"A faith is a necessity to a man. Woe to him who believes in nothing."
Victor Hugo, Author of Les Miserables

Synopsis

PROLOGUE: 1815, DIGNE

Jean Valjean, released on parole after 19 years on the chain gang, finds that the yellow ticket-of-leave he must, by law, display condemns him to be an outcast. Only the saintly Bishop of Digne treats him kindly and Valjean, embittered by years of hardship, repays him by stealing some silver. Valjean is caught and brought back by police, and is astonished when the Bishop lies to the police to save him, also giving him two precious candlesticks. Valjean decides to start his life anew.

1823, MONTREUIL-SUR-MER

Eight years have passed and Valjean, having broken his parole and changed his name to Monsieur Madeleine, has risen to become both a factory owner and Mayor. One of his workers, Fantine, has a secret illegitimate child. When the other women discover this, they demand her dismissal. The foreman, whose advances she has rejected, throws her out.

Desperate for money to pay for medicines for her daughter, Fantine sells her locket, her hair, and anything else she can. Her sad fate is discovered by the Mayor, Valjean, and he rushes to her hosptial bed and vows to take in her daughter, Cosette, to try to make right his mistake of allowing her to be dismissed from the factory.

The Mayor then rescues a man pinned down by a runaway cart. Javert is reminded of the abnormal strength of convict 24601 Jean Valjean, a parole-breaker whom he has been tracking for years, but who, he says has just been recaptured. Valjean, unable to see an innocent man go to prison in his place, confesses to the court that he is prisoner 24601.

At the hospital Valjean promises the dying Fantine to find and look after her daughter Cosette. Javert arrives to arrest him, but Valjean escapes.

1823, MONTFERMEIL

Cosette has been lodged for five years with the Thenardiers who run an inn, horribly abusing the little girl while indulging their own daughter, Eponine. Valjean finds Cosette fetching water in the dark. He pays the Thenardiers to let him take Cosette away and takes her to Paris. But Javert is till on his tail...

1832, PARIS

Nine years later there is a great unrest in the city because of the likely demise of the popular leader General Lamarque, the only man left in the Government who shows any feeling for the poor. The urchin Gavroche is in his element mixing with the whores and the beggars of the capital. Among the street-gangs is one led by Thenardier and his wife, which sets upon Jean Valjean and Cosette. They are rescued by Javert, who does not recognize Valjean until after he has made good his escape. The Thenardiers' daughter Eponine, who is secretly in love with the student Marius, reluctantly agrees to help him find Cosette, with whom he has fallen in love.

At a political meeting in a small cafe, a group of idealistic students prepare for the revolution they are sure will erupt on the death of General Lamarque. When Gavroche brings the news of the General's death, the students, led by Enjolras, stream out into the streets to whip up popular support. Only Marius is distracted by the thoughts of the mysterious Cosette.

Cosette is consumed by the thoughts of Marius, with whom she has fallen in love. Valjean realizes that his 'daughter" is changing very quickly but refuses to tell her anything of her past. In spite of her own feelings for Marius, Eponine sadly brings him to Cosette and then prevents an attempt by her father's gang to rob Valjean's house. Valjean, convinced it was Javert who was lurking outside his house, tells Cosette they must prepare to flee the country. On the eve of the revolution the students and Javert see the situation from their different viewpoints; Cosette and Marius part in despair of ever meeting again; Eponine mourns the loss of Marius; and Valjean looks forward to the security of exile. The Thenardiers, meanwhile, dream of rich pickings underground from the chaos to come.

The students prepare to build the barricade. Marius, noticing that Eponine has joined the insurrection, sends her with a letter to Cosette, which is intercepted at the Rue Plumet by Valjean. Eponine decides, despite what he has said to here, to rejoin Marius at the barricade.

The barricade is built and the revolutionaries defy an army warning that they must give up or die. Gavroche exposes Javert as a policy spy. In trying to return to the barricade Eponine is shot and killed. Valjean arrives at the barricades in search of Marius. He is given the chance to kill Javert, but instead lets him go.

The students settle down for a night on the barricade and, in the quiet of the night, Valjean prays to God to save Marius from the onslaught which is to come. The next day, with ammunition running low, Gavroche runs out to collect more and is shot. The rebels are all killed, including their leader, Enjolras.

