< Les Misérables (novel)

Les Misérables (novel)/Fridge


Fridge Brilliance

  • I had one for Les Misérables based on one of the performances on Youtube. During Thénardier's Villain Song "Dog Eat Dog", he refers to God being as dead as the "stiffs at (his) feet". Initially, this just seemed like a usual example of a villain having Nietzsche Wannabe pretentions, but then it hit me... During this scene, Thénardier is in the Paris sewers, and it seems like the "stiffs" he references are Valjean and Marius, neither of whom are dead. Thus, the musical is sending the message that God is very much alive.-- Jordan
    • Here's another one from Les Mis. Jean Valjean's repentence song ("What Have I Done?") is about how the bishop's love has turned his life around. Inspector Javert's suicide song ("Javert's Suicide") is about how Valjean's love has turned his life around...only in a completely opposite way. The tunes to both songs are the same. Every song in this musical gets a reprise (most of them increasingly darker), and it's fittingly ironic that the hero's song about deciding to live a purposeful, redeemed life should return as the antagonist's song about being unable to continue with life.
  • In 'Stars', Javert promises to never let Valjean go, and swears it by the stars. in 'Dog Eat Dog', M. Thenardier 'looks up to see the heavens and only the moon shines down'. A few songs later, Javert gives up on chasing Valjean.
  • Fridge Brilliance:
    • In the musical, Éponine isn't that crazy, and is portrayed as being a close friend of Marius', making his obliviousness to her feelings seem a tad thick of him. But some productions make Éponine be played by a teenager, and Marius and Cosette as more grown up, so that Marius doesn't notice her feelings because he sees her as a little sister.
      • That'll definitely depend on the actor. In the book, Cosette and Éponine are supposed to be the same age (though Éponine may look younger due to malnutrition.)
    • In the song "Red and Black":
      • "Red- a world about to dawn!" Think of the phrase "Red sky at morning, sailors take warning." Now go back to "One Day More." "One more day before the storm!" and "A Little Fall of Rain." Get it?
      • "Like the flowing of the tide, Paris coming to our side!" The tide goes in and out...
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