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Structure
Interesting Questions, Facts and Information
- There are a total of 30 general entries.
Special Topics
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 Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information
 Les Miserables Characters
| I'm the "master of the house", and I like to think of myself as a bit of a "bon viveur", a "servant to the poor" and a "butler to the great". My wife, however, seems to think I'm "hypocrite and toady and inebriate" - how rude! I ran an inn for many years, and although I would add many little extras to the bills, such as charging for the mice and the lice, I found it more profitable to run a burglary gang on the side. My wife and I once agreed to look after an illegitimate brat and the worst mistake of my life was selling her to some stranger for 1,500 francs, as she was worth much more to me as a servant. Who am I? | "Les Miserables" Characters
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Thenardier. M Thenardier (together with his wife, Mme Thenardier) provides the comic relief in the musical. In the book, he and his wife have five children, including Eponine and Gavroche, and are equally appalling to all of them. They are, however, very entertaining in the musical, providing bawdy humour with songs like "Master of the House" (from which the quotes in the question come), as well as "Begging at the Feast" and "Dog Eat Dog".
| I'm quite the stud, though nothing could be further from my mind! All the girls fall for me, though personally I've always been a romantic one-girl boy, and I fell hard for a girl called Cosette, though I only met her once through her father's gate. I fought on the barricades, but I survived and married Cosette in the end, although I haven't quite managed to get over the guilt of being one of the only two rebel survivors. Who am I? | "Les Miserables" Characters
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Marius. Both Eponine and Cosette fell in love with Marius, but Marius only had eyes for Cosette. At first Valjean was horrified because he thought he would lose Cosette, but then realised that Marius was just what she needed and gave his blessing. More than that, he prayed for Marius' safe return from fighting so that Cosette would be happy (represented by "Bring Him Home" in the musical).
| I was one of the students on the barricade, though since I was mostly drunk, quite a lot of the subtlety of the plans passed me by! I'm always up for a laugh and I used to constantly tease Marius for falling in love, that hopeless old romantic. I used to sign my name "R", which was a bit of a play on words. I too died on the barricades. Who am I? | "Les Miserables" Characters
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Grantaire. "R" is a play on words in French, as Grantaire sounds like Grand R, or capital R. Grantaire was the playboy of the students, the one who didn't take it seriously, but he was another of the casualties.
| Boy, you don't want to mess with me! I might only be 12 years old but I'm tough, having lived on the streets for years. I was the youngest person to be on the barricades, but I showed my true worth when I exposed Inspector Javert as an impostor and an infiltrator. Sadly I too died on the barricades, when I was out collecting ammunition from dead soldiers. Who am I? | "Les Miserables" Characters
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Gavroche. Although it isn't obvious from the musical, Gavroche is Eponine's younger brother. He lives in the statue of the Elephant in central Paris, and has been on the streets since he was very young. In the musical, Gavroche's song is "Little People", although this was largely cut from the score in more recent times to shorten the length of the show.
| I spent 19 years in jail for stealing a loaf of bread to feed my starving family (although, to be fair, 14 of those years were because I tried to escape). I have almost super-human strength and once managed to lift a cart of a man who would otherwise have been crushed to death. I turned my life right around after I was caught stealing from a bishop, who saved me from returning to jail. Who am I? | "Les Miserables" Characters
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Valjean. After he is released from jail, Jean Valjean still has to present a "yellow ticket", which tells everyone he is on parole. This results in him being turned away from everywhere, until the Bishop of Digne takes him in. Valjean repays his kindness by taking off in the dead of night with the silver cutlery, the only riches the Bishop owns. However, he is caught by policemen who return him (and the silver) to the Bishop. Instead of turning Valjean in, the Bishop instead tells him that he had forgotten the candlesticks, which had also been a present to him. Once the policemen have left, the Bishop tells Valjean that he must use the monies raised from the silver to become an honest man. Valjean then does so, and becomes Pere Madeleine, the mayor of the town.
