May 04, 2017 interesting that translations are so very different. Hugo now turns to another leading character, marius. After his release, valjean plans to rob monseigneur myriel, a saintlike bishop, but cancels his plan. Jul 11, 2008 les miserables, as interpreted by the rsc. For example, hugo is napoleons most famous apologist, and its a bit repetitive how much ones stance on royalism is brought up outside of the revolutionary plotline. The story of jean valjean, a poor french boy who is arrested at the age of 19 for stealing a loaf of bread for his family, and who is sentenced to the quarries for seven years.
How does les miserables 25th anniversary production compare. Nobody in the history of literature has demonstrated an easier fluency at composing verse than hugo. Set in the parisian underworld and plotted like a detective story, the work follows the fortunes of the convict jean valjean, a victim of society who has been imprisoned for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread. See a complete list of the characters in les miserables and indepth analyses of jean valjean, cosette, javert, marius pontmercy, and fantine. I really was disappointed with the show, i took my girlfriend to see it for her first time and it happened to be the 25th. As for the story itself, les miserables is simply one of the greatest stories ever told. I wish to have an unabridged edition but, being partial to wellillustrated books, i also want the firstrate illustrations of.
I first started with the abridged and felt like something was differentdont know what translation that was. However, several alternatives have been used, including the miserables. That book was full of digressions that were dozens of pages long and didnt add anything to the plot of an otherwise great story. On les mis, i actually read an abridged version that took it. The convict jean valjean is released from a french prison after serving nineteen years for stealing a loaf of bread and for subsequent attempts to escape from prison.
I went to the store today and bought les miserables, only to find out once i got home that it is the abridged version. I of course had to get a copy of the soundtrack myself and then from there we jumped into the book. What is the best version of the book les miserables by vitor hugo. He falls in love with cosette and fights on the barricades. Each book includes educational tools alongside the text, enabling students and readers alike to gain a deeper and more developed understanding of the writer and their work. Les miserables audiobook by victor hugo, lee fahnestock. Granted, im only reading the abridged version, so thats about 800 pages less that ill have to read. The strange power of les mis, the book the new republic. Les miserables tells the story of exconvict, jean valjean, and his valiant struggle to. The book is missing the entire part of the story where fantine lost her job, fell to prostitution, became ill, attacked jean val jean, and was taken in by him.
Mar 30, 2018 vs the other abridged and adapted versions that slice out very important sections of the story. He becomes a factory owner, then a mayor, even taking upon himself a small child, cosette, who was the daughter of one of his. I had described the show and she had seen the 10th and 25th anniver. Victor hugos masterpiece of adventure, rebellion, and human redemption burst onto the french literary scene in 1862. But be prepared to deal with a lot of sidethoughts from hugo and other history. The literal meaning of les miserables is the miserable ones. Here hugo situates his own novel, a work of art, within the general historical march of progress, which paradoxically is both inevitable and has to be fought for. I would recommend reading the abridged to see if the story and writing really appeal to you. How does les miserables 25th anniversary production. Set in the parisian underworld and plotted like a detective story, les misrables follows the adventures of jean valjean, originally an honest peasant, who has been imprisoned for nineteen years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sisters starving family. The characters are french and the book is centered around their lives. The book which the reader has in his hands les miserables itselfis part of a march, however winding and cut through by exceptions, of evil to good, unjust to just, night to day.
What a great book, but some of the history lessons were a little too long. When valjean arrives at the town of digne, no one is willing to give him shelter because he is an exconvict. It is a bit confusing, however, as each book is divided into chapters, which are themselves actually labeled books. Which one do you think is better overall subjective opinions welcome.
He is seventyfive years old and lives only with a sister baptistine, ten years younger than he, and an old servant, madame magloire, the same age as his sister. There are two principle differences between my two copies of les miserables. Les miserables abridged by victor hugo and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. A monumental classic dedicated to the oppressed, the underdog, the laborer, the rebel, the orphan, and the misunderstood, les miserables is a rich, emotional novel that captures nothing less than the entirety of life in nineteenthcentury france. For anyone else who luvs to jog back into history pick up this book. Abridged books are an insult to the authors and to the readers. Porter has published twelve books, including victor hugo 1999, and a hundred. Dragonkeeper19600 reads les miserables an upright man youtube. It was an instant popular success and was quickly translated into several languages. A hardened criminal upon his release, he eventually reforms, becoming a successful industrialist and town. Gillenormand, by threatening to disinherit marius, has forced georges. Enriched classics offer readers accessible editions of great works of literature enhanced by helpful notes and commentary.
