Summary of “Les Miserables” Hugo


In 1815 Charles-Francois Míriel was a bishop in the city of Dina. He was nicknamed Bienvenu Zhelannym for good deeds. This unusual man, when he was young, had many love affairs. He led a secular life, but the Revolution has broken everything. Mr. Miriel went to Italy, whence he returned as a priest. At the whims of Napoleon’s parish, the old priest occupied the throne of the bishop. He started his activities as a pastor by giving up the building of the bishop’s palace to the local hospital, and he moved to a small cramped cottage. He paid his large salary entirely to local poor people. The poor and the rich knocked at the door. Some came for charity, and others brought it. This immaculate man enjoyed general respect, for he had the gift of forgiving and healing. In October, a dusty traveler entered Dinh.

He was a dense, stocky man in the prime of his life. His poor clothes and weather-beaten face made a repulsive impression. At first he went to the mayor’s office,

and then tried to get somewhere for the night. However, he was persecuted from everywhere, although he was ready to pay a full coin. The name of this man is Jean Valjean. He was in hard labor for nineteen years because he once stole a loaf of bread for the hungry seven children of his sister. When he became embittered, he turned into a hunted wild animal. With his yellow passport, he could not find a place in this world. Finally, one woman took pity on him and advised him to turn to the bishop. Bishop Bienvenu listened to his grim confession and ordered him to feed in the guest room. In the middle of the night, Jean woke up. He did not give rest to the 6 table silverware, because this was the only bishop’s wealth that was kept in the bedroom. On tiptoe Valjean went up to the bishop’s bed, cracked the cabinet with silver and wanted to shatter the head of a good shepherd with a massive candlestick, but some inexplicable force held him back. And he escaped through the window to escape.

In the morning the gendarmes were led to the bishop by a fugitive with stolen silver. Monseigneur has the right to

send Valzhan to life for hard labor. Instead, Mr. Míriel brought out 2 silver candlesticks, which the yesterday’s guest had forgotten. The last parting word of the bishop was to use a gift to become a decent person. The convict hastily left the city. In his soul, a painful, complicated work was taking place. At sunset, he took from the boy met a coin of 40 sous. Only when the boy began to cry bitterly and fled, Valzhan realized how vile his deed was. He sits down on the ground and for the first time in 19 years begins to cry bitterly.

In 1818, Mr.. Montreuil began to flourish, and this he owes to one person: 3 years ago, the unknown settled here, who managed to improve the local traditional fishing – the production of a false jet. D. Madeleine not only became rich himself, but also helped many others to increase their fortunes. Until recently, unemployment raged in the city – now everyone forgot about the need. D. Madeleine differs unusual modesty. He was not interested in his Order of the Legion of Honor, nor in the deputy chair. However, in 1820 he happened to become the mayor of the city: an ordinary old woman shamed him. She told him that it was ashamed to go backward when there was an opportunity to do good. And so on, Madeleine turns into Mr. Madeleine. Before him, all reverenced. He was a man who was suspicious of him – the police officer Javer. He had a place in his heart for only two feelings, which he brought to the extreme, is a hatred of rebellion and respect for power. In his eyes, the judge could never miss, and the offender could be corrected. He himself was immaculate until disgust. All his life he watched – this was the meaning in the life of Javer.

One day the policeman informed the mayor that he needed to leave for neighboring Arras. There will be a trial in the case of Jean Valjean, in a former convict, who after the release committed a robbery of the boy. Previously, Javer believed that Jean Valjean was hiding under the guise of Mr. Madeleine – but it turned out to be a mistake. The Mayor let go of Javer and himself fell into deep thought, after which he leaves the city. In Arras on trial, the defendant stubbornly refused to recognize himself as Jean Valjean and claimed that his name was Dr. Shanmatier and there was no guilt behind him. The judge was ready to pass sentence, but this moment an unknown person got up and announced that he was Jean Valjean. Soon it turned out that the mayor, Mr. Madeleine, is the escaped convict. Javer triumphed, as he deftly placed the criminal snares. The court pronounced the verdict: Valjana sent for life to Toulon for galleys. When he was on the ship “Orion”, he saved the life of a sailor, who fell from the yard, and after that rushed from a great height into the sea. In the newspapers of Toulon, a message appeared that Jean Valjean was drowned. But after a while he appeared in Montfermile. When he was mayor, he very strictly treated one woman who gave birth to an illegitimate child, and repented when he remembered the merciful bishop Miriel. Before his death, the fantasy asked him to take care of Cosette. The Tenardieu family embodied malice and cunning, which were combined with marriage. They all tormented the girl in her own way: they beat her, forced her to work half to death. In all, my wife was to blame. The girl went barefoot and in rags in winter – this was the fault of her husband. Jean Valjean takes Cozette and settles with her on the remote outskirts of Paris. He taught the child to read and allowed her to play. Soon she became his meaning of life. However, Inspector Javer did not give him rest there. He arranged a night raid and Jean Valjean miraculously escaped, jumping imperceptibly into the garden through a dead wall. It turned out that there was a nunnery. Cosette was taken to a monastery boarding house, and her stepfather became an assistant gardener.

