Loving Sacrifices Illustrated in Victor Hugo’s Novel, Les Misérables

Sacrifice is being willing to give up something good for something better. Life is full of boundless possibilities, but in order to transform a possibility into a reality we have to choose -- giving up the many in order to attain the one. Sacrifice is the ability to protect others for their sake. not yours. It has flaws if you think selfishly; It has no flaws if you think selflessly. Cyrano de Bergerac, written by Edmond Rostand, takes place in Paris, France. Cyrano loves Roxane but feels he is too ugly to woo her. Cyrano has to overcome the severe self-doubt and shame that result from his awkward appearance in order to reveal to Roxane that he wrote Christian’s love letters. A Doll’s House takes place in Norway. Nora's struggle with Krogstad,

I agree with the statement that in the novel Les Miserables, the author Victor Hugo is trying to say that human nature is basically good. In the most basic sense, the definition of good trying to do the right thing, even if there are negative consequences. It often means having to sacrifice and give up something to do the right thing. Throughout the book, many characters sacrifice their happiness and morals in order to do what they believe is the right and fair thing. Even when faced with serious consequences for being honest, characters more often than not still choose to do the right thing. Some may argue that Victor Hugo is saying that human nature is basically evil because some characters commit evil actions. However, in most cases, characters don’t always have evil intentions, their execution is just poor and makes them seem evil. Everyone thinks of themselves as a hero, almost everything a character does is because that’s what they believe is the right thing to do. Whether or not it really is could be up for debate but for the most part, most characters don’t have evil intentions and attempt to usually do the right thing. Victor Hugo is saying that as a whole, human nature is inherently good.

"It is precisely of him that I wished to speak. Dispose of me as you please; but help me first to carry him home. I only ask that of you." Upon examination of Les Miserables, it is clearly evident that the elements of Forgiveness, Self – Sacrifice, and Courage are only a few of the main themes Hugo wanted to develop.

From the moment on he dedicated his life solely to her, to protecting her from the sorrows of poverty. From that moment he could no longer be Jean Valjean, or Monsieur Madeleine, he had to start his life over once again and Cosette was all he had in it. He sacrificed in order to gain self-approval and the ability to forgive himself.

Similarly to Rosa Parks, Antigone also advocates for fair treatment for her brother, Polyneices. Even though it is not for a large group of people, she is still standing up to the unequal treatment between her two brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices. After having a quarrel, both of Antigone's’ brothers died in battle; however, Creon (the ruler during this time) insisted that only Eteocles will receive a proper burial with many honors, but Polyneices will not because he is a traitor (Antigone.1.15-19). This is unfair because Polyneices fought just as hard and bravely as Eteocles. He also sacrificed his life because of the fight. Antigone, who believes in justice, did not appreciate the fact that Polyneices was not buried because he was in the same circumstances as Eteocles; therefore, they should both receive the same treatment. As a result, Antigone buries Polyneices herself because she is aware of how much both of her brothers sacrificed. Because she wants the her brothers to receive the identical amount of recognition, she stands up for Polyneices and buries him when everyone else was against that idea.

Today, children are taught to forgive others and give second chances. But this was not always the case. Historically, once someone had committed a crime they were thought of as dishonorable people and it was made known to others that they had committed a sin. This is seen in many literary works including The Scarlet Letter, The Crucible, and Les Miserables. Les Miserables, originally written by Victor Hugo, exemplifies this prejudice. Throughout the story, the characters can not escape the prejudice related to one mistake, or perceived mistake. In the movie version directed by Bille August, Jean Valjean and Fantine are unable to receive forgiveness and move on with their lives.

Like Creon, Antigone also never falters in standing up for what she believes in. Although Creon fights for stubborn pride, Antigone is trying to promote what is right and shows her higher reverence for God’s law rather than for Creon’s laws. In the eyes of the townspeople, Chorus, Choragos, and Haimon, Antigone is sacrificing herself to give her brother Polyneices the rightful honors due to the dead. Many side with this brave, honorable girl because she would rather suffer persecution and even death rather than give into Creon’s illogical demands. In the play, the chorus says about her, “You have made your choice, Your death is the doing of your conscious hand”. Antigone knew of the consequences before she acted and in doing so she chose her fate. At the time, she pleaded her sister Ismene to help her bury Polyneices but was rejected. Despite being alone in trying to rebel and perhaps she may have been afraid, Antigone goes out of her way and puts her life on the line to bring her brother respect.

