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Analysis Of Les Miserables: What Spirit Comes To Move My Life

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What Spirit Comes to Move My Life?
Religion in France during the 1800s was a time for growth and development. After the French Revolution, religion became more important to the people than ever before. As their right to religious freedom was declining, the more valuable it became. By 1974 France’s churches and religious orders were closed down and worship was suppressed. Victor Hugo wrote a telling story using beliefs from the Catholic religion to give his audience context that they vied for during this time. Les Miserables is meant to be read as a Christian allegory, and the music from the movie helps to enhance this aspect of the book.
At its core, Les Miserables is a story of a downtrodden man’s salvation. Seen throughout the novel is the …show more content…

In doing so it enhanced the more Christian and religious aspects of the book to help the audience understand the underlying concepts without boldly stating it as a “Christian Movie”. We can see this in songs such as the final “Epilogue”. Jean Valjean as well as with the Bishop and Fantine sing “Remember the truth that once was spoken / To love another person is to see the face of God.” This lyric is almost a direct quote from Genesis 33:10 “For to see your face is like seeing the face of God” (Bible). If you read the full verse Jacob says “If I have found favor in your eyes, accept this gift from me” (Bible.) Jacob is speaking to his brother Esau, he urges him to take his gift because the Lord was gracious with him and he has plenty. This is similar to how Valjean gives his fortune to Cosette and Marius after their marriage. Another example is in Jean Valjean’s Soliloquy, “…Take an eye for an eye / Turn your heart into stone.” This common saying is actually found in Matthew 5:38, “Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth” (Bible). In Valjean’s despair he realizes that the Bishop spared him this retaliation. Instead of what has commonly been done to him, he does wrong and is sentenced, the Bishop pardons

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