Back to the Plot

Valjean has been re-captured and the subject of two newspaper reports, one reporting truthfully about his re-arrest and the missing money, the other a sensationalised completely biased account of a cunning rogue who conned people so that he could become mayor and live with his concubine and it is lucky that due to the ‘indefatigable zeal’ (Penguin 1976, translated by Denny, p325) of the police that he was re-captured, sentenced to death but had his sentenced commuted to hard labour for life.  As far as the tabloid press are concerned, it looks like nothing changes. 

It also gives us a glimpse into the way the press (or at least a certain type of press) view the King. Although it doesn’t really interfere with the plot so far (except the giant Waterloo rant), Hugo frequently reminds the reader about the backdrop that these events are taking place against, so here we have the insinuation that the King is merciful to someone who doesn’t necessarily deserve it.  Later on there is a description of the broken down ship Orion, something that is seemingly unconnected to the story and which Hugo uses to point out the expense of military action particularly when used in the Franco-Spanish War for the French King to restore the Spanish King. Although France won, Hugo sees it as being an affront to liberty and democracy and the origin of the events of 1830 as he reads it as a sign that Louis XVIII believed that if could restore the Spanish monarchy he could also re-establish the divine right of Kings in France. 

"Prince Charles has an outrageous amount of influence. For me, [the future] Charles III, although he will probably rule as George VII, is most like Edward VIII. He believes in his right to interfere. The idea that a constitutional monarchy has interference rights seems to me a scandal." Mark Gatiss in an interview with Mark Lawson, Guardian 21st October 2012.

As the scandal of Prince Charles's letters has shown, this is something that societies with any sort of monarchy, even a constitutional one can be concerned about.

The narrative perspective is these parts of the book is interesting. We are not directly told that any of this is about Valjean or what his feelings are about any of the events. Firstly, Hugo narrates an apparently unconnected superstition linking it to Boulatruelle and Thernadier observing a stranger burying something which they cannot find. At least we know where Valjean’s stash has come from when he shows up at the Thernadier Inn (can’t remember the name, just that it was something to do with Waterloo after Mr. Thernad passed himself off as a brave soldier). Then we have the story of a convict bravely trying to save a seaman but apparently drowning in the process. Only by the end of the chapter do we know that the ‘drowned’ man was Valjean.  

The next chapter opens with the Thernadier’s Tavern and poor Cosette. Most of this chapter is narrated from the perspective of the greedy Thernadier’s and Cosette, who meets a stranger in yellow when she is sent out in the dark on Christmas Eve to fetch a huge bucket of water. Instead of seeing things from Valjean’s perspective here, we see the greed, cruelty and all-round unpleasantness of the Thernadiers, and how they view Valjean and are unable to decide whether to be deferential or unfriendly towards him. I thought about why Hugo chose to narrate the story in this way, I think that adding Valjean’s voice in as well would have made this chapter rather too confusing. It makes the Thernadiers look even worse as we see all their scheming, plotting and abuse of Cosette, without making the chapter too maudlin by adding Valjean’s voice (although admittedly Hugo does his best to tug at our heartstrings). Cosette’s perspective is very important to the chapter as well, how she thinks of herself and how she views this mysterious stranger whom she instinctively trusts yet fears his gift of the beautiful doll. It also gives the next chapter more power by focusing on Valjean’s re-birth outside the Tavern. It is quite an exciting chapter with the reader not knowing if Valjean will escape with Cosette.

The next book focuses on Valjean and Cosette’s new life in the Gorbeau tenement and Valjean’s re-birth as a man who is able to love (after his first re-birth where the Bishop taught him re-birth).  Again Hugo touches on the theme of destiny, in this case Valjean’s belief that it is his destiny to take care of Cosette and teach her to read. Hugo really tugs at the reader's heartstrings here with the portrait of Valjean taking care of Cosette and Cosette calling him father and seeing their meagre lodgings as some sort of palace. Yet, there is an undercurrent of Valjean drawing unwelcome attention to himself despite his best efforts, and I am sure that it is not the last we're going to see of the Thernadiers.