Les Misérables | Novel By Hugo - Britannica

Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos Les Misérables

• Introduction & Top Questions
• Plot and characters
• Stage and film adaptations

References & Edit History Related Topics Images Quizzes Famous Novels, First Lines Quiz Famous Novels, Last Lines Quiz Book-to-Screen Name Change Quiz Guess the Book by its Chapter Titles The Literary World (Famous Novels) Related Questions

• What is Les Misérables about?
• Who was Victor Hugo?
• What is Victor Hugo remembered for?

Contents Literature Novels & Short Stories

Les Misérables novel by Hugo Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Print print Print Please select which sections you would like to print:

• Table Of Contents

Cite verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style MLA APA Chicago Manual of Style Copy Citation Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/Les-Miserables-novel-by-Hugo Feedback External Websites Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites

• Internet Archive - "Les miserables"
• The Guardian - The Novel of the Century: The Extraordinary Adventure of Les Mis�rables � review
• BBC - The Radio 3 Documentary - Literary Pursuits: Victor Hugo's Les Miserables
• Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute - Les Mis�rables
• CORE - Figurative Language found in Victor Hugo's Les Miserable Novel: A Semantics Approach (PDF)

Ask the Chatbot a Question Written and fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Dec. 19, 2025 •History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot Top Questions

What is Les Misérables about?

Les Misérables centers on the character Jean Valjean, an ex-convict in 19th-century France. The story spans many years as it tells of Valjean’s release from prison and reformation as an industrialist while being constantly pursued by the police inspector Javert. During this time he encounters a plethora of characters in Paris such as the impoverished single mother Fantine and Marius, a student and revolutionary who falls in love with Valjean’s adopted daughter, Cosette.

What are the themes of Les Misérables?

The themes of Les Misérables are concerned with social issues in 19th-century urban France. The novel’s author, Victor Hugo, uses Les Misérables to deliver critiques of wealth distribution, the justice system, industrialism, and republicanism.

Was Les Misérables adapted into a musical?

Les Misérables was adapted into a musical in 1980 by Alain Boublil, who wrote the book and the lyrics, and Claude-Michel Schönberg, who wrote the music. It won best musical at the 1987 Tony Awards. The novel has also been adapted into a film many times.

Les Misérables, novel by French author Victor Hugo, published in French in 1862. It was an instant popular success and was quickly translated into several languages. The novel is concerned with social issues in 19th-century urban France and uses realism to critique wealth distribution, the justice system, industrialism, and republicanism.

(Read Britannica’s article “Massive Tomes: 10 of the World’s Longest Novels.”)

Plot and characters

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. A hardened and streetwise criminal upon his release, he eventually softens and reforms, becoming a successful industrialist and mayor of a northern town. Despite this, he is haunted by an impulsive, regretted former crime and is pursued relentlessly by the morally strict police inspector Javert. Other characters include the impoverished single mother Fantine, who resorts to working as a prostitute to provide for her daughter. Valjean eventually gives himself up for the sake of his adopted daughter, Cosette, and her husband, Marius.

Britannica Quiz Famous Novels, Last Lines Quiz

Les Misérables presents a vast panorama of Parisian society and its underworld, and it contains many famous episodes and passages, among them a chapter on the Battle of Waterloo and the description of Valjean’s rescue of Marius by means of a flight through the sewers of Paris.

Stage and film adaptations

A popular musical stage adaptation was produced in 1980. Alain Boublil wrote the book and the lyrics, and Claude-Michel Schönberg wrote the music. It won best musical at the 1987 Tony Awards. The novel has also been adapted for film many times. An early film version was directed by Richard Boleslawski in 1935, featuring Fredric March as Valjean and Charles Laughton as Javert. In 1998 Bille August directed Liam Nesson (Valjean), Uma Thurman (Fantine), and Geoffrey Rush (Javert) in a version that was critically acclaimed but underperformed at the box office. A big-screen adaptation of the musical was released in 2012, directed by Tom Hooper and starring Hugh Jackman (Valjean), Anne Hathaway (Fantine), and Russell Crowe (Javert).

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by René Ostberg.