| | Les Misérables follows the lives and interactions of several French characters over a twenty year period in the early 19th century that includes the Napoleonic wars and subsequent decades. |
| | Principally focusing on the struggles of the protagonist—ex-convict Jean Valjean—struggling to redeem himself, the novel examines the impact of Valjean's actions as social commentary. |
| | It examines the nature of good, evil, and the law, in a sweeping story that expounds upon the history of France, architecture of Paris, politics, moral philosophy, law, justice, religion, and the types and nature of romantic and familial love. |
| | Hugo was inspired by the real-life criminal/policeman Francois Eugene Vidocq, and split the personalities into the two main characters in his novel. |
| | Les Misérables contains a multitude of plots, but the thread that binds them together is the story of the ex-convict Jean Valjean, known in prison only by his prisoner number, 24601, who becomes a force for good in the world, but cannot escape his past. |
| | Within the borders of the novel's story arc, Hugo fills many pages with his thoughts on religion, politics, and society, including his three lengthy digressions, one being a discussion on enclosed religious orders, another being on argot, and most famously, his epic retelling of the Battle of Waterloo. |
| | After nineteen years of imprisonment for stealing food for his starving family, the peasant Jean Valjean is released. |
| | However, he is required to carry a yellow ticket, which marks him as a convict. |
| | Rejected by innkeepers who do not want to take in a convict, Valjean sleeps on the street. |
| | However, the benevolent Bishop Myriel takes him in and gives him shelter. |
| | In the night, he steals the bishop’s silverware and runs. |
| | He is caught, but the bishop rescues him by claiming that the silver was a gift. |
| | The bishop then tells him that in exchange, he must become an honest man. |
| | Six years later, Valjean has become a wealthy factory owner and is appointed mayor of his adopted town, having broken his parole and assumed the pseudonym of Père Madeleine to avoid capture by Inspector Javert, who has been pursuing him. |
| | Fate, however, takes an unfortunate turn when another man is arrested, accused of being Valjean, and put on trial, forcing the real ex-convict to reveal his true identity. |
| | At the same time, he meets the dying Fantine, who had been fired from her job at his factory and has resorted to prostitution. |
| | She has a young daughter, Cosette, who lives with a corrupt innkeeper and his selfish, cruel wife. |
| | As Fantine dies, Valjean, seeing in Fantine similarities to his former life of hardship, promises her that he will take care of Cosette. |
| | He pays off the innkeeper, Thénardier, to obtain Cosette. Valjean and Cosette flee for Paris. |
| | Ten years later, angry students, led by Enjolras, are preparing a revolution on the eve of the Paris uprising on June 5–6, 1832, following the death of General Lamarque, the only French leader who had sympathy towards the working class. |
| | One of the students, Marius Pontmercy, who has become alienated from his family because of his liberal views, falls in love with Cosette, who has grown to be very beautiful. |
| | The Thénardiers, who have also moved to Paris, lead a gang of thieves to raid Valjean’s house while Marius is visiting. |
| | However, Thénardier’s daughter, Éponine, who is also in love with Marius, convinces the thieves to leave. |
| | The following day, the students revolt and erect barricades in the narrow streets of Paris. |
| | Valjean, learning that Cosette's lover is fighting, joins them in order to protect Marius. |
| | Éponine also joins. During the ensuing battle, Valjean saves Javert from being killed by the students and lets him go. |
| | Javert, a man who believes in absolute obedience of the law, is caught between his belief in the law and the mercy Valjean has shown him. |
| | Unable to cope with this dilemma, Javert kills himself. |
| | Valjean saves the injured Marius, but many others, including Enjolras and Éponine, are killed. |
| | Escaping through the sewers, he returns Marius to Cosette. |
| | Marius and Cosette are soon married. |
| | Valjean loses his strength to live as the last thing he lived for in his life, Cosette, no longer needs him. |
| | Marius is convinced Valjean is of poor moral character so steers Cosette away from him. |
| | Marius learns of Valjean's good deeds too late and rushes to Valjean's house where he lays dying. |
| | As Valjean's final act he reveals his past, noble and not-so, to the pair and then dies with them clasping his hands. |