The first time I ever heard about Les Mis was in 7th grade. My teacher was going on about how great a book it was. I remembered thinking "I should totally read that", but I guess 7th grade crap got in the way. I then kind of forgot all about Les Mis until I was probably in 9th grade, and I watched the movie (not the movie-musical, mind ya!). It was awesome. If you haven't seen it, watch it. After that, I forgot all about it again until the movie-musical came out last year. I went and saw it, and thought that would be the end of it. Nope! A friend of mine is performing in a stage production of Les Mis this summer. I went and saw that, also amazing. I think I enjoyed the stage production better than the movie production. I think. It is tough to decide. I guess Les Mis will keep cropping up because, let's admit it, Les Mis is a big, ol' deal.
Prior to seeing the musical a couple months ago, I didn't know much about it. I knew that it was a Broadway performance. I had heard the whole Susan Boyle thing, when she sang the big Fantine song and wow'd all of Britain. I think Glee might have done a version of the really dramatic Eponine song. But, its not like I was a big lover of the music to begin with. After having watched it, yes I love it. Yes, it is a big ol' deal. But, I think I still love the story more than the music.
My super analytic sister pointed out once that the line in the music that best sums up the story is "to love another person is to see the face of God". Well done, Sloan. You are dead on!! The whole damn play is about love and how different people experience and express the love they feel.
Jean Valjean, obviously has selfless love. He was only imprisoned because he was stealing to feed his family. He ends up raising some chick's kid, just because it was his fault she got fired from her job (which, let's face it, did ultimately result in her death. So, he definitely owed her something.)
Javert seems like a total jerk, but really he is just super devoted to his job. He loves France, and has so much respect for the position he keeps, serving his country. When he realizes that Valjean is a super great guy and probably doesn't deserve life in prison, he can't even deal with the idea of not doing his job, so he kills himself. Kind of a misunderstood love, but it was definitely there.
Faninte just loves the crap out of her baby girl. She works herself to death trying to provide for her. That is obviously just really great, good-old-fashioned love.
The whole Eponine-Marius-Cosette triangle is crazy full of love. Eponine expresses unrequited love. She'd do anything for Marius, even if it means helping him get some other chick (which she does, ultimately resulting in HER death. Spoilers. Everyone dies, guys.) Cosette and Marius annoy the crap out of me. They are so caught up in their little infatuations, that they sort of block everything/everyone else out. I guess that is nice in its own way. They have a fairy tale-ish, hopeful love. Not really practical when the freaking French Revolution is happening, but I guess someone forgot to tell them that. They are the only ones who survive the whole thing, so I guess they had something going for them.
Anyway, it is just a really great story. Being a big lover of love, this story just really did it for me. You should read the book. Do it. Do it, now.
No comments:
Post a Comment