Les Misérables | Essays and Criticism

  • Hugo's movtivations and background

    In the following essay, the author outlines some of the biographical background that led to Hugo's great work; and also discusses the Hugo's ambition of creating not only a great story, but also a novel that would be an epic of its time, thus explaining the story's complicated narrative approach.

  • Altruism?

    In the following excerpt, the author argues that Valjean fails as a symbol of redemption because his crime—stealing a loaf of bread for his sister's children—was an act of altruism

  • Review of Part I

    In the following excerpt from a review of Part I of the novel, in contrast to most critics of the period following the initial publication of Les Miserables, this anonymous reviewer gives the novel unqualified praise.