Valjean escapes into the sewers with the unconscious Marius. After meeting Thenardier, who is rubbing the corpses of the rebels, he emerges into the light only to meet Javert once more. he pleads for time to deliver the young man to a hospital. Javert decides to let him go and, his unbending principles of justice having been shattered by Valjean's own mercy, he kill himself by throwing himself into the swollen River Seine. A number of Parisian women come to terms with the failed insurrection and its victims. unaware of the identity of his rescuer, Marius recovers in Cosette's care. Valjean confesses the truth of his past to Marius and insists that after the young couple are married, he must go away rather than taint the sanctity and safety of their union. At Marius and Cosette's wedding the Thenardiers try to black mail Marius. Thenardier says Cosette's "father" is a murderer and, as proof, produces a ring which he stole from the corpse in the sewers the night the barricades fell. It is Marius' own ring., and he realizes it was Valjean who rescued him that night. He and Cosette go to Valjean, where Cosette learns for the first time of her own history before the old man dies, joining the spirits of Fantine, Eponine, and all those who died on the barricades.

Synopsis taken from http://www.allmusicals.com/lyrics/lesmiserables/---lesmiserablessynopsis---.htm

Jean Valjean

An Example of Faith

At the beginning of the play, Jean Valjean is criminal who is finally granted his yellow ticket-of-leave and is put on parole. After stealing the silver from the church, the Bishop forgives him and saves him from being imprisoned again. With this act of kindness, the Bishop has placed Valjean on the road to faith and morality. At the end of the song "What have I done" the Bishop says that "God has raised you out of darkness. I have bought your soul for God!" The Bishop's faith in Valjean and his ability to change into an honest man has inspired Valjean to begin a similar, faithful life. This event in the play is Valjean's conversion into a man of faith, in both religious and secular sense.

Later in the story of Valjean's new life as the Mayor, he learns that Inspector Javert has imprisoned a man whom Javert believes in Jean Valjean the escaped convict. This is Jean Valjean's second test as a man of faith: Should he allow this man to be convicted or should he reveal himself and jeopordize his new and wonderful life? Jean Valjean debates this in his song "Who Am I?". Key lines in this song are "My soul belongs to God, I know I made that bargain long ago, He gave me hope when hope was gone, He gave me strength to journey on." These lines illustrate Valjean's newfound gratitude and dependence on God, showing his Faith in Him. He tries to reason his way through his decision by comparing what would happen if he revealed himself to what will happen if he remains silent. He arrives at the conclusion that "if [he] speaks, [he] is condemned. If [he] stays silent, [he] is damned." Based on these conclusions, Valjean decides that it is better to live a horrible life and be saved when you die rather than live a wealthy life, as he is now, and be "damned" or be punished once he dies. This shows faith in an afterlife and in the judgement that we all experience as a part of the four last things. His faith leads him to a sound moral decision. This decision, however is not completely intellectual, which is one of the four elements of faith. He bases his decision on his faith, which leads to a decision many people would not agree on. Intellectually, Valjean's decision doesn't make much sense: If he says nothing, he is safe and can continue his luxurious life without worrying about being caught, and if he reveals himself he loses everything. But Valjean's emotions and faith cause him to steer away from this selfishness and turn toward the sound morals of a faithful hero.

Much later in the play, at the barricade built by Enjolras and the schoolboys, Valjean sings the song "Bring Him Home." This song is Valjean's prayer that young Marius will survive the battle tonight. This shows Valjean's Faith because this is a heartfelt prayer. A prayer as sincere as this shows that Valjean trusts that his prayer will be heard and answered. Someone who has no faith would not bother to pray, since they would not believe it would make any difference. Perhaps we should all be more like Valjean and pray more often. Valjean's prayer also illustrates his amazing generosity since he says "If I die, let me die, let him live." Valjean would rather God take his life that night than young Marius. Personally, I believe this generosity springs from Valjean's faith, not only in God, but also the Bishop Valjean met many years ago. After the bishop saved Valjean's life, the saintly man became a type of role model for the ex-criminal. To model one's beliefs off of someone else's and make him your role model means that you trust in his authority and that his way of life is worth mimicing.

