Humankind's wounds, those huge sores that litter the world, do not stop at the blue and red lines drawn on maps. The author also states to the reader that ponine anonymously threw the note to Valjean. You can likely figure that out by reading the same pages from different editions online or in bookstores. ]8 As for me, Im for Caesar alone. And so on and so forth.Madame Magloire, on the other hand, was delighted.Hooray! she said to Mademoiselle Baptistine. Roses translation is the complete opposite and the prose is extremely modern. Only the servant, Madame Magloire, grumbled a bit. This is the [translation] to read. Meanwhile, the Thnardiers' monetary demands continue to grow. Beginning in 1815 and culminating in the 1832 June Rebellion in Paris, the novel follows the lives and interactions of several characters, focusing on the struggles of ex-convict Jean Valjean and his experience of redemption.". The fact that this 'digression' occupies such a large part of the text demands that it be read in the context of the 'overarching structure' discussed above. Valjean takes Cosette and they try to escape from Javert. Privacy Policy. I read the Donougher translation and the Rose translation and preferred the Donougher. In private he castigated it as "repulsive and inept" ("immonde et inepte"). He travels to attend the trial and there reveals his true identity. This introduces a meditation on memories of past places that his contemporary readers would recognize as a self-portrait written from exile: "you have left a part of your heart, of your blood, of your soul, in those pavements." Learn how to enable JavaScript on your browser, According to Wikipedia: "Les Misrables is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the nineteenth century. When the book was finally written, Trjean became Valjean. The two old women and the old man all lived on those fifteen hundred francs.And when some village cur came to Digne, the bishop still managed to find a way of entertaining him, thanks to the assiduous scrimping and saving of Madame Magloire and Mademoiselle Baptistines clever management.One day, when the bishop had been in Digne for about three months, he said, With all that, things are pretty tight!They certainly are! cried Madame Magloire. The other 28 chapters in that Book are highly relevant to the novels major themes (as are Hugos sections about convents, criminals slang, and the Paris sewer system), but they can seem heavy to first-time readers. In addition, Donoughers detailed historical, cultural, and literary notes greatly help readers understand Hugos many references. Ask the Author. [22][23] He spent several vacations in Montreuil-sur-Mer. Hes fixed up all his charities. Javert orders her to be quiet, and then reveals to her Valjean's real identity. Examining the nature of law and grace, the novel elaborates upon the history of France, the architecture and urban design of Paris, politics, moral philosophy, antimonarchism, justice, religion, and the types and nature of romantic and familial love. Melody I've read the Norman Denny translation and to me he truly grasped the poetry and drama of Victor Hugo's writing. I liked the Julie Rose translation so far with plans to read them all. Hapgood. At night, Valjean runs off with Myriel's silverware. Also published in an abridged edition by New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1996; 2003. He also slipped personal anecdotes into the plot. Press J to jump to the feed. The Wilbour (1862) and Hapgood (1887) translations use old-fashioned English which some find pleasant and some find clunky. After the death of his father, Colonel Georges Pontmercy, Marius discovers a note from him instructing his son to provide help to a sergeant named Thnardier who saved his life at Waterlooin reality Thnardier was looting corpses and only saved Pontmercy's life by accident; he had called himself a sergeant under Napoleon to avoid exposing himself as a robber. Yet it may well serve some purpose, if only in the interests of precision, to jot down here the rumors and gossip that had circulated about him the moment he first popped up in the diocese. In desperation, Fantine sells her hair and two front teeth, and she resorts to prostitution to pay the Thnardiers. Javert gives Marius two pistols and instructs him to fire one into the air if things get dangerous. [18] Hugo used Bienvenu de Miollis (17531843), the Bishop of Digne during the time in which Valjean encounters Myriel, as the model for Myriel. Thnardier approaches Marius in disguise, but Marius recognizes him. The following day, the students revolt and erect barricades in the narrow streets of Paris. According to Wikipedia: "Les Misrables is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the nineteenth century. Fantine must draw on her own resources to care for her and Tholomys' daughter, Cosette. What