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Deep Analysis of Les Misérables: Victor Hugo's Socialism (Pt.4: Pages 705-876) (Patreon)

Published:
2021-12-06 17:50:55
Imported:
2026-06
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Content

Today we're diving deeper into French Political History.

We're talking about Hugo and socialism, history and the fiction-making function, the significance of gardens in the big city, Jean Valjean's need for love, and taking personal strife into political protest.

We're getting closer and closer to the lighting of the powder keg.

Video Timestamps:

  • 0:00 history, truth, and the human soul
  • 4:00 putting a pause on progress
  • 5:30 historical event as text
  • 8:00 "Capitalism, Communism, Revolution"
  • 9:00 Nietzsche on virtue, justice, power
  • 10:50 the Reign of Terror & Salem witch hunts
  • 13:00 thoughts on the Hollywood adaptation
  • 14:50 Marx, Hugo, and Socialism
  • 23:00 history and the fiction-making function
  • 24:20 Homer vs the Bible 
  • 26:00 Marius unhappy in love 
  • 28:00 taking personal strife into political protest
  • 28:50 Marius' construction of Cosette 
  • 30:00 Jean Valjean as "mother" to Cosette
  • 31:00 self-esteem, self-love, and acceptance
  • 34:00 the significance of gardens and nature
  • 34:57 lonely life in the big city
  • 37:00 the parallels between history and love 
  • 37:50 two passages for you to reread
  • 38:13 Jean Valjean and the chain-gang
  • 39:35 Marius and his grandfather

Things to Consider:

1) "To destroy wealth is not to share it." (Victor Hugo) Do you agree? And how far is the term "socialist" applicable to Victor Hugo?

2) Which parts of this section did you find the most personally resonant? 

Happy reading, everybody!

Files

Previews only

Deep Analysis of Les Misérables: Victor Hugo's Socialism (Pt.4: Pages 705-876)

0:00 history, truth, and the human soul 4:00 putting a pause on progress 5:30 historical event as text 8:00 "Capitalism, Communism, Revolution" 9:00 Nietzsche on virtue, justice, power 10:50 the Reign of Terror & Salem witch hunts 13:00 thoughts on the Hollywood adaptation 14:50 Marx, Hugo, and Socialism 23:00 history and the fiction-making function 24:20 Homer vs the Bible 26:00 Marius unhappy in love 28:00 taking personal strife into political protest 28:50 Marius' construction of Cosette 30:00 Jean Valjean as "mother" to Cosette 31:00 self-esteem, self-love, and acceptance 34:00 the significance of gardens and nature 34:57 lonely life in the big city 37:00 the parallels between history and love 37:50 two passages for you to reread 38:13 Jean Valjean and the chain-gang 39:35 Marius and his grandfather

Comments

Miri Kim

What a coincidence! Today my Les Mis book called to me and I openend this corresponding lecture which was published exactly 2 years ago! Now I am going to reread the chain gang and the Don Quixote chapter…

Tamera Cameron
>>93211985

I found the dialogue between Eponine and her father and the other criminals the most resonant: "say what you like, you aren't going in. I'm not a dog's daughter but a wolf's". I got so lost in all the long exposition and digression that the tragedy of the story had started to get lost on me. Eponine's strength surprised me. I had discounted her, wrongly. This had a great emotional impact on me.

Tom Pearsall

I think Hugo may have been a little insulted if you called him a “socialist” in the true Marxian sense of the term (I do NOT mean the current American right-wing perversion of the term). As you point out on pgs 722-3 he believes communism would kill competition which would destroy wealth. He clearly had leftish tendencies in that he felt strongly about universal education and providing work for the poor. I suspect a better term would be humanist or even just liberal. I have to admit, however, that as much as I admire Hugo’s vast intellect, I feel he oversimplifies the difficulties any government or society faces in solving these problems. At the bottom of page 723 he lists his so-called solutions, including “abolish pauperdom”, as if a decree were all it would take. Hugo, nevertheless, truly was gifted at calling attention to the problem of the poor and I would hazard to guess he motivated many individuals to be more charitable. I wonder what Hugo would make of our society today? Would he think we have generally succeeded? I think absolutely YES! For the most part nobody dies of starvation, capital punishment is mostly gone, there is universal education, dying a violent death is certainly less likely, etc. I do not mean to make light of our society’s remaining problems. We still have work to do, but I don’t think Hugo would be disappointed.

Caroline P
>>73285146

Hello Tom, I agree with you, but maybe I am more pessimistic about ever making human life fair across the world. But Hugo must be happier on his ghostly walks about Paris to see no little children with no shoes starving on the streets in winter.

Tom Pearsall
>>73285146

Yes, I do think Hugo would be shocked by the vast wealth gap, even with less overall destitution. I can imagine he would be very insistent that corporations and billionaires adopt JVJ's approach to money.

hardcoreliterature
>>73285146

Beautiful comment, Tom. I think you’re right! In the true sense of the word, no, I don’t believe Hugo to be a “socialist”, but rather liberal as we understand it today. He was living in exile from France in Guernsey at the time, and one thinks that surely he would have seen some of his wishes coming to fruition in the form of the educational and workplace reforms (achieved in the UK without violent revolution). Unfortunately, he didn’t live nearly long enough to see universal suffrage - but then he also didn’t see the atrocities of the 20th Century. I agree with you that he oversimplifies many of these issues - “abolish pauperdom” isn’t really a strategy, is it? I think overall he would be happy today, but would certainly continue the fight for bringing inequality into light. I wonder if he would have another novel in him.. I also would like to take him to the stage adaptation and watch him keenly throughout.

Peter F

When Gavroche takes the two stray children under his wing (unbeknownst to him, they are his brothers), he stepped away from the villainy of his parents. He strived to become the opposite of what they were. They kicked him out of their home, now he builds the home for others. His fortitude is a model for us all. >>> VH says on page 885 of the Donougher “Is the underside of civilization any less important than the upper side, for being deeper and darker?” Great line.