June 9, 2009 8:14 AM
Les Miserables - Book Two - Valjean
In Les Miserables, Victor Hugo assigned himself a formidable task - presenting a human drama against a political background - certainly not unique, but I believe, the most remarkable job in literature. Other novelists have done this and done it well - Charles Dickens comes to mind (A Tale of Two Cities) - but as a French writer, Hugo knows the historical and political landscape of France and assumes his readers will as well. As 21st century Americans, some of us may be a little fuzzy in this area - but if you're like me, you may prefer your history lessons this way :)
So just a few remarks to place this in context:
The French Revolution occurred almost simultaneously with the American Revolution. Many believe that the reason the French Revolution failed - in that it did not bring the liberté, égalité, fraternité (liberty, equality, brotherhood) promised - while ours flourished was that our founding documents reflected our belief in God as the author of our individual rights.
The American and French Revolutions claimed the same Enlightenment ideals: freedom, equality, justice. Still, the two events were profoundly different in method and result. The American Revolution led to a well-reasoned public dialogue on the nature of democracy and the role of the fledgling government. This dialogue culminated first in the Articles of Confederation and then the Constitution, on which the country has been anchored securely ever since. The French Revolution, on the other hand, led to the height of unreasonableness: a bloodbath of recrimination followed by a fragile republic destined to yield again and again to upheaval. ~from Publishers Weekly's review of Sister Revolutions: French Lightning, American Light
I'm speaking simply here, but our understanding of Les Miz depends on understanding the historical context, because the French Revolution left the French masses in the same miserable state they were in before - hence Hugo's title - and vulnerable to political upheaval. As we read, there will be struggles in the street complete with barricades and civilian/state violence, but these were mini-revolts occurring for decades after the French Revolution.
For further study on the French Revolution and events leading up to it, you can check out the History Channel's French Revolution on YouTube starting with Episode 1 and proceeding through all the videos there.
So let's begin a Les Miserables Timeline (HT)- combining history and events found in the book to place it perspective. Right now we will cover events only up to the end of Book Two (p.113):
1769: Jean Valjean is born (as we learn in from flashbacks)
1778: Jean Valjean's father dies, and Jean becomes responsible for his family.
1789: The storming of the Bastille - the most famous event in the French Revolution. The First Republic.
1793: The "great terror", where the revolutionaries kill thousands.
1795: Valjean steals a loaf of bread to feed his sister's starving children. He is imprisoned.
1802: (Victor Hugo is born)
1804: M. Myriel is curate of Brigolles. Napoleon is declared Emperor and begins to conquer Europe.
1806: M. Myriel becomes bishop at Digne (eventually known as Monseigneur Bienvenu to the people of his diocese)
1812: Napoleon has his greatest defeat, in Russia.
1814: Napoleon has further setbacks, and is finally defeated in 1815. The monarchy is restored, but with less power than before.
1815: Valjean is released from prison.
Just some background to help put the events in perspective.
Now we begin Book Two, where we meet Jean Valjean, the hero of the book. He has just been released from the prison at Toulon, where he has served for 19 years - the original five for stealing a loaf of bread for his sister's starving children, and 14 more for trying to escape.
He has walked his way from Toulon to Digne, which Google Maps tells me this morning is 91.3 miles walking distance - though I would guess then it might have been more since there were few streets or sidewalks, as Google now describes. Here is the map:
Valjean, to his credit, obeys the law and registers in Digne as an ex-convict. But news spreads before, poisoning his chances to find food and lodging. His appearance is unsavory (after 19 years in prison - not like ours! - he has just walked 91 miles). The mentality of people in small villages who had to watch out for themselves explains, perhaps, the indignities he encounters. His hardship is unimaginable - and the musical dramatizes it well.
At the end of his rope, Valjean is directed to the home of M. Myriel (Monseigneur Bienvenue), where he is received and treated with the same dignity the good bishop would have treated even the most noble visitor.
The best witness is M. Myriel's devoted sister, whose account is found on pp. 78-81, including these words about her brother:
"He undoubtedly thought that this man, who was called Jean Valjean, had his misery all too constantly in his mind, that it was better to make him think of other things, and have him believe if only for a moment, that he was a person like anyone else, by treating him in this normal way. Isn't this a true understanding of charity/ Isn't there, dear lady, something truly evangelical in this tact, which refrains from sermonizing, moralizing, and making allusions? Isn't it most sympathetic, when a man has a bruise, not to touch it at all?"
I will tell you in advance that the entire book can be read as a treatise on legalism v. grace. M. Myriel is the portrait of grace - very much the opposite of the kind of carefully calculated charity we are often guilty of - as for example, when we refuse money to street beggars because we think they will probably just buy alcohol. M. Myriel's giving has not strings attached. We have already seen that he sees everyone - regardless of circumstances or spiritual condition - as God's people, his people. His interaction with Valjean is not contrary to what we already know of him. His life and his charity towards others is a seamless garment.
The key to understanding Valjean as M. Myriel meets him is found on pages 87-93. He is angry. "He had no weapon but his hatred." Having received only the worst treatment, he expects only the same. He is without hope, without love, without God.