| I fell in love and became pregnant out of wedlock. My husband abandoned us and, when my child was two, I was forced to leave her and obtain work in a factory. Unfortunately, the foreman was a horrible lecherous man and was forever coming on to me, which made all the other girls jealous (though they would've been welcome to him, yurgh!). When one of my letters was opened by another worker, they found out I had a child and I was fired. I couldn't get another job, so I sold my hair, my teeth, a locket and eventually my body to keep up the payments for my daughter, but ultimately died before I could see her again. Who am I? | "Les Miserables" Characters
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Fantine. It turns out that Jean Valjean, in his guise as Pere Madeleine, the mayor of the town, was the owner of the factory from which Fantine was fired. When he learns of this on her deathbed, he vows to take care of her daughter, Cosette. Although Fantine dies in Act 1, her ghost returns for the finale, along with Eponine's ghost.
| I was born inside a jail, but went on to become a policeman. I am very much on the side of the law, and I made it my business to hunt out a felon who had skipped bail. I discovered a bit too late that he'd been living as the mayor of my town! Later, the same felon saved me from the rebels, but I couldn't live with the knowledge that I owed my life to a thief, and committed suicide by jumping into the River Seine. Who am I? | "Les Miserables" Characters
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Javert. Javert was exposed as a policeman by Gavroche after he tried to infiltrate the student rebels' side of the barricades. Jean Valjean was given the pleasure of shooting him, but instead let him go. Javert decided that he couldn't live with the knowledge that Jean Valjean had been a better man than he, and promptly jumped off a bridge after singing "Javert's Suicide" ... which seems a little ungrateful really.
| I was the leader of the student rebels, and it was I who awaited a sign to start the revolution. Gavroche provided me with this when he informed me that General Lamarque was dead. A true fanatic for my cause, I had no time for Marius when he told me that he was in love. I died on the barricades. Who am I? | "Les Miserables" Characters
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Enjolras. The other three are also part of the student soldiers, and die on the barricades (only Marius and Jean Valjean survive). However, Enjolras is the leader, and when Marius tells him that he is in love, he replies (in "Red and Black"):
"Marius, you're no longer a child
I do not doubt you mean it well
But now there is a higher call.
Who cares about your lonely soul?
We strive toward a larger goal
Our little lives don't count at all!"
Poor Marius!
| As a child, I was cossetted and adored by my parents, who spoilt me rotten! However my father was a thief as well as being an inn-keeper, and I became part of his gang when I was older. I then fell in love with Marius and became a better person for it, trying to prevent Marius' girlfriend from being robbed by my father. I was the first person to fall on the barricade after delivering a love-note from Marius to his girlfriend. Who am I? | "Les Miserables" Characters
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Eponine. Eponine appears briefly as a child, but has no singing part until she is older. She falls hopelessly in love with Marius at about the same time as he falls for Cosette. She dies in Marius's arms.
| I was an illegitimate child whose father abandoned my mother and me. My mother was forced to leave me at an inn in Montfermeil-sur-Mer. Unfortunately my foster parents treated me as a slave, but I was luckily rescued by a kind patron when I was eight years old. When I was older, I fell in love with Marius. Who am I? | "Les Miserables" Characters
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Cosette. Cosette is the only character whose child and adult personae sing in the musical. During the "10th Year Anniversary Concert Special", Hannah Chick played the part of the young Cosette. During "Castle on a Cloud", a balloon, which was meant to go off during the final bows, burst in the wings. You can see Hannah jump nearly out of her skin on the DVD, but her voice never falters - very impressive!
| OK, last question. In the book "Les Miserables," when Eponine dies, what are the last words she says? | "Les Mis" Trivia
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I believe I was a little bit in love with you.. OK, if you picked "And rain will make the flowers..." I completely understand, but this line is from the musical. I suggest you should read the book, as it's really good, although it's really, really long! Eponine's death scene is so sad. The book took me ages to read.
Hollywood Bowl concert. Lea Michele played Eponine in the Hollywood Bowl concert, with Melora Hardin as Fantine, Maddie Levy as Young Cosette, Tom Lowe as Enjolras, Michele Maika as Cosette, Michael McCormick as Thénardier, J. Mark McVey as Valjean, Brian Stokes Mitchell as Javert, Sage Ryan as Gavroche and John Lloyd Young as Marius.
Mezzo Soprano. In musical theatre, the main female character, who is usually the main love interest, is generally a soprano. And a character like Eponine (or a beggar, the best friend, a witch, the other woman who loves the same guy, or a maid), to make a contrast to the main female character, is generally a mezzo soprano. A mezzo soprano's voice is usually richer and dark, in contrast to a high lovely soprano like Cosette.
