Les Miserables Historical Analysis

This essay will examine the historical accuracy of the film Les Miserables in terms of the social, economic and political conditions in French society post French Revolution.

The film Les Miserables depicts an extremely interesting time in French history (from about 1815-1832.) Even though the story line does not depict every detail and event that occurred during the time period as well as the fact that some aspects are dramatized for entertainment purposes, the film effectively spans thirty years of economic, political and social aspects of French Society. However it also manages to bring in references to the past, the French Revolution (1789-1799) and the impact it had on the society portrayed in the film. The French Revolution did not

Most of the characters in Les Miserables are victims of society, depicting the poor social conditions that people would have encountered during the 1800s. Their impoverished lives as well as the desperate means they go to, to change their situation are portrayed in the film. The social conditions seen in the film reflect the situation most of France was suffering under at the time. The film begins with the protagonist of the film, Jean Valjean. He is the product of the society he lived in, as the dire social conditions led him to stealing a loaf of bread, due to poverty and the questionable system of justice that put him in prison for his crime. He committed a relatively minor infringement of the law in trying to help his starving family, and paid the same price as one accused of a major crime. (B) This situation makes one question the fairness of the law as well as the very structure of society at the time. His life later unexpectedly ties in with the character Fantine. She is easily one of the most tragic figures of the film and a victim of circumstance. “I dreamed a dream in time gone by... when hope was high, and life worth living...” (B) This is a quote from a song sung in the film by her. It embodies the notion that French society wants the most from those to whom it

The economic situation is not a main feature in the film, however it helps us to understand why the social conditions were so poor and what the situation was like in France. The economy was affected by the Industrial Revolution, and is incorporated into a scene in the film. In the scene, it shows the factory in which Fantine worked. This factory was owned by the mayor Madeleine. He devised a newer and cheaper method for producing black beads, the town’s largest industry. Due to this a manufacturing revolution occurred. This helped the town grow and modernize. It shows Hugo’s great enthusiasm for the Industrial Revolution. This Revolution saw a complete change in the way goods were manufactured. Prior to this, manufacturing was often done in people’s homes with very basic machines. Industrialization marked a shift to developed machinery, factories and mass production. It supplied employment to thousands of other workers, like Fantine. This employment allowed her to support herself as well as her child. (G) The Industrial Revolution was sweeping the globe during the 1800s, including France. The economy was changing and thus affecting people’s way of life as well as standard of living. However, France was a different scenario from the rest of the world, as they had just experienced the French Revolution and had not yet recovered from it. This