Facts about Les Misérables: Literary Themes
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Hugo uses the recurring motif of light and darkness throughout Les Misérables to symbolize moral enlightenment versus ignorance and spiritual blindness.
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Love and sacrifice are intertwined themes in Les Misérables, demonstrated through characters like Fantine, who sells her hair and teeth to support her daughter Cosette.
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The theme of poverty and social inequality in Les Misérables reflects Hugo's critique of nineteenth-century French society's failure to protect its most vulnerable citizens.
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Redemption through suffering and moral transformation is a dominant theme in Les Misérables, most powerfully illustrated through Jean Valjean's spiritual journey after his encounter with Bishop Myriel.
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A central theme of Les Misérables is the conflict between law and justice, embodied in the relentless pursuit of Jean Valjean by the rigid Inspector Javert.