Les Miserables by Victor Hugo is one of the best novels in world literature. Exploring the depth of human misery, this novel goes to the core of woes and sufferings. The language, even in English translation, is heavy and foreboding, enveloping the reader’s mind with the blackest thoughts of human misery.
The protagonist is what is commonly called an anti-hero, who suffers at the hands of poverty and fate and what is perhaps the biggest curse of industrialization – class system. Placed on the lowest rung of the ladder, he learns the bitter lessons of life the hard way. Caught in the act of stealing bread for his hungry family, he is jailed for this offence. No humanitarian consideration is shown for his state and he is sent to a living death on an island jail. There he meets the worse specimen of humanity – the jailor. He is tortured beyond human imagination, in solitary cells, without food, water or light. He tries to escape and is caught, tries again and is caught, tries yet again and is caught again – thereby increasing his sentence to 19 years. He ends up spending 19 years in confinement for stealing a loaf of bread. This heart-rending tale carries on even after his release. Although the style of writing is heavy, prosaic and quite literary, the novel quite understandable as it portrays human woes, struggles and traumas in the greyest of colours. The novel clearly echoes the socialist leanings of the author and gives a general idea of the political and social scenario of France in the 19th century. An interesting read for serious literature lovers, not recommended for light reading.