New Criticism

Les Miserables
New Criticism

by Jenessa Siblos

Les Miserables does make you feel, intensely and sometimes thrillingly, by honoring the emotional core of its source material. It overflows with humor, heartbreak, rousing action and ravishing romance. With the imperfections, it's perfectly marvelous. The movie doesn’t only contain these incredible stuff. However it also include symbols, imagery and figure of speech which an audience could really find it interesting to watch and read it. The following were just an example of these substance.

Figure of speech

There are various figures of speech being use.

Similes are very abundant in Victor Hugo's writing. A simile is a type of analogy made by comparing two things to show a relationship. Similes always contain the words like or as. The following line are some examples which shows simile that can be found in the story.

§  Fantine song I Dreamed  A Dream “but the tigers come at night with their voices soft as thunder” ( The tigers voice is compared to a thunder)

§  The Poor “And the sun in the morning is waiting to rise like the waves crash on the sand like a storm that’ll break any second”. (the sun was compared to a waves and the waves was compared to a storm)

·         
Anaphora is another figure of speech that can be found in the story which means the use of the same word or phrase at the beginning of several successive clauses, sentences, lines, or verses, usually for emphasis or rhetorical effect.

§  Fantine line. “ She has nothing to fear, She has nothing to hide”

§  Valjean line “I was born inside a jail,  I was born with scum like you”

§  Eponine line “ And you will keep me safe, And you will keep me close”

§  Work song “Look down! Look down, Don’t looked in the eye”

§  Bishop line “Rest from pain and Rest from wrong”

·         On occasion, Hugo also uses a figure of speech called an erotema. An erotema is when the writer asks the reader a rhetorical question, a question that does not really require or expect an answer. Hugo uses an erotema, saying,

§  "Should the scab of the sheep cause the shepherd to recoil? No. But what a sheep!" The reference to the scab is also a metaphor for what the Bishop believed the Convention member's sins to be, and the exclamation, "But what a sheep!" also metaphorically portrays the member as the horrible sinner the Bishop believed him to be at the time.

·         On some instances in the story Hugo also uses a figure of speech called Hyperbole means deliberate and obvious exaggeration used for effect or in a word. Example were the following line in the story.

§  Young Cosette line “ There is a castle on a cloud” ( in literary speaking it was really impossible to build a castle on a cloud)

§  Courfeyrac line “ Like the flowing of the tide Paris coming to our side” ( it is very unbearable  that Paris will be the one to come to our side)

§  Valjean line “ Yet why did I allow that man to touch my soul and teach me love” ( in literal speaking no one can hold a soul of an individual)

·         Metaphor is a direct comparison of a person into an object in the story le’s Miserable this is the line which is an example of it.  

§  "It is your soul I am buying for you." Jean Valjean is transformed at that moment and the candlesticks are the means.

·         An apostrophe is a moment when an author or character addresses a person that is not actually present. Dr. Wheeler gives us an example from a John Donne poem,

§  "Oh, Death, be not proud. In Les Misérables, we see the Bishop of Digne make use of an apostrophe when we see him sitting and meditating on Scripture and then exclaiming to his invisible God, "Oh, you who are!" (Bk. 1, Ch. 5). He then proceeds further to analyze the names of God, ending with, "But Solomon calls you Compassion, and that is the most beautiful of all your names,"

·         Another figure of speech is Metonymy which mean a figure of speech in which an attribute of something is used to stand for the thing itself

§  In the Drinkers line “ Landlord, over here” ( landlord represent property-owner)

§  Javert line “ He’s a convict from the chain” ( the convict represent the criminals)

·         Another type of figurative language is a meiosis. A meiosis is an understatement, which is a way of stating the facts in a less striking way than they really are. We see the Bishop of Digne's sister, Mademoiselle Baptistine, make use of a meiosis. It is very clear that Mlle Baptistine does not completely enjoy living the same lifestyle of self-inflicted poverty that her brother does. Yet she lives with him and helps him keep house.

·         Personification is giving non-human things human attributes. In the story there is a line  stated

§  "...but one ugly tree, a few steps away from the traveler, which seemed to be twisting and contorting itself'' Since it says that the tree is twisting and contorting itself it implies that the tree is doing it on purpose.

Symbols

·         Myriel’s Silver Candlesticks - M. Myriel’s candlesticks are the most prominent symbol of compassion in Les Misérables, and they shed a light that always brings love and hope

Silver candlesticks

·         Snakes, Insects, and Birds-When describing the novel’s main characters, Hugo uses animal imagery to accentuate these characters’ qualities of good and evil. The orphaned figures of Cosette and Gavroche are frequently referred to as creatures of flight: Cosette as a lark and Gavroche as a fly.