When the book was finished, hugo tried and failed to write a preface. She knew all of the music, because i listen to it often. Overall the movie was good, there were a few places where the accents were off, sounded more like oliver or nicholas nickleby, an english accent more than french. Dragonkeeper19600 reads les miserables an upright man. Nice to know about waterloo, french revolution, french slang words, the paris sewer system, etc, but way to much information. Les mis rables is a french historical novel by victor hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the nineteenth century. I know the unabridged version of the book starts out very slow, but i heard after that part the story starts to pick up and get very interesting. I must admit that i have never read or watched les mis because i.
Interesting that translations are so very different. Jan 24, 2020 i really was disappointed with the show, i took my girlfriend to see it for her first time and it happened to be the 25th. Then in 2015 over summer, finally got around to reading the unabridged book and that version felt like a masterpiece. Les miserables tells the fictional story of jean valjean, a man who has unjustly been condemned to nearly two decades of prison for stealing a. Victor hugos les miserables debuted 150 years ago in 1862 and now has. A magnificent story marvelously captured in this new unabridged. Published in 1862, the book referenced what were already historic events. I normally would never read an abridged version, but now i dont know if i should take the book back sometime next week and try to find an unabridged version, or if i should just read the one i have now. If you want the pure version, go with the unabridged. One day, an ex convict wanders into the bishops village and cant find any food or lodging because everyone turns him away. A hardened criminal upon his release, he eventually reforms, becoming a successful industrialist and town mayor.
Jean valjean was convicted for stealing a loaf of bread. Michael was reading the abridged version and i bravely tackled the unabridged. It is read by christopher cazenove and it is part of the classics read by celebrities audiobook series. Hugo wanted to transform politics into history, and rewrite history so. Les miserables abridged vs unabridged showing 150 of 84. The symbol of light and darkness in les miserables from. The books opens by describing the life of a really upstanding dude named bishop myriel. The les miserables quotes below all refer to the symbol of light and darkness. Apr 25, 2008 set in the parisian underworld and plotted like a detective story, les misrables follows the adventures of jean valjean, originally an honest peasant, who has been imprisoned for nineteen years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sisters starving family. I am wondering what book i should read next and since both of them are quite thick i want to choose well since it will be some time before i get to read the other one. Les miserables by victor hugo the imaginative conservative. Along with everything else, also note that even an abridged version is going to contain a vast amount of authorial tract. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis.
The protagonist, jean valjean, is sentenced to prison for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread. In the englishspeaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its original french title. In a nearby town, georges pontmercy, marius father, a hero of the napoleonic wars, lives in retirement. Only time ive read a book and wish id gotten the abridged version was les miserables. I did not need a 100 page essay on waterloo just to introduce a character in the last paragraph. In 3d a broadway abridged script by gil varod and robert j. Les miserables is a novel by victor hugo that was first published in 1862. May 28, 2019 les miserables, one of the most popular musicals of all time, is based on a novel of the same name by french author victor hugo.
For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one. By julia gossard in 40 acres, special on january 16, 20 at 11. Les miserables tells the story of exconvict, jean valjean, and his valiant struggle to redeem his past. Les miserables by victor hugo paste paste magazine. If i had only one book outside the bible to take with me through the rest of my life it would be victor hugos les miserables. I should point out that this is a chronology of the novel not the musical, although many of the events are the same for obvious reasons 1739 monseigneur bienvenu myriels birth. Marius is a seventeenyearold who lives with his grandfather, m. I like that it gets the story into the hands of younger children, where the language of the original book would be pretty much impossible for a young child to understand. Les miserables is a massive volume, which includes five sections that readers would generally recognized as books. Comparing three translations of les miserables gently hew stone.
Les miserables abridged by victor hugo and a great selection of related books. Charles francoisbienvenu myriel has been bishop of digne for nine years. Standard abridgment of this translation of the original edition, by james k. Comparing three translations of les miserables gently. How does les miserables the musical differ from the book. Les miserables, one of the most popular musicals of all time, is based on a novel of the same name by french author victor hugo. Les miserables chronology i should point out that this is a chronology of the novel not the musical, although many of the events are the same for obvious reasons 1739 monseigneur bienvenu myriels birth.
More than any other book, les miserables changed that. After repeated attempts to escape, he ends up spending twenty years. Thank you for the history lesson it is much appreciated. Aug 05, 2008 the book les miserables, abridged or unabridged.
1675 1303 730 1154 1642 570 711 581 254 1499 1578 712 684 1581 918 1271 1083 1095 1010 869 1296 1572 1215 1415 790 41 784 1073 151 167 802 266 1560 279 1196 939 27 404 211 447 138 567 338 18 1260