Musical Les Misérables Paris 1832

Plot Summary, Character Description, and Production information

May 30, 2009

This article covers the story during 1832 in Paris, with the students' revolution, wedding of Cosette and Marius, and Jean Valjean's death.

The widespread popularity of the musical Les Misérables soared after the Scottish amateur singer, Susan Boyle, sang "I Dreamed a Dream" in the third series of Britain's Got Talent, April 11, 2009.

In 1980, Claude-Michel Schönberg composed the music, based on libretto by Alain Boublil, adapted from the same-title classic book of French novelist Victor Hugo.

Produced by Cameron Mackintosh, Les Misérables was premiered at the Barbican Theatre, London, on October 8, 1985. The musical has been performed in many productions around the world.

Notable songs: "I dreamed a dream," "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables," "Master of the House," "Little People," and "On My Own."

Cast of Main Characters

Plot Synopsis (Paris, 1832)

This summary of Les Misérables covers the events in Paris, 1832, during the students' revolution until Valjean's death. It picks up the life of Jean Valjean from Digne (1815) to Montreuil-Sur-Mer (1832), when he leaves Digne prison to the time he pays the Thénardiers to let him take Cosette to Paris.

General Lamarque, the only government leader who feels for the poor, is ill and dying. Unrest in the city looms. A street-gang led by Thénardier and his wife sets upon Jean Valjean and Cosette. They are rescued by Javert who does not recognize Valjean until he is gone.

The general dies and a group of politically minded students take to the street in support of a revolution. Eponine, who is secretly in love with Marius, reluctantly agrees to help him find Cosette, but she still does. She also prevents an attempt by her father's gang to rob Valjean's house.

The revolutionary students led by Enjolras prepare to build the barricade and defy an army warning them to give up or die. Marius sends Eponine with a letter to Cosette. On Eponine's return to rejoin Marius at the barricade, she is killed. Javert is also exposed as a police spy.

The students settle down for a night on the barricade. Valjean arrives searching for Marius. The next day the rebels are all killed. Valjean finds Marius alive but unconscious. He escapes into the sewers with the unconscious Marius.

After meeting Thénardier who is robbing the corpses of the rebels, Valjean comes across Javert once more. He pleads with him to help Marius to a hospital. Javert lets Valjean go, but with his blinded principles of justice and shattered by Valjean's show of mercy, he kills himself.

Marius recovers in Cosette's care. Valjean confesses to Marius the truth about his past and insists he must go away. Marius and Cosette plan for their wedding. At their wedding, Thénardier claims that Cosette's "father" is a murderer and as proof produces a ring which he stole from the corpse the night the barricade fell. It is Marius's own ring. Marius realizes it is Valjean who rescued him that night. He and Cosette go to Valjean where Cosette learns of her own life story before the old man dies.

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