Assignment #1
1) From watching the major motion version of "Les Miserables," I have been reminded of the French Revolution. We studied it in grade ten for Pre-IB English in preparation for reading Charles Dickens'
A Tale of Two Cities. I have seen the film about five times now, but never live on stage. It makes me wonder how we could perform it on our stage, small as it is. Each time I watch it, I notice a new detail or two but I don't necessarily learn things that I do not already know.
The French Revolution lasted from 1789-1799 and it aimed to overthrow the near-bankrupt monarchy who King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette were figures of. The people of France were outraged by the lack of food, money and support from the King and the government. The Aristocracy, which was the highest class, and the church were exempt from paying taxes, leaving the peasants had to pay everything they had, which was more than usually nothing. The monarchy, the church and the Aristocrats took all the weath and left everyone else to starve. The fed up peasants became revolutionaries and decided to stormed the state prison known as the Bastille in order to gain power. The storming of the Bastille proved a success as well as symbolized the monarchy's abuse because the prison only contained seven inmates at the time. The revolutionaries managed to place the royal family under house arrest and proceeded to establish order. This began The Reign of Terror (1793-1794) that arose due to political conflict between the Jacobins and the Girondins, resulting in mass executions - the guillotine was used for this purpose - of enemies of the revolution.
All in all, the French Revolution aimed to bring about liberty, equality and fraternity to the country. It wasn't easy by any means, but France now has this revolution and the people involved to thank for their free and vastly improved lives today.
Having said all of this information, Les Mis doesn't actually take place during the French Revolution, which many people assume. It is set in France in 1832, with King Louis-Phillipe as the head of the recent Orleanist monarchy. France at this time was suffering a large income gap and the working class suffered the blunt of it. When General Lamarque, a friend to the poor and oppressed was pronounced dead, thousands took to the streets in both mourning and political uproar, resulting in a mob. The elephant statue, as seen in the film, is called 'The Elephant of the Bastille' and is a monument thought up by Napoleon Bonaparte that was meant to be built out of bronze and built where the Bastille once stood. It's plaster form existed between 1813 to 1846 and it was never completed, but it was supposed to commemorate the past. Gavroche is said to use it as a shelter in the musical.
2) My favourite scene is the "Stars" song by Javier. There's something about Russel Crowe's voice that hooks me. It's soft yet powerful and equally effortless. The scene displays his determination to find Valjean and he goes as far as to promise God. Javier contrasts himself and Valjean as being good and bad. He sees himself as righteous because his duty as an officer controls him to never bend the rules; to allows obey the law he enforces, and receive proper punishment. He believes one is either intrinsically bad or good, no in between. In contrast, Valjean is compared to Lucifer and is said to not follow the path of God. Javier is blind to morale. He only sees the law and fails to tap into human compassion. Javier cannot understand that Valjean is doing good by raising Cosette, although it means he must live life on the run and in constant fear. Valjean feels that giving an orphan a home as he swore to Fantine is his morale obligation.There is a line between what is right and what is the law and we see this throughout the musical. I like this scene because of both the brilliant music, and the pensive discussion that can be had about what we believe is right and wrong.
Another scene that stood out to me was "I Dreamed A Dream" simply because of Anne Hathaway's performance. It is is utterly raw and endlessly emotional. She is an undeniable force that draws in the audience. Her acting and singing is so stunning you can literally feel herself pouring her soul into her character. Hathaway also cut her actual hair for this movie which shows how committed she is to doing Fantine justice. I don't think anyone cold ever play her as well. It's even better that not many people expect her to be an accomplished singer so they nay be blown away upon hearing her voice. Hathaway makes it difficult to repress tears (and chills) in this film. I am awestruck my this scene. Every single time.
3) The theme of morale and righteousness can relate to my favourite scene, which I think to be one of the most significant examples. When Javier commits suicide, he finally realized that he has based his entire life upon the philosophy that a bad person will always be bad and a good person shall always be good. He believed that there were no grey areas; change was impossible. Javier devoted his life to bringing the "bad" people to justice without mercy or lenience of any kind. For example: ever since he caught Valjean for stealing a loaf of bread he has hated him and fundamentally believed he deserved a lifetime of punishment in the form of hard labour as a slave and papers that prohibit living normally. Javier did not care that the bread was for his starving family, he rather saw the stealing as a hard crime. Eventually, Javier realized that Valjean has acted with good intentions and has really commited the greater good. This realization shatters his point of view as he now sees that because he hasn't shown mercy, he himself could be viewed as bad. Knowing that he has turned on the Christian teaching of mercy and forgiveness, he is wrecked. His hypocritical existence is too much to live with, so he jumps into the churning water far, far below. This is one of many instances of morale and righteousness shown in Les Mis.
The motif of Resurrection is displayed mainly by Valjean as he is metaphorically reborn in times of great significance in his life. He first changes upon leaving prison. He is hardened and hopeless as he wanders on foot, looking for work as person after person turns him down because of his "crime."When he does infact turn to thievery of the silver, he realizes how he must change. The bishop's unexpected kindness rattles him into thinking, "where did I go wrong?" Being placed in prison for petty thief with good intentions comes back around when free men cannot make money as they are shamed. It is a viscous cycle. Valjean realized that his life will not improve if he remains Jean Valjean, prisoner 24601 and so he reinvents himself and builds a new life. He is successful and admired by the townsfolk as Miseur Mayor for many years until he is discovered by Javier and helps Fantine. When Javier finds an innocent man he thinks is 24601, Valjean must become a better man and turn himself in rather let the wrong man die. Once he's gotten away from Javier, he must become a father figure and caregiver to an orphan. He comes to love her and protect her but he stills lives in fear of Javier. Marius' entrance into his daughter's life makes him realize a life on the run is no way to live and after fighting it, he realizes it's important for Cosette to be happy.