Snake, one of the animal imagery sybols.

A lark represents Cosette.

A fly represents Gavroche.

Point of view

·         This novel was in the perspective of Jean Valjean. It talked about Jean Valjean's life which makes you think Jean Valjean is the protagonist .This book is in omniscient third person point of view.

Les Miserables has omniscient third person point of view.

 Songs interpretation

        Some song which was sung in the story were in quodlibet form which mean a piece of music combining several different melodies, usually popular tunes, in counterpoint and often a light-hearted, humorous manner. The term is Latin, meaning "whatever" or literally, "what pleases." There are three main types of quodlibet: A catalogue quodlibet consists of a free setting of catalogue poetry (usually humorous lists of loosely related items). In a successive quodlibet, one voice has short musical quotations and textual quotations while the other voices provide homophonic accompaniment. In a simultaneous quodlibet, two or more pre-existing melodies are combined. One example is the song  "One Day More" falls into the last category: a simultaneous quodlibet.

                     

                       

Archetypal Approach

Les Miserables
Archetypal Criticism

by Ana Marie Gonzales

Why numbers that are being used of a prisoner during the French time?

Each number has different meaning as I have researched about it. Numbers can be a real- code cracker of our life experienced. This means that a number that are being used in the movie as the code name of prisoners played a big role, because it could be a reflection of a experiences in life. As I have researched the numbers 1-7 and its spiritual meaning goes like this. Zero is a powerful number which brings great transformation change, sometimes occurring in a profound manner. Number one represents a single entity. Number two is symbolizing a sin and conflict. Number three it is a Triad being the number of the whole as it contains the beginning, a middle and an end. Number four which means is illusion. Number five is form as a human being. Number Six represents equilibrium, harmony and balance, and number seven is the center of the spiral is humanity's. This seven numbers represents the whole appearances of human being had.

Why a piece of paper is always present in the movie?

A parole paper

The symbolism of a paper is a means of communication, because during the French time there is no telephone or cellphone. They communicate with each other by the use of a paper. They write what they want to say and express their feelings with one another. Paper could symbolize a trust of a person. Once it was crumpled it will never go back to its normal texture.

Why silver not gold?

I have gone through a deep researched about it and then I found out that silver have different meaning. Silver is a symbol of purity, clarity, awareness, focus, femininity, persistence, vision and strength. I think that silver is one of the symbolism that are present in the movie, because all the meaning of a silver can reflect to the characteristics of a person. This could be more relevant to the human personification. It could be the emotions and feelings of a person towards other people.

Why wood is present in the movie?

A log used as pole for the French flag.

I have noticed that wood is one of the symbol that is being present in the movie. My own understanding of a wood is that a piece of wood could be seeking a new challenge in life and adventure. In the movie, Jan Val jean could carry a huge wood. This represents how a person could face the challenges in his/her life.

Why Jan Val Jean give Cosette a doll not flowers or everything?

Cosette with her doll

In the movie I have noticed that Cosette is playing with a stinky doll that she made when she was on the Thenundiers or the Innkeepers. Doll could bring happiness to a child. This means that a doll represents how beautiful a young lady. They will imagine how girls look like if they dressed formally. It reflects their feminism on a certain things.

Why crucifix is one of the symbols in the movie?

Crucifix as one of the symbols of Christianity

Christianity is already present during the French time. In Christian teachings the crucifix is a powerful symbol that represents the focal point of the beliefs. That Jesus died on the cross to redeem humanity and sacramental or a sacred sign. In my own understanding as a Roman Catholic, crucifix is playing a big role in Christian community, because it shows how Jesus saves the whole humanity. It reflects the faith as a catholic.

Handkerchief is one of the symbol, why handkerchief?

In the movie characters used handkerchief to wipe dirt or something unpleasant in the clothes of other person. It could wipe the tears of others. Wiping the tears of other person could help them to cast all their burdens in life.

Golden ring

In the movie the gold ring is used by Marious. I have understood what the meaning of a gold ring is. During the French time it symbolizes that they are one of the prominent families when they had a golden ring. I have researched about it, golden ring could also be symbolizes as power, eternity and dignity.

Red flag

The red flag symbolizes a revolution or war. It could be a signal of a danger that may come. It could be a bloody war and sacrifices of many lives. Red flag also could be a warning sign that there is a problem that should be noticed or dealt with.

