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Jean Valjean quotes from Les Misérables have develop into iconic.
For the 2024 A to Z Challenge, I’m sharing favourite quotes from favourite books. Enjoy!
Who Was Jean Valjean?
Jean Valjean is the central character in Victor Hugo’s novel Les Misérables. He is initially launched as a hardened convict who has spent nineteen years in jail for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister’s ravenous youngster. After his launch, Valjean finds it troublesome to reintegrate into society on account of his standing as a former convict. However, an encounter with a compassionate bishop prompts him to alter his methods and begin anew.
Valjean adopts a brand new identification and turns into a profitable businessman and philanthropist, however he’s consistently pursued by Inspector Javert, who is set to deliver him to justice for breaking parole. Throughout the novel, Valjean grapples with problems with morality, justice, and redemption, finally evolving right into a compassionate and selfless particular person who dedicates his life to serving to others.
Jean Valjean’s character embodies themes of forgiveness, compassion, and the potential for redemption, making him one of the iconic and beloved characters in literature. His journey from a convict burdened by his previous to an emblem of hope and redemption is central to the narrative of Les Misérables.
Why are Jean Valjean Quotes so Popular?
Jean Valjean is quoted as a result of his character embodies profound themes and beliefs that resonate with readers all through the years. Here are a number of the explanation why his quotes are sometimes cited:
- Moral and Ethical Dilemmas: Valjean grapples with advanced ethical and moral dilemmas all through the novel, and his quotes usually mirror these struggles. His inside conflicts and eventual choices to pursue goodness and redemption make his phrases thought-provoking and significant.
- Redemption and Transformation: Jean Valjean undergoes a outstanding transformation from a hardened convict to a compassionate and virtuous man. His journey of redemption is central to the novel, and his quotes seize the essence of this transformation, inspiring readers with the opportunity of change and development.
- Compassion and Empathy: Valjean’s character is outlined by his compassion and empathy for others, particularly the marginalized and downtrodden. His quotes usually specific sentiments of affection, kindness, and empathy, serving as reminders of the significance of compassion within the face of adversity.
- Universal Themes: The themes explored via Valjean’s character—comparable to love, justice, sacrifice, and forgiveness—are common and timeless. His quotes resonate with readers as a result of they contact upon basic features of the human expertise, making them related and impactful throughout completely different cultures and generations.
Overall, Jean Valjean’s quotes are quoted as a result of they encapsulate the essence of his character and the profound themes of Victor Hugo’s masterpiece, Les Misérables.
10 Jean Valjean Quotes from Les Misérables:
- “To owe life to a malefactor; to be, in spite of himself, on a level with a fugitive from justice; to betray society in order to be true to his conscience: that all these absurdities should be mingled with love.”
- “I am not a saint. I am a sinner. I am evil. I am wicked. I am a criminal. I am Jean Valjean!”
- “The soul of a just man should be a sanctuary where no human hand can disturb the silence.”
- “The saint who is married is the one who lives with God.”
- “If people did not love one another, I really don’t see what use there would be in having any spring.”
- “To destroy evil with goodness—this is good; to slay one’s own sin with another’s sin—this is evil.”
- “There is nothing like a dream to create the future.”
- “I have a past. I have an infamous name. I am a convict. I am Jean Valjean. Let them do what they like with me, I am not what I was ten years ago. I have no other name than Jean Valjean.”
- “When the darkness comes, keep an eye on the light—whatever that is for you—no matter how far away it seems.”
- “Love each other dearly, always. There is scarcely anything else in the world but that: to love one another.”
Jean Valjean’s character undergoes profound transformation all through the novel, and these quotes mirror his struggles, his redemption, and his deep sense of compassion and morality.
Famous Portrayals of Jean Valjean
- Colm Wilkinson within the Original 1985 London Musical
- Liam Neeson within the 1998 Hollywood Movie
- Richard Jordan within the 1978 Hollywood Movie
- Dominic West within the 2019 PBS Miniseries
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