Day 6: Les Miserables

Today's post is a musical that makes you sad/teary, and for any person that knows this show, they would agree that Les Miserables is the saddest. (Yes, I know I'm missing an accent over the first 'e', I don't know how to add it onto this.)

So Les Miserables takes place in 19th century France and starts with Jean Valjean, an ex-convict imprisoned for 19 years for stealing bread for his starving sister and his family. He gets released by policeman Javert and the Bishop of Digne offers Valjean food and shelter. Valjean steals silver from him and gets caught, but the Bishop lies and helps Valjean create a better life. Valjean follows the advice of the Bishop and breaks his parole.

Eight years later, he lives under a name that is Monsieur Madeline, a wealthy factory owner and mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer (it's this town located in Northern France). One of his factory workers, Fantine, is discovered by her other workers that she sends money to her secret illegitimate daughter, Cosette, who lives with this cruel innkeeper and his wife. The Foreman of the factory, having been rejected by Fantine, fires her.  Cosette was conceived by Fantine and this mystery man (whose name is never said in the musical) and had her dreams shattered by him. Fantine has to become a prostitute to pay for Cosette's care. Fantine is arrested after fighting off an abusive customer, but ends up being taken to a hospital.

Valjean gives himself up after discovering that another man was arrested as him. He wishes to see dying Fantine before he's put in prison again but Javert wouldn't let him, so he knocks Javert unconscious and goes to find Cosette.

Cosette is still with the Thenardiers, the innkeeper and his wife, and they work and abuse little Cosette, while spoiling their own daughter, Eponine. Valjean comes and buys Cosette away from the couple and run away.

Ten years later, Paris is in turmoil because the only man in government to show compassion to the poor is ill and is dying soon. Some students were planning to create a rebellion while Valjean and Cosette are almost robbed by the street gang created by the Thenardiers. Javert is hot on Valjean' trail, vows to keep looking for him. Eponine has always loved her friend Marius, and hoped one day he'd return those affections. However, he bumps into Cosette and the two fall in love. 

Eponine sets Marius and Cosette up, against her wishing, but they part when Valjean confides to Cosette that they have to leave the country. Meanwhile, the revolution is rising rapidly in the streets of Paris, being led by the students.

Javert goes undercover to "spy" on the rebelling group. Eponine has disguised herself as a boy and joined the rebelling group as well. She reflects on the fact that Marius will never love her the way she loves him. Javert's cover is blown and is kicked out of the rebelling group.

The next day, the students realizes that the Paris citizens have fled from the rebels and they will all probably die. Eponine dies in Marius' arms. All of the other rebels are killed except for Valjean and Marius, who is wounded. Valjean carries Marius on his back and runs into Javert. He begs him to let him bring Marius to a doctor, which he agrees. Javert cannot bring himself to arrest Valjean, so he commits suicide by throwing himself into the Seine.

Marius discovers Valjean is an ex-convict, and Valjean has to depart because his presence endangers Cosette. Cosette and Marius marry, but the Thenardiers (in disguise) try to tell Marius that Valjean is a murderer (which he isn't). Marius realizes that Valjean was the one who saved him and punches the male Thenardier and they leave.

As Valjean prepares to die, Marius and Cosette come to bid him away. The spirits of  Eponine and Fantine come to take Valjean's spirit with them. The end.
(Sorry it took so long to explain.)

The show's theme, the constant struggle of people, is just very sad, depressing, powerful, and understood. I think the majority of teen girls can relate to the Eponine/Marius/Cosette love triangle. If I could put this for another category, it would be Best Lyrics, but I have another musical for that! Plus, the story line is just very sad and gloomy. I mean almost all of the main characters die except for Cosette, Marius and the Thenardiers. Ironic, right?

I absolutely love the song I Dreamed A Dream. It's about Fantine and how she was enamored with a man who left rather quickly and left her pregnant and her dreams shattered. I'm at the point of crying every time I hear this song and I cannot wait to hear Anne Hathaway sing it next month!