Candles/candles stand

The light of a candle can be our company along the darkness. This will penetrate the darkness along the path that we are into. It moves with incredible velocity, and it nourishes life against all odds. Candle also known as our measurement in life.

Rain

Rain symbolizes the water of life. My deep understanding of rain, it nourishes our souls and it gives us strength. Every drop of rain forms everything until the torrid downpour of it. It can compare to the feelings of a person like overflowing feelings or love towards other.

Hair

Fantene's gorgeous look with her
long hair

The hair symbolizes the femininity, identity, freedom and beauty. It personified also as a crowning glory of a woman. It attracts the identity of a woman. In our society we are familiar of the different religion like Pentecostal, because in their own belief if they cut their hair they will suffer a very huge problem. Therefore the hairs have a deep meaning that was beyond our knowledge and beliefs.

Eyeglass

The symbol of the eyeglass signifies or need more clarity in many different contexts and concept in life. We wander sometimes why we need to wear an eyeglass? Then we found out it could compare to the feelings of frustration and helplessness. In life there are times that we need to understand more on something, like an eyeglass. It aids us to see more clearly and takes action to comprehend our situation better.

Eyes

I have researched about what is the meaning of the eye. Then I found out that eyes are the vision, focus, observation, intelligence, opening and awareness. In this context I somehow understand the meaning of eye. Some people define eye as the opening window to the soul and I believe in it. When I look to someone eyes, I can identify the person felling or emotion either she is happy or not. The eyes could signify the understanding because the sight of the body corresponds to the sight of its spirit.

Teeth/tooth

My interpretation of what is the meaning of the teeth in spiritual aspect. The teeth/tooth is the interior intelligent of a person. Teeth can grind food which is nourish the body, therefore it also grind knowledge, wisdom and intelligence which is will nourish the soul of a person. It fills an empty body to become an active and positive one.

Hat

We all know that hat is a headgear and can protect our head. We belonged in a different family this could be in conjunction on how we protect and love them. We can protect them in many ways just like a hat. It has many design and color. Therefore we could love them as many ways as we can and prove to them that they are important.

Jean Valjean wearing a 'long hat.'

Javert wearing a 'tricorne.'

Marxist Approach

Les Misérables

Marxist Criticism

by King James M. Saludares

Les Miserables was adapted into a movie.

Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables is one of the epic novels that emphasize the Marxist approach. In the 2012 movie adaption of the novel is truly shows the concept of Marxist approach. To understand the concept, first I would like to introduce the characters of the Les Misérables. The main characters are Jean Valjean, Javert,Fantene,Cosette, and Marius.

Victor Hugo is the author of Les Miserables

            Jean Valjean is the protagonist who was sentenced for 19 years of imprisonment because of stealing a loaf of bread for his sister. Later on, he granted parole for the meantime, then became a mayor of Montreuil and a factory owner at the same time. Javert was a prison guard, then later become the general of the army. Fantene was a factory worker and a prostitute who is also looking for her missing daughter. Cosette has used to be a child labor in the inn, and later becomes a young beautiful bourgeoisie lady. Marius is a student revolutionary leader.

Karl Marx, the pioneer of Marxist Criticism

            The setting of the novel was around 1815-1832. The society was only divided into two classes: proletariat and bourgeoisie. Proletariats consist of working class people, while bourgeoisie consist of wealthy aristocrats, government officials, and merchants. Proletariats spent most of their time in working, while bourgeoisie spent most of their free time in taverns or mansions. Proletariats in the post-revolution were really working well just to earn for living. Peasants, and vendors were those people included in the proletariats. The usually have economical struggles since they were poor and cannot afford even loaves of bread. Due to the inconsistent economic progress, the peasants turned into rebels. Thus, rebels are being supported by the militants. These militants consist of young student revolutionary leaders. They use their mouth and voice to address their sentiments, especially the struggles of the proletariats in the society. On the other hand, the bourgeoisie were living in much comfort and spends all the time in leisure. Bourgeoisie usually controls the power in the government. As a result, abuses against the proletariats rose up. Their arrogance triggered the proletariats to fight against them.The social status was too segregated, while the economic status was not really well.

The gap of bourgeoisie and proletariat is too much far.

     I have just reflected something about the society that they have in the novel. My realization is that people with higher social status has more power, while the people with lower social status were powerless and voiceless.

This was the first revolution since post-Napoleonic era.

            The role of the government here was very crucial due to the period of restoration from the newly-end French Revolution. The government tried its best to restore the welfare of the French people. However, it was not easy due to the existing rebellion. The economy was worst, and the poverty in France rose up then. The rebels initiated protest and violent revolution because the government failed to cope up with problems and the sentiments of the society.