had been skinniness in her youth had become transparency with maturity; and this diaphanous quality revealed the angel within. Overview. Reading this edition, I did not need to turn back to Hugos original novel in order to see what the translator was trying to express. Valjean loses the will to live and retires to his bed. Many readers enjoy Hapgoods translation. It's the one I have, and about halfway in it was quite good. Rose is more aggressively modernized than I'd prefer, and I get bad vibes from Denny. ran out of passwords / shadow banned on all platforms / lost in translation A practical note: Editions fall out of print, but you can often find a used copy online through sites such as these: Bookfinder / Biblio / AbeBooks / Alibris. The police accept his explanation and leave. Denny has more prose and beautiful language. Waterloo, by cutting short the demolition of European thrones by the sword, had no other effect than to cause the revolutionary work to be continued in another direction. As I was reading it I couldn't stop thinking, "Why do they teach Shakespeare when every single line of Hugo is this deep, poetic, profound truth?". Since languages are, of course, not directly equivalent, translation is as much an art as a skill, and translators have their individual ethos and goals in rendering a text in another language. I'm at the point where Valjean is about to steal the silver (spoilers!). He goes back to his house, tells Cosette they will be staying at their other house on Rue de l'Homme-Arm, and reconfirms to her that they will be moving to England. Translation of "les dimensions" in English. Hugo draws his own personal conclusions, taking Waterloo to be a pivot-point in history, but definitely not a victory for the forces of reaction. None of the adaptations can do the book justice. The first, by Charles E. How is Les Misrables pronounced? He deemed it an "infantile" effort and brought an end to Hugo's career like "the fall of a god". That saidand remembering that choosing a translation is to a certain extent a matter of personal tastehere is a list of major translations of Les Misrables, with some of the reasons why I would recommend first Donoughers, then either Roses or Fahnestock and MacAfees, then Dennys, and, finally, Wilboursbut only for people who like to read nineteenth-century American style: Christine Donougher, translator. Very dated in its style and too often showing a true lack of understanding of French (tu, for instance, is not thou), Hapgoods translation includes too many senseless renderings of Hugos French. Valjean broods over Myriel's words. The king commutes his sentence to penal servitude for life. All these priests are the same. Thnardier then demands that Valjean pay a thousand crowns, but Valjean and Cosette leave. Thnardier orders Valjean to pay him 200,000 francs. She also confesses to have obtained the letter the day before, originally not planning to give it to him, but decides to do so in fear he would be angry at her about it in the afterlife. After Valjean writes the letter and informs Thnardier of his address, Thnardier sends out Mme. Valjean volunteers to execute Javert himself, and Enjolras grants permission. Like Wilbours Hapgoods translation continues to be published in a variety of formats, as it is free of copyright. There are no roads. Marius is horrified, assumes the worst about Valjean's moral character, and contrives to limit Valjean's time with Cosette. Denny is sometimes regarded as the best, most poetic translation, though it is abridged, as it removed about 200 pgs of (if i remember right) something like descriptions of sewer systems. If you're looking for help with a personal book recommendation, consult our Weekly Recommendation Thread, Suggested Reading page, or ask in r/suggestmeabook. He informs Valjean that he cannot release Cosette without a note from the child's mother. A lot of good it did him to be given money, he never had any. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. The book which the reader has before him at this moment is, from one end to the other, in its entirety and details a progress from evil to good, from injustice to justice, from falsehood to truth, from night to day, from appetite to conscience, from corruption to life; from bestiality to duty, from hell to heaven, from nothingness to God. The cover looks exactly like this but it has "Complete and unabridged" printed on the cover as well.. Rose. Insulted, Marius leaves. Marius immediately recognizes Cosette. However, ponine, who has been sitting by the gates of the house, threatens to scream and awaken the whole neighbourhood if the thieves do not leave. The soldier fires, fatally wounding the man, while missing Marius. Valjean takes Javert out of sight, and then shoots into the air while letting him go. Theres been a mistake, Im telling you. I just enjoyed reading