Notre Dame Vs Les Miserables Essay

Of all French Romantics, none is so well-known, nor as heavily-worded, as Victor Hugo. Hugo is responsible for such classics as The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Misérables. From its first printing, Les Misérables has received praise for its political commentary, colorful phrasing, and most notably, its characters. Given its reception, it is no surprise that the book has spawned several adaptations for both film and stage, most famously the film adaptation in 1998 by Columbia Pictures. In any adaptation of a book with such strong characters, casting is critical, especially in regards to the protagonist and antagonist; Jean Valjean and Monsieur Javert, respectively. The stark contrast betwixt the two characters’ motivations and sense of justice form not only the basis of the book’s tension, but an atmosphere and plot characteristic of the Romantic Era. Their differences in character can be best summed up quite easily by their greatest contrasting feature: change. Jean Valjean

Instead of allowing this innocent man to serve his time, he confessed in court for all to hear that he was, in-fact, Valjean. He had little time before he would be captured by police, so in that brief time he reciprocated the kindness he had not long ago received. He ensured the welfare of all his employees by bequeathing his factory to them. Following this, he visited Fantine while she was ill with tuberculosis and arranged for him to adopt her child. At this time, Javert came in and attempted to capture him, however, he escaped and fled on horse and carriage. He went to the home where Fantine’s daughter was being kept. Cosette, as she was called, was in an abusive home with step parents who treated her poorly. He offered small sums of money, but her step parents had an intense avarice. After suggesting she was worth fifteen hundred francs, Valjean presented a letter from Fantine, stating Valjean was her legal