            I have reflection on the social status in the post-revolutionary France. I reflected and realized that the gap of rich and poor, powerful and powerless, and bourgeoisie and proletariats are quite far. And it is evident up to date. This large separation cause massive discrimination, conflicts and exploitations. Thus, this novel is kindly suitable inspirational for the young bloods to be a catalyst of change. Also, they will become a key factor for the nations progress.

Javert (left) and Jean Valjean (right) were bitter rivals.

            Jean Valjean and Javert were bitter rivals. Jean is a merciful man and very helpful to those needy while Javert was obsessed with enforcement of law and order. Thus, their principles are too opposite which caused conflict between them. Jean is Fantene’s partner and Cosette’s father, which were revealed in the later part of the story. Fantene worked as a factory worker, and she left the factory to forcefully became a prostitute to earn money and to find her daughter, Cosette was rescued by Jean by paying the abusive innkeepers who were the one raised her much amount of money. As Cosette became a fully-grown lady, she became closer to Jean, and she realized that Jean is her father as he was dying. Marius had fallen in love to Cosette. Marius and Jean have strong ties during the uprising revolution against the French government. He owes Jean for saving his life, and promised him to take care of Cosette. When Cosette and Marius were married already, Jean decided to get far away from them in order to start a new life then.

Cosette (left) and Marius (right)

For more elaboration on the relationship of the characters, there are something that I reflect on them. I realized that each characters represents status of every character of every citizens in France. Let us start with Jean Valjean’s background. He experienced on how to live as a proletariat, and how to live as a bourgeoisie. He lived like less than a proletarian status, it seems like an outcast due to his status as a prisoner once. In relation to the other characters, Jean had an open-mind enough to listen on the sentiments of both classes.

Javert on the other hand, had a grudge and frustration over Jean. Javert, for me, is a perfectionist when it comes on performing his duties as a law enforcer. He was frustrated to Jean because, Jean broke the agreements in the parole. Jean made it for not because he does not allow the law enforcers to control him, but to make decisions to change status in his life becoming a mayor and a factory owner, so that he would able to help other people like him as a proletariat way back then.

I realized that something about Javert, when he committed suicide due to not achieving his objectives to capture Jean Valjean, and fail to fulfill his duties. I also realized that there are people preserving their honor for performing duties, and ready to give-up themselves as they failed to perform their duties in the society. Nowadays, people like Javert, who was passionate to his duties are only few.

Jean’s relationship to Fantine was did not last, because of her death. He wanted to help her regain the social status since Fantene was not being lift up to a stable social and economic status when she turned into a prostitute. Jean strengthened his relationship to her by making him as a foster-father of Fantene’s daughter, Cosette.

            Cosette was an illegitimate child of an unknown fallen soldier and Fantene. In her early childhood, she experienced constant maltreatment from adoptive and abusive innkeepers. When Jean rescued Cosette, she earned a social status as a legal child of Jean, although she was not really technically or legally a legit daughter of Jean since he only onsidered her as a foster-daughter. Despite of that, she treated Jean as her own father as well as him to Cosette.

Thus the relationship of these characters helped to form the events well and everything was synchronized of what was going on, especially the Marxist approach intervention on the settings of the story.     

Victor Hugo addressed social causes by writing social novels such as Les Miserables.

      

Jose Rizal was an avid fan of Victor Hugo.

On this reflection and realization of these characters. Now I know the possible and firm reason why Victor Hugo wrote this novel. He was used to be a politician when he was still alive. Because of his political and literary advantages, he merged it as one by the means of Les Misérables. In this novel, he addressed many social causes such as the abolition of the death penalty.

    Though he was committed to the government as a royalist when he was young, Hugo views changed as the decades passed and became a passionate supporter of republicanism, wherein it reflects to the character of Jean Valjean. And, it looks like Crisostomo Ibarra and Simoun as an image of Jose Rizal’s novels. Therefore, his work touches upon most of the political and social issues and artistic trends of his time. 

Rizal's "Noli Me Tangere" and "El Filibusterismo" were inspired by Hugo's "Les Miserables."

            Thus, it feels like Romanticist work of Hugo is more appreciated when it is intervene with the Marxist literary criticism/approach. 

This is my reaction after I read, watched, and analyzed Les Miserables.

Historical Approach

Les Misérables

Historical Criticism

by Rica Rose M. Alfar

Les Misérables is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its original French title. Let us try to criticize this novel by the used of historical approach, since historical approach focuses on the history, of course, critics must be based on facts.