He has the strength of four men - a fact that will become important later in the story.
He had not cried for 19 years.
On this - my third - reading of Les Miserables, I am almost hearing, like a Greek chorus, a group of upright Christians in the background, chattering about the bishop's folly in hosting Valjean, whispering "I Told You So" when Valjean turns on his benefactor, steals his silver, and flees in the night.
And I can hear their puzzled murmurs when the gendarmes return the guilty man to the bishop - who not only refuses to condemn him with the truth, but gives him the silver candlesticks from the mantel to take too, charging him:
"Do not forget, ever, that you have promised me to use this silver to become an honest man. . . Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil, but to good. It is your soul I am buying for you. I will draw it from dark thoughts and from the spirit of perdition, and I will give it to God!"
Do I hear the GreekChristian chorus in the background tch-tching that this is not theologically correct?
Forget those rigid voices and forget our earthly ways of judging! 1Samuel 16:7 reminds us that we are not fit to judge: "Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart." Focus instead on the incredible act of mercy and grace that M. Myriel has just performed (and use it as a standard to live by!). Then watch as the story unfolds and we see how the world is transformed - in fits and starts, often imperfectly - how many lives are touched through that one act of kindness.
The imperfection, the fits and starts of spiritual understanding begin immediately. The package is not neatly tied up in a bow. Hugo does not spare his readers the test of how we ourselves perceive M. Myriel's act - as faithful or foolhardy, grace-filled or egregious.
Instead of an instant softening, Valjean grows even harder. He steals from a little boy. He reels like a drunken man, feeling the act of mercy as the greatest assault on his soul. The description of spiritual warfare on pages 110-111 are worth earmarking as they show how blinded we can be to Gods reality. We will also refer back to these pages much later in the book when another character suffers the same spiritual crisis.
"The bishop had hurt his soul, as too vivid a light would have hurt his eyes on coming out of the dark. The future life, the possible life offered to him, all pure and radiant, filled his with trembling and anxiety. He no longer knew where he was. Like an owl seeing the sun suddenly rise, the convict had been dazzled and blinded by virtue."
As I reread this in order to organize my thoughts, I find myself swept up again by the power of the spiritual battle taking place in this uneducated man who has no access to literacy or a Bible. The fact is that we do not need the printed word to feel the reality of our Father. Though it is His gift to us, it is not a necessary part of our salvation. Valjean's direct apprehension of God and his reckoning with his sin and shame apart from the ministrations of another human being - these very much reflect my own experience.
In the end, Valjean weeps - 19 years worth of tears - not at the injustice done to him, but at the injustice he finally sees in his own soul - his own sin, the hardness of his heart. For though M. Myriel forgave Valjean and demonstrated his redemption, it was up to Valjean to receive the gift he was given.
~~~~~~~~~~
I know this may be a new kind of reading for some of you. And I know it's difficult to fit in around the chores. Please remember to read intuitively (see Getting Started), skipping over the theological/philosophical/historical discussions if you need to to follow the story line. In the end, you will be so glad you did.
For entire commentary and helps - including pronunciation keys, maps, timeline, see Les Miserables Book Study
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Comments
Thank you for recommending this amazing book! I'm reading it aloud with my 10 year old daughter right now. We're going at a pretty slow pace as I stop to explain some passages and we talk about the actions of the bishop. This book is so rich with life lessons that she is grasping (mainly because they are coming from someone besides me. Preteen drama, it does end at some point, right?)
At any rate, I'm enjoying the cuddling up with a good book with my daughter once more and I have you to thank!
Posted by: Maggie Dee | June 9, 2009 1:39 PM
Thanks for the map! That gives me so much more perspective!
Posted by: Joani | June 9, 2009 2:56 PM
Oh thank you for doing this! your timeline and map has really helped me!!!
On another note, I have been in Nice and although it is further north than where he supposedly was, I just have to say Nice was very, very, very hilly...like San fransisco hilly, like "wear you out going up and down one hill" kind of hilly! I can't imagine walking 91 miles of that in one go! (I have a few snapshots on Flickr if anyone is curious) Although I don't know what the terrain was closer inland.
(we drove a bit through France coming over to Germany from England, but it was very, very northern France...)
Kristy in Germany
Posted by: Kristy in Germany | June 9, 2009 4:39 PM
I am so happy to see such a dissection of Les Mis... it is among (top 5) my favorite books of all time. I'll be reading your posts daily. It's so good to have found this. thanks!
Posted by: Patricia Kurz | June 10, 2009 8:34 AM
I also want to thank you for all the study help suggestions. I love timelines, and appreciate you combining the history with the story into one. I spent some time looking at the youtube suggestion, as well as one on Napoleon. The passage you highlighted from the sister's letter stood out to me as I read, too. I think God can reach people through sermons and evangelizing, but time and again my husband and I have seen people's lives truly change when you build a relationship and spend time with a person...when you show in action that you "love your neighbor as yourself."
Posted by: Crystal | June 10, 2009 12:59 PM