Particular situations that assess an individual’s identity often mirrors the beliefs and morals they prominently value. Due to the overwhelming significance that sacrifice plays in life, writers and artists have often displayed this theme through various forms of artwork, such as novels, plays, and paintings. Adding it as a theme within pieces of literature and art encourages individuals to reflect on their own sacrifices and how it affects their values. As a result, writers such as Arthur Miller, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and William Shakespeare utilized the concept of sacrifice to emphasize the important values of reputation, unconditional love, and loyalty.

Everyone needs someone to love and care for as well as someone who can return that love and care. When Cosette comes into Valjean’s life, it makes him feel something he didn’t feel in a long time, “When he saw Cosette, when he had taken her, carried her away, and rescued her, he felt his heart move” (123). At this point, she becomes more than just a girl but another symbol in Valjean’s

In the melodramatic novel, A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens, the author uses the theme sacrifice. He shows that sacrifice is important in his story because some of his characters must give up their lives for another. Miss Pross dedicates herself to Lucie because she wants Lucie to have a brighter future than she did. Then, out of his love and devotion for Lucie Manette, Sydney Carton sacrifices his life to save a life she loves. The sacrifices Miss Pross and Sydney Carton make express that mankind will give everything for what they love and believe in.

Throughout history, man has fed the notion that gods demand sacrifice for their blessings to the earth. From ancient Hebrew legends to Greek mythology, peoples from all over the world took part in sacrifice. Whether or not blood was shed, as long as the sacrificial object was meaningful to the people and the process had consent behind it, the sacrifice was deemed valid. In Mary Renault’s novel The King Must Die, the protagonist Theseus discovers the meaning of each sacrifice and the cost of each one. Thus, modern readers may feel renewed by the sacrificial rituals from the book just as Theseus did when he encountered them.

I think Eponine is selfless because she realizes that she and her family are now destitute and have nothing to lose anymore, and that she is now free. This might be what Hugo implies in the scene when she confronts her father and his dangerous gang in front of the house on the Rue Plumet and threatens to scream if they don’t go away, not backing down even after threat of death. Her selflessness may also be accounted for by her deep love for Marius. Hugo mentions that she has stopped talking slang since talking to Marius, implying she has decided to try to change things. Although a lot of her actions, such as not delivering Cosette’s letter to Marius until the very end, and luring Marius to the barricades to die, are selfish, in the end, she

Furthermore, love changes how we see the world and others. Jean Valjean is transformed after he is let out of the galleys because of love. When Jean Valjean takes Cosette away with him from the Thenardiers, he does not realize what love will do to benefit him. Nevertheless, Cosette prevents him from going down this path of hatred. The convent where Jean Valjean and Cosette take refuge,”...contributed, like Cosette, to confirm and complete, in Jean Valjean, the work of the bishop” (215). The bishop wanted Jean Valjean to transform himself from someone who hated to someone who loved, which Cosette helped him do. Moreover, Marius’s grandfather lets him marry Cosette. When Marius first asks his grandfather permission to marry, he suggests Marius

Hugo includes love in his novel to express the different types and meanings of true love. Marius waits to see Cossette and she does not show up. After going to the garden and realizing Cossette is not there, Marius was devastated. "He sat down upon the steps, his heart full of tenderness and resolution, he blessed his love in the depths of his thought, and he said to himself that since Cosette was gone, there was nothing more for him but to die" (274 Hugo). Marius' love for Cossette is so strong that without her he is incomplete. Cossette often received the short end of the stick while growing up with Eponine and the Thenardiers; however, this is not the case when it comes to winning over Marius' love. Hugo uses Marius to show two completely different kinds of love in his novel; one with Cossette, and the other with Eponine. Eponine lives a very different life as her parents, the Thenardiers, are not the best role models for her. Even though she grows up in a tough situation, she still knows how to love. Eponine falls in love with Marius, however the feeling is not mutual. When Marius finds Eponine on the ground during the battle at the barricades, he shares love with her as her life comes to an end. He does not have the same love for Eponine as he does for Cossette. After revealing two gunshot wounds to Marius, Eponine asks him to stay until her life ends. As soon as

The time periods that each text is set in varies and it is therefore interesting to note that this does not change the fundamentals, we are prepared to make sacrifices for love. All the characters were forced by restrictions of the time to make difficult decisions and in these cases they were willing to give their lives, either physically or emotionally, for their love. It shows the extremity of love, that it is worth more to these literary