An Analysis of Les Miserables Musical Play - Essay Example

An Analysis of Les Miserables Les Miserables is a musical play which is heavily based on the ic novel of the same by Victor Hugo. First staged in at the Barbican Theater in London on October 8, 1985 the musical has proven to be all enduring as it celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2010. The musical was composed by Claude-Michel Schooberg with lyrics by Alain Boubil and Jean-Marc Natel. Herbert Kretzmel wrote the English libretto for the play. Although the play opened to negative critical reviews, the public patronized the show in droves, winning the show 8 Tony awards in the process. The awards included best musical and best original score. This was a difficult play to mount as the whole story is sung through by the performers. Due to the sheer volume of the songs contained in this two act play, my analysis of Les Miserables shall concentrate on only 6 songs. These songs are: 1. I Dreamed a Dream by Fantine 2. Master of the House by Thernadiers 3. Do You Hear the People Sing? by Revolutionary Anda Students 4. On My Own by Eponine 5. Bring Him Home by Jean Valjean 6. Javerts Suicide Les Miserables is a story of broken dreams and loss of hope. Life is hard and for a woman like Fantine, who started off as a worker and then ended up a prostitute with a daughter whom she entrusted to Valjean on her deathbed, this song from Act 1 of the play conveys the childlike innocence that one wishes to carry throughout life but always surrenders due to the reality of the situation. This sentiment can be clearly seen in the sheer optimism of the song during its early part but then we find out that “hope was high” and “time has gone by”. Fantine also dreamed that “love would never die” and “God would be forgiving” with the longing of a child. As the whimsical wondering of a child gave in to a reckless youthful love and its harsh realities, Fantine in the end realizes that life as she dreamed it and how it really was. She sadly sings that her life is: ...so different from this hell I’m living…and from what it seemed...“life has killed/ The dream I dreamed. In contrast to the heavy emotions of Fantine in “I Dreamed a Dream”, “Master Of the House” is a much livelier and lighter song from the first act. It is performed by Thenadier at Thenaiders Inn. In the song, we see how business was done during this particular era. This Act I song has Thenadier enticing clients to stay at his inn because he is unlike other businessmen who: Charge them for the lice... extra for the mice... two percent for looking in the mirror twice... here a little slice... there a little cut...three percent for sleeping with the window shut...when it comes to fixing prices... In reality Thenadier is no different from the inn-keepers he sings about and his wife, who deplores such acts knows but is unable to stop him from doing it. He makes his money by being an amicable and trustworthy looking person but as the song progresses, the listener realizes that Thenadier is no different from the others. He too abuses his workers like Fantine in order to make a profit. As the revolution in France continues to gain ground, the anthem “Do you Hear the People Sing” as sung by the Revolutionary Anda Students from Act I begins to take on a life of its own. This is one of the most popular songs from the musical and is performed twice throughout the play. The second performance is done towards the end of the Act II while also being played prominently in the staged battle scenes. The song serves as the anthem of a growing sentiment of freedom amongst the oppressed people as heard in the following lyrics: Do you hear the people sing? Singing a song of angry men? It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again! When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums there is a life about to start when tomorrow comes! The song has become a modern day anthem for political movements across the world as well. Being heard during the 1989 protests in Tianmen Square and the 2011 protests in Wisconsin as well. The song has become a hallmark of the musical that bring Act I to a close. One of the most important songs in Act II is On My Own as sung by Eponine. It is a bittersweet love song that allows Eponine one chance to finally show the audience how she feels about her life and the people in it. When she sings: And now Im all alone again. Nowhere to turn, no one to go to. Without a home, without a friend, without a face to say hello to. This song is meant to lend a sympathetic ear to Eponine. The tragic death of the character later in the show after singing the song helped create one of the most popular characters from the musical as Eponine serves as a study in contrasts from the very lady-like Cosette. As a love song, it serves to help Eponine realize that there is no hope for the love she feels for Marius because: I love him... But every day Im learning... All my life Ive only been pretending Without me his world will go on turning... A world thats full of happiness that I have never known! I love him... I love him... I love him... But only on my own. Also from Act II is the heartfelt prayer song “Bring Him Home” by Jean Valjean. This is a poignant song that depicts the reality that every parent whose son has to go off to war has to face. In Valjeans case, he feels the pain that Cosette is feeling for Marius is off to join the revolutionaries. He wishes that he can spare the boy the harsh realities of war and give him more time to grow up. Valjean prays: God on high...hear my prayer...In my need... you have always been there. He is young... he is afraid... let him rest... heaven blessed. Bring him home...bring him home... bring him home... The song itself is a highlight of Act II as it is sung by the main character of Jean Valjean as a prayer to God on behalf of his daughter Cosette. To round out this interesting song analysis of the songs from Les Miserables, I would like to pay particular attention to Javerts Suicide. Sung so close to the end of the show, the song is performed after Javert concedes to allow Valjean to bring the wounded Marius to the hospital. Having chased Valjean for most of the story, he begins to question what is wrong with him. Why did he allow Valjean to get away once again? He wonders: Who is this man? What sort of devil is he? To have me caught in a trap and choose to let me go free? It was his hour at last to put a seal on my fate. Wipe out the past and wash me clean off the slate! All it would take was a flick of his knife vengeance was hisa nd he gave me back my life! Damned if Ill live in the debt of a thief! Damned if Ill yield at the end of the chase. I am the Law and the Law is not mocked. Ill spit his pity right back in his face... There is nothing on earth that we share... It is either Valjean or Javert! With the indignation of a man who cannot accept that he was wrong about a person, Javert chose to end his life rather than try to understand the man or be in debt to the very man he was sworn to arrest for the simple error of stealing a loaf of bread. There are many other remarkable songs from Les Miserables that I could continue to discussing but being pressed for space, let me just say that the ironic echo and soundtrack dissonance of this particular musical is done most deliberately in order to help set the mood and tones of the story quite successfully. Read More