Here, you can always catch me in.. Eponine first sings in "The Robbery." She is having a conversation with Marius, trying to flirt with him, though unfortunately, he sees Cosette, and it's love at first sight. Poor Eponine.
Castle on a Cloud. Eponine makes her first appearance as a spoiled little girl in "Castle on a Cloud," and her mother praises her for "looking well in the little blue hat."
| In the "Finale," what is one of the lines Eponine sings with Fantine and Valjean? | "Les Mis" Trivia
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Take my hand, and lead me to salvation.. Eponine sings with Fantine and Valjean in the "Finale." Because their ghosts come to lead him away, they sing, "Take my hand, and lead me to salvation. Take my love, for love is everlasting. And remember, the truth that once was spoken, to love another person is to see the face of God." Those are really the last words in the musical, besides the choral parts.
| In the song "Attack on Rue Plumet," what does Eponine do to scare her father and the gang away? | "Les Mis" Trivia
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Scream. Eponine tries to tell them that robbing the house is worthless, but they don't listen, so she screams (good for her).
Here, you can always catch me in.. Eponine says, "Here, you can always catch me in" in "The Robbery" to Marius, when she meets him on the streets. She is trying to flirt with him.
Look Down. Even though Eponine appears in "Look Down", she does not sing. She is introduced as "That's Eponine, she knows her way about. Only a kid, but hard to scare."
Lea Salonga. Did you know that Lea Salonga was not their first choice to do the concert? Frances Ruffelle was, but she was engaged in another play/movie.
Valjean . Jean Valjean is the central character in the musical. The musical begins with his release from prison and then shows his decision to turn his life around and live a virtuous life. To do this he skips out on his parole and takes on a new identity. He becomes the owner of a big factory and the Mayor of that town but is finally found by Javert. After rescuing the young Cosette he leaves for Paris and yet another identity. The show then begins ten years later.
This song is sung at the barricade where he goes to join the students after finding out that Marius and Cosette are in love. Marius is asleep after the first attack and Valjean is praying for God to save his life.
"God on high
Hear my prayer
In my need
You have always been there
He is young
He's afraid
Let him rest
Heaven blessed.
Bring him home."
Fantine. Fantine is the mother of Cosette, a product of an affair in her youth. She leaves Cosette in the care of the Thénardiers and promises to pay them to take care of her. After being unfairly dismissed from Valjean's factory by the foreman she ends up as a prostitute on the streets, and dies in the hospital just after Valjean has promised to take Cosette into his protection. She is also in the finale when she appears as a spirit to escort Valjean to Heaven.
She sings this song just after she has been dismissed and is contemplating how different her life is from what she had hoped it would be.
"I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted
But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame"
Grantaire . Grantaire is the only student in the options provided. He is portrayed as either drinking or already drunk for the majority of the show which leads to some rather maudlin lyrics. This song is sung just after the first attack as the rebels settle down for the night at the barricade. Éponine has already been killed at this stage and although Valjean is present he does not join in with the singing.
"Drink with me
To days gone by
Can it be you fear to die?
Will the world remember you
When you fall?
Could it be your death
Means nothing at all?
Is your life just one more lie?"
Cosette . This is sung by the young Cosette in the First Act. Eight year old Cosette is Fantine's illegitimate daughter but is being brought up by the Thénardiers in the country. She is not well treated by them, and is expected to do a lot of heavy work. She dreams of a better life where she would be held and loved.
"There is a lady all in white,
Holds me and sings a lullaby,
She's nice to see and she's soft to touch,
She says "Cosette, I love you very much."
I know a place where no one's lost,
I know a place where no one cries,
Crying at all is not allowed,
Not in my castle on a cloud."
Marius. Marius Pontmercy is the young romantic lead who is loved by Éponine but is in love with Cosette. He is one of the student revolutionaries and the only one of the options who is still alive at this point of the show - all of his friends and the other students have died on the barricade. He is still recovering from his own injuries at this time and goes to the deserted ABC cafe where they all used to meet and sings this poignant song of mourning.
"There's a grief that can't be spoken
There's a pain goes on and on
Empty chairs at empty tables
Now my friends are dead and gone
Here they talked of revolution
Here it was they lit the flame
Here they sang about tomorrow
And tomorrow never came".
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