Finally, Valjean demonstrates outstanding faith in his final song, the second half of "Beggars at the Feast." In this song, Jean Valjean shows what it means to have faith in God even at the end of your life. Valjean is shown, according to the stage directions, sitting in the shadows with a small wooden cross on his lap. This small cross is an obvious symbol of Valjean's Faith. First, Jean Valjean says the following prayer for Marius and Cosette:

Alone I wait in the shadows
I count the hours till I can sleep
I dreamed a dream Cosette stood by
It made her weep to know I die.
Alone at the end of the day
Upon this wedding night I pray
Take these children, my Lord, to thy embrace
And show them grace.

Valjean demonstrates extreme generosity as well as faith in these beautiful lines. He is about to die, yet he still wishes that God look after his adopted daughter and her new husband and to take them "to [God's] embrace." A prayer filled with such sincerity demands a lot of faith. Next, Valjean says a short prayer for himself:

God on high
Hear my prayer
Take me now
To thy care
Where You are
Let me be
Take me now
Take me there
Bring me home

This prayer shows Valjean's acceptance of his death. If fact, he wishes it would come swiftly so that he may finally see the face of God. To be as calm and accepting as Jean Valjean is at his deathbed takes an incredible amount of trust that you will be taken to heaven and finally be at rest in the valley of the Lord. Valjean demonstrates his belief in heaven and in God even as he lay dying.

As Jean Valjean finally goes to his final resting place, the spirits of Fantine and Eponine appear on stage and serve as witnesses to Valjean's faith and the love he showed all throughout his life. The final lines that they sing are "to love another person is to see the face of God!" In order to truly love someone, you must trust in that person and have faith in them. In this way, faith is a pathway to God when coupled with strong morals and virutes. Jean Valjean of Les Miserables shows us the road of faith and its difficulties, as well as how to overcome those challenges and finally reap and everlasting reward in heaven.

Other Examples of Faith in Les Miserables

Inspector Javert

Blind Faith in the Law

Inspector Javert is considered the villain of the story, especially at the beginning of the play when he is tirelessly searching for Valjean. Nevertheless, Javert demonstrates key elements of faith.

Inspector Javert has complete faith in the law of France, and also the law of the Lord, at least as he views it. In his soliloquy "Stars," Javert shows his unrelenting faith in the law. He says that he "never shall yield" until he finally captures Jean Valjean. He believes so strongly in the law that he is willing to dedicate his life to upholding it. This song also demonstrates Javert's faith in God, though it is certainly a different God than Valjean believes in. Javert's image of God is a rigid lawmaker, such as Javert himself. He believes that "those who follow the path of the righteouss shall have their reward" in heaven, much like all Christians do. But Javert sees this path differently than most; he views it as a straight and narrow path of black and white, right and wrong, upholder of the law and criminal, Javert and Valjean. His faith in this view has taken over Javert's mind and causes him to relentlessly pursue Valjean. This faith has dictated Javert's entire life.

Javert experiences a period of darkness in his faith in the law and his view of the path of the righteous in his other soliloquy called "Javert's Suicide." In this song, we see Javert going through a period of darkness in his faith, which ultimately leads to his own destruction. Javert's faith has dictated every move he makes through his life, yet now his image of the purity of the law is shaken. By his personl beliefs, Valjean should have killed Javert when he had the chance, yet he shows the inspector mercy. This act of mercy does not follow Javert's ideal image of the law, and thus disrupts his faith. Although his faith is shaken, Javert finally decides that nothing, not even his own life, is worth a loss in faith. He then decides to commit suicide, thereby ending his struggle with his faith and preserving his ideal view in the law.

Javert's suicide is very difficult to interpret. I believe that this unfortuneate ending to the story of one of the most complex and interesting characters in the play highlight ideas related to faith. Javert will not allow anything to get in the way of his faith, showing that he is determined and has nearly a complete trust in the law. Absolutely nothing can deter him from his cause. This intense faith is interesting and somewhat admirable, but there is one flaw in this story.

