughter of our Heavenly Father. Amen.
About the author:
Alexander Wolfe grew up in western Pennsylvania and studied Theology at DeSales University (2008-2011). Through the experience of seeing his parents get divorced while he was in college, Alex decided to study at the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family in Washington, D.C. He completed the Master of Theological Studies degree and coursework for the Ph.D. (2012-2017)
From 2018 to 2024, Alex served as the Assistant Director in the Office of Marriage, Family, and Respect Life at the Diocese of Arlington, where he started the first diocesan Life-Giving Wounds chapter outside D.C./ Maryland. During that time, he also served as the Content and Support Group Advisor for Life-Giving Wounds and as a member of the Life-Giving Wounds traveling team.
In 2024, Alex joined Life-Giving Wounds full-time, and now serves as the Associate Director of Programs and Development. In this role, he continues to help start new Life-Giving Wounds chapters across the country, provide support for the 34+ existing chapters, develop new chapters and programs, assistfundraising efforts, and much more. He continues to be based in Washington, D.C.
Reflection Questions for Small Groups or Individuals:
With the Thenardiers, Cosette lives in rags, eats under the table, works at an early age, and does not play, laugh, or sing. In what ways did your parents’ separation or divorce leave you destitute like Cosette?
Fantine is not described as a child of divorced or separated parents, but her parents are absent: either they rejected her or she was orphaned. Did your grandparents play a role in your life? Were they able to support you when your parents split?
Valjean discovered Cosette in the woods, helped her carry her bucket of water, and bartered for her release. Did a helping hand appear to you at some point, seemingly sent from God, to help you out of your darkness? Did someone offer you a glimmer of hope and encourage you to recover a sense of childhood?
Once Cosette and Valjean are welcomed into the convent, Cosette’s entire countenance begins to change. She began to play, laugh, and sing again. Have you had an experience like this? Have you made good friends in the Church, to accompany you in your journey?
For as long as Cosette is still a young girl, she is content to stay at home with her adopted father. But as she recovers and becomes a young woman, she seeks to be seen. In your experience, when did you first begin to take confidence in the pursuit of love and marriage? In what ways did your past affect this pursuit? If you are priest or religious, what helped you have the courage to pursue this vocation?
Jean Valjean learns about the blooming romance between Cosette and Marius, and he decides he must do everything he can to save Marius at the barricade. Has there been someone in your story who did everything in their power to help you? If so, have you gone back to thank them?
In the final scene, Valjean, Marius, and Cosette converse in the dim light of the Bishop’s candlesticks. Do you have a memento that reminds you of your call to holiness?
If you liked Alex’s review of our 2025 LGW Summer Online Reading Group book—Les Miserables, we invite you to join our next LGW Summer Online Reading Group!
The Online Reading Groups typically last eight weeks throughout the summer. Please click the button below for essential details and complete the registration form to sign up.
For Summer 2026, we will gather to discuss the book Forgiving as Unity with Christ by Dr. Robert Enright. We look forward to reading, and discussing this work, with you.