The story of Les Miserables begins in 1815, more than two decades after the start of the French Revolution. The revolution began in 1789; it was "a deep-rooted revolt by many classes against the whole order of society." The impoverished were infuriated by their economic hardships, food shortages, and the callous attitudes upper class.

Romanticism was an intellectual and artistic movement that swept Europe and the United States from the late-18th to mid-19th centuries. This movement was preceded by the Enlightenment, which emphasized reason as the basis of social life. The Enlightenment also promoted universal, formal standards, dating back to Greek and Roman classicism, for greatness in art. The artists, philosophers, writers, and composers of the Romantic Movement rejected these standards and instead valued the individual imagination and experience as the basis of art and source of truth. Nature, the state of childhood, and emotion, rather than logic or scientific investigation, were considered the primary sources of eternal truth.

King Louis XIV prior to his execution

Louis XIV

France in the 19th century was in a constant state of political and social unrest. In 1789 the newly formed National Assembly created a document called the “Declaration of the Rights of Man,” establishing the right to liberty, equality, property, and security, and adding that every citizen had a duty to defend these rights. After King Louis XVI was executed on January 21, 1793, a period of confusion and violence followed. Many people, the innocent along with the guilty, were executed in the aftermath of the Revolution.

With the bloody departure of the monarchy, the legislature appointed a five-man Directory to power in 1795. But conspirators, including Napoleon Bonaparte, staged a coup d’état, or surprise overthrow of the state, in 1799. Napoleon became dictator and remained in power until he was completely defeated at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. This is when Hugo’s novel Les Miserables begins.

Napoleon Bonaparte

The events which we are about to relate belong to that dramatic and living reality which the historian sometimes neglects, for lack of time and space. In them, however, we insist, in them is the life, the palpitation, the quivering of humanity. Little incidents, are, so to speak, the foliage of great events and are lost in the distance of history.” Hugo gives the reader some causes that he thinks started to stir-up a revolt amongst the people. The citizens of France were at unrest and wanted a change in their government long before the massive revolt occurred. They were dissatisfied with how things were run at the time which caused tension to build. Victor Hugo gives a detailed description of the Battle of Waterloo and even ties some of his characters to figures that were present and explains how it affected their lives because of these relations. Hugo inserted information about this conflict into his story, because he had family members that fought in the Battle of Waterloo. The author paints a picture of the scene where the battle took place and describes how the conditions and setting played an important role in the fighting. He gives the reader such minute details as he does to help them experience what he thinks is necessary to truly understand what took place during the Battle of Waterloo. The reader is told how the change of political views in Paris contributed to the revolt. 

The Battle of Waterloo

Victor Hugo was one of the leading writers of the Romantic Movement in France, and Les Miserables was one of its major works. The novel is Romantic in style and theme. It is written in a sweeping, emotional manner, taking the experience of the individual as the starting-point for discovering truths about French society.

The continuing industrialization of France in the 1850s and 1860s created wealth for the country, but it also created unemployment as machines replaced manual laborers in many jobs. This in turn led to an increase in crime. Poor working women also turned to prostitution as a means of survival. They worked under the scrutiny of a Police Morals Bureau, which considered them corrupt. The character of Jean Valjean was drawn from a historical person, a petty thief named Pierre Maurin who spent five years in prison for stealing bread for his sister’s children. Hugo draws a clear distinction in the novel between those who choose crime because they are corrupt and those who are driven to it by poverty and desperation. On the one hand, there is Thenardier, who is by nature “highly susceptible to the encroachments of evil.” On the other, there is Valjean, who stole only to save his family, and Fantine, who suffered for protecting her own child. The narrator blames society’s indifference and injustice for the situation of those who fall in the latter category.

The novel is set during a momentous era of French history, the period from 1815(Waterloo) to 1833, just after the failure of the Paris uprising the previous year. These years featured the fall of Napoleon, the return of the Bourbon monarchy to France, the overthrow of that monarchy 1830 and its replacement by another branch of the royal family, the Orleanists, and the revolution of 1830, followed by an unsuccessful revolt in Paris in 1832, Hugo also uses flashes to the French revolution that began in 1789, the Napoleonic wars of the early 1800 in Europe and flashes forward to the revolution of 1848.

One question that wonders the reader or viewer is that why Catholic Church is being represented in the novel it is because church is the house of God and we worship our Lord Jesus Christ in the church. Noticed that some of the church are formed like crucifix because these two are conjunction with each other.