Javert, at first a grand example of faith in his own beliefs in the law, now has become a victim of blind faith. He has become a fanaticist, or someone who believes in something without the use of reason. He has abandoned reason to support his beliefs. Because of this, Javert becomes an example of how blind faith is dangerous. Still, despite his flaws, the undying faith Javert possesses is astonishing, even if it is unreasonable.

Enjolras

Faith in a Cause

Enjolras is the leader of the Revolutionary Schoolboys. He firmly believes that the people of France are in need of liberation from the tyranny of the government and is willing to die for his cause. This is much like the article "Inside the Mind of an Iraqi Suicide Bomber." In the most famous song of the play, "Do You Hear the People Sing?" Enjolras inspires the schoolboys and pleads his cause. In this song, on of the Schoolboys sings, "The Blood of the martyrs shall water the meadows of France," showing the extent of their faith in the revolution. The view themselves as martyrs, who by definition are those who die for their beliefs. Earlier in the play, during the song "Red and Black," Enjolras says "let us take to the streets with no doubt in our hearts." Enjolras' faith in his cause is complete. He has no doubts that he fights for the right and the benefit of France. He doesn't care whether he lives or dies in this battle.

Marius

An Example of the Four Characteristics of Biblical Faith

Marius quickly falls into step with Enjolras and the revolutionary schoolboys. Although he is not as passionate about this cause as Enjolras, he still believes in the cause and decides to fight for France in the song "One Day More" where Marius says "My place is here, I fight with you!" Marius is aware that he is likely to die in the upcoming fight, yet he is passionate enough to fight anyway. From the Intellectual standpoint, this may not be such a good idea, especially since he has Cosette waiting for him. Marius and Cosette fell in love the moment they met on the streets. This love is another example of faith. Also in the song "One Day More" Cosette and Marius sing "And I swear I will be true!" Love in itself is not intellectual. Why would you want to make yourself so vulnerable and dependant on another person? Why take that risk? Marius' emotions dictate his decision to swear his love to Cosette, which is an example of faith in her.

Although Marius' love for Cosette is genuine, even he goes through a period of doubt and darkness. During the song "Drink With Me" Marius asks "Will you weep, Cosette, should Marius fall?" In the few remaining hours before his stand at the barricade, Marius questions Cosette's love for him. Will she be upset if he is killed during the battle? Does Cossette care about him as much as he cares about her? These questions plague Marius as he slowly falls to sleep. Marius experiences another period of darkness during his song "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables." Marius is depressed and confused now that all of his friends have died at the barricade and he is the only survivor. Marius fears that he let his friends down by not dying alongside them. He fears that he broke his friends' trust and faith in him. During this song, Marius says "Oh my friends don't ask me what you sacrifice was for," showing that he now questions if the cause that Enjolras and the others died for was worth it. Was this battle for France's freedom really worth the lives of all his companions?

Faith involves risk. When you place your faith in someone or something, you make youself vulnerable, putting your happiness or integrity on the line. Marius' endeavors of faith are filled with potential risks. He decides to fight with the schoolboys against the powerful French army even though he knows how powerful a foe he is up against. Yet his faith in the cause of the schoolboys to liberate France pushes him onward, showing that he believes this is a risk worth taking. Marius swears his love to Cosette after only knowing her for a few hours. At the end of the play, Marius marries Cosette. To pledge your life to someone takes an enormous amount of faith in that person. He makes himself vulnerable. He has no true way of knowing if Cosette will be a faithful wife, yet he marries her anyway. He believes that this also is a risk worth taking.

Marius consistently has to deal with obstacles to his faith. For example, he loves Cosette, yet Eponine is also in love with him. Marius' loyalty to Cosette is called into question, yet Marius chooses Cosette. Marius also must decide if his faith in Enjolras and the revolution is worth the risk. He believes that France needs to be freed from the oppressive government, yet is that worth dying for? When He decides to join in the fight, Marius remains faithful to the cause of Enjolras and the Schoolboys. Marius' marriage will also be a lifelong challenge. More periods of darkness will present themselves and Marius will have to find a way to crawl back into the light. Marriage is a lifelong commitment, and thus is a lifelong challenge.

Sources

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Other Amazing Stories of Faith