Mr. Zhilnorman lived at that time with his grandson, who wore a different surname – the boy’s name was Marius Pommersi. Mom Marius died, and he never saw my dad. Georges Ponmersi reached the rank of colonel and almost died in battle at Waterloo. Marius learned all this from the dying message of the pope, who for him turned into a titanic figure. The former royalist became a passionate admirer of the emperor himself and almost hated his grandfather. Marius left the house with a scandal. Now he lived very poorly, but it brought him a sense of freedom and independence. Walking in the garden of Luxembourg, Marius noticed an old man who was accompanied by a girl of fifteen. Marius passionately fell in love with a stranger, but the natural shyness prevented him from getting to know her.

The unfortunate young man thinks that he has lost his beloved forever. But one day he heard a familiar voice behind the wall. It was the apartment of a large family of Jondrets. He looked into the crack and saw that very old man from the garden. He promised to bring money in the evening. Most likely, Jondreth had the opportunity to blackmail him. Marius was an interested person, so he overheard how the villain conspired with the gang called “Cocksucking Hour”. In conversation, he hears how the old man wants to set up a trap and take everything from him. Marius notified the police about this. Inspector Javer thanked him for his participation and handed in the pistols just in case. The young man sees an eerie scene – the innkeeper Tenardieu, hiding under the name of Jondreth, managed to track down Jean Valjean. Marius already wants to intervene, but police officers rushed into the room, led by Javer.

In 1832, there was a ferment in Paris. Friends of Marius were delirious with the ideas of the revolution, but the young man was occupied completely differently – he continued to persistently look for the girl from the garden in Luxembourg. Finally he was lucky. With the help of his daughter Tenardieu, he found Cosette and confessed to her in love. It turned out that Cosette was also in love with Marius for a long time. Jean Valjean was unaware of anything. More of the former convict was concerned that Tenardieu watched their quarter. In June a rebellion broke out in the city. Marius could not leave his friends. Cosetta wanted to send news for him, and then Jean Valjean finally opened his eyes: his girlfriend has grown up and found her love. Despair, along with jealousy, strangled the convict, and he decided to go to the barricade, which the Republicans defended along with Marius. They fall into the hands of a disguised Javer – the detective was seized, and Jean Valjean again met his enemy. He had the opportunity to deal with him, but a noble convict preferred to free the policeman. At that time, the government troops were advancing: one after the other, the defenders of the barricade perished. Among them was a nice boy named Gavrosh. Marius was shattered by a rifle shot of his collarbone and he was at the mercy of Jean Valjean.

The convict carried away Marius on his shoulders from the battlefield. Everywhere, the chasteners scampered, and Valzhan descended into the sewer underground sewage. The detective allowed Valzhan to take him to his grandfather Marius and go to say goodbye to Cosette. Valzhan was very surprised when he realized that the policeman had let him go. For Javer came the most tragic moment: he broke the law for the first time and released the perpetrator.

Marius was still between death and life for a long time. Finally, youth won. He met with Cosette, and their love blossomed. They received a blessing from Jean Valjean and Mr. Zhilmonman, who absolutely forgave his grandson. In February 1833, a wedding took place. Valjean confessed to Marius that he was a runaway convict. Ponmersi was horrified, because nothing should have overshadowed the happiness of Cosetta, because the perpetrator must gradually disappear from her life. At first, Cosette was a little surprised, and then got used to the rare visits of her former patron. Soon the old man completely stopped coming, and the girl forgot about him. Jean Valjean began to fade and wither away. He was invited for a doctor, but he only spread his hands – the medicine can not help here. Marius thinks that a convict deserved such an attitude. He already began to believe that he had robbed Mr. Madeleine and killed Javer, who had saved him from the bandits. Then Tenardieu discovered all the secrets: Jean Valjean is neither a thief nor a murderer. besides, he took Marius out of the barricade. The young man paid generously to the innkeeper. The scoundrel once did a good deed, rummaging in the pocket of the dead and wounded. And the man he saved was called Georges Ponmersi. Marius and Cosette went to Jean Valjean. They wanted to ask him for forgiveness. The convict died happy – his beloved children finally took his last breath. A young couple ordered a touching epitaph on the grave of the sufferer. The young man paid generously to the innkeeper. The scoundrel once did a good deed, rummaging in the pocket of the dead and wounded. And the man he saved was called Georges Ponmersi. Marius and Cosette went to Jean Valjean. They wanted to ask him for forgiveness. The convict died happy – his beloved children finally took his last breath. A young couple ordered a touching epitaph on the grave of the sufferer. The young man paid generously to the innkeeper. The scoundrel once did a good deed, rummaging in the pocket of the dead and wounded. And the man he saved was called Georges Ponmersi. Marius and Cosette went to Jean Valjean. They wanted to ask him for forgiveness. The convict died happy – his beloved children finally took his last breath. A young couple ordered a touching epitaph on the grave of the sufferer.


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Summary of “Les Miserables” Hugo