it. Marius discovers this man is ponine, dressed in men's clothes. A dandy named Bamatabois harasses Fantine in the street, and she reacts by striking him. [26] He also informed himself by personal inspection of the Paris Conciergerie in 1846 and Waterloo in 1861, by gathering information on some industries, and on working-class people's wages and living standards. No one could say; all that was known was that, when he came back from Italy, he was a priest.In 1804,5 Monsieur Myriel was the cur of Brignolles.6 He was already old and lived like a real recluse in profound seclusion.Around the time of the coronation, a small parish matterwho can remember what now?took him to Paris. Eight years later, the Friends of the ABC, led by Enjolras, are preparing an act of anti-Orlanist civil unrest (i.e. He arrests all the Thnardiers and Patron-Minette (except Claquesous, who escapes during his transportation to prison, and Montparnasse, who stops to run off with ponine instead of joining in on the robbery). Victor Hugo (1802-85), novelist, poet, playwright, and French national icon, is best known for two of todays most popular world classics: Available on Compatible NOOK Devices and the free NOOK Apps. Denny is sometimes regarded as the best, most poetic translation, though it is abridged, as it removed about 200 pgs of (if i remember right) something like descriptions of sewer systems. [13], Even when not turning to other subjects outside his narrative, Hugo sometimes interrupts the straightforward recitation of events, his voice and control of the story line unconstrained by time and sequence. Peter Robinson December 27, 2012 46 0 The family and I just returned from Les Miserables. When he spoke, she listened, and when he took action, she was right behind him. There are eight English translations of Les Miserables, shown below in chronological order. I find Donoughers translation to be engaging, modern, and accurate. I personally love the Julie Rose translation, but a lot of people don't. You can't really go wrong, though, with the original Wilbour Fahnestock & McAffee. In the old days, that was standard for bishops.Youre right, Madame Magloire! the bishop agreed. The Wretched, Doneagher (sp? Monsieur Myriel was the son of a councillor of the Aix parliament, a member of the noblesse de robe.2 They reckoned his father had put him down to inherit his position and so had married him off very early in the piece when he was only eighteen or twenty, as they used to do quite a lot in parliamentary families. Digne's benevolent Bishop Myriel gives him shelter. Javascript is not enabled in your browser. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Modern Library Classics Ser. Fahnestock and McAfee is the best unabridged translation, and, along with Denny, often regarded as the best one. It opens volume 2 with such a change of subject as to seem the beginning of an entirely different work. The palace was truly a mansion fit for a lord. Valjean manages to escape the scene before Javert sees him. Valjean recognizes Thnardier, but Thnardier does not recognize Valjean. Valjean escapes through the sewers, carrying Marius's body. Les Misrables - Other forms The novel inevitably found a home in various media. A revolutionary student club. Surprisingly Javert agrees, assuming that Marius will be dead within minutes. The very day he moved into the hospital, Monsieur Myriel decided once and for all to put this sum to use as follows. I'm reading the Hapgood (1887) translation because it's on Project Gutenberg. When Julie Rose took on Victor Hugo's Les Miserables, two previous English translations dominated bookstore shelves. So long as there shall exist, by virtue of law and custom, decrees of damnation pronounced by society, artificially creating hells amid the civilization of earth, and adding the element of human fate to divine destiny; so long as the three great problems of the centurythe degradation of man through pauperism, the corruption of woman through hunger, the crippling of children through . Fantine discovers that Cosette is not at the hospital and fretfully asks where she is. Marius fulfills her request and goes into a tavern to read the letter. Read the Great Books with Hardcore Literature: https://www.patreon.com/hardcoreliterature https://open.spotify.com/show/70IZA248yNVkrjqzDNm6Lt (Subscribe to the Hardcore Literature Podcast on iTunes \u0026 Spotify) https://hardcore-university.teachable.com (Hardcore University, Exam Preparation Courses) https://hardcore-literature.creator-spring.com Hardcore Literature Merch https://benjaminmcevoy.com My Personal Website Hardcore Literature Lecture SeriesContents Page: https://cutt.ly/CmNhRY3 Anna Karenina: https://cutt.ly/vmNhAWv Crime and Punishment: https://cutt.ly/rmNhFt5 Persuasion: https://cutt.ly/amNhX7b In Search of Lost Time: https://cutt.ly/5mNh8oD The Heros Journey: https://cutt.ly/UmNjrE3 Siddharta: https://cutt.ly/YmNjuzi Don Quixote: https://cutt.ly/cmNjoK4Shakespeares Sonnets: https://cutt.ly/nmNlW7VHappy reading!Norman Denny 1976 translation: https://amzn.to/3rU1jl3Christine Donougher 2013 translation: https://amzn.to/3fHSHLMCharles E. Wilbour 1862 translation: https://amzn.to/3wt3Iqd Each chapter is relatively short, commonly no longer than a few pages. Currently reading the Donougher. As he and Cosette make wedding preparations, Valjean endows them with a fortune of nearly 600,000 francs. Weakened by the severity of her illness, she falls back in shock and dies. He, Mme. Marius pities her and gives her some money. Fahnestock and McAfee is the best unabridged translation, and, along with Denny, often regarded as the best one. [16], In 1828, Vidocq, already pardoned, saved one of the workers in his paper factory by lifting a heavy cart on his shoulders as Valjean does. Hugo does not give the narrator a name and allows the reader to identify the narrator with the novel's author. Now he acts like all the rest. Marius climbs to the top of the barricade, holding a torch in one hand, a powder keg in the other, and threatens to the soldiers that he will blow up the barricade. Marius slowly recovers from his injuries. Explore Now Get Free eBook Sample Buy As Gift LEND ME See Details Overview Vive Les Misrables! ponine and Azelma are envious. He learns Cosette's whereabouts and he writes a farewell letter to her. He has known only one other man, a convict named Jean Valjean, who could accomplish it. Project Gutenberg. They live under the surname "Jondrette" at Gorbeau House (coincidentally, the same building Valjean and Cosette briefly lived in after leaving the Thnardiers' inn). Upon exiting, Valjean encounters Javert and requests time to return Marius to his family before surrendering to him. Although socially progressive in tone it was more sensationalist than Les Misrables and did not have the same breadth of moral vision. I feel like this translation is true to the original French (I compared a few passages with my limited . . And he put in his claim.A short while later, after considering this application, the department council voted him an annual stipend of three thousand francs, under the heading, Bishops Allowance for Carriage Upkeep, Postal Costs, and Travel Expenses Incurred in Pastoral Rounds.The local bourgeoisie was up in arms over this and an imperial senator,4 who had been a member of the Council of Five Hundred5 promoting the Eighteenth Brumaire and was now provided with a magnificent senatorial seat near Digne township, wrote a cranky little private letter to the minister of public worship, Monsieur Bigot de Prameneu.6 We produce here a genuine extract of a few lines:Carriage upkeep? Marius mistakenly believes that Valjean has killed Javert. The magnificent story [is] marvelously captured in this new unabridged translation.Denver Post, Rich and gorgeous. The novel opens with a statement about the bishop of Digne in 1815 and immediately shifts: "Although these details in no way essentially concern that which we have to tell" Only after 14 chapters does Hugo pick up the opening thread again, "In the early days of the month of October, 1815", to introduce Jean Valjean. Marius recognizes Thnardier as the man who saved his father's life at Waterloo and is caught in a dilemma. In addition to being a terrific translation, it has extensive annotation n the many historical and literary references in the novel. I read the english translation by Isabel F. Hapgood and liked it. More than a quarter of the novelby one count 955 of 2,783 pagesis devoted to essays that argue a moral point or display Hugo's encyclopedic knowledge but do not advance the plot, nor even a subplot, a method Hugo used in such other works as The Hunchback of Notre-Dame and Toilers of the Sea. Wilbour's translation, though a bit archaic in its language at times, stays fairly true to the original French version. Oh, these bloody clergy! Years earlier in Paris, a grisette named Fantine was very much in love with Flix Tholomys. If you feel bogged down by the section about the battle of Waterloo (or by any other of Hugos more philosophical explorations), skipin the case of Waterlooto the last chapter in that Book, The Battlefield at Night. That chapter has a key plot element in itplus, Hugo does an amazing job of creating atmosphereso you dont want to miss it. True or false, what is said about people often has as much bearing on their lives and especially on their destinies as what they do. The Thnardiers have also moved to Paris and now live in poverty after losing their inn. Valjean arrives at the barricade and immediately saves a man's life. I'm guessing that Penguin realized it was a mistake, and that the unfamiliar anglicized title hurt sales. 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