Les Misérables

The epic novel by Victor Hugo "Les Misérables" (1862) — a vast text without which it is impossible to imagine the spiritual history of the 19th century. Essentially, it is "War and Peace" of the great French classic, only here it reflects not the confrontation of enemy armies, but the war waged between good and evil in the human soul and in society. In creating "Les Misérables," the author, according to his own words, was primarily concerned with three themes: "the oppression of man... the fall of woman due to hunger, the withering of a child due to the darkness of ignorance," which is reflected in the stories of the main characters: the convict Jean Valjean, Fantine, and Cosette. The fantastically intricate adventurous plot compels one to follow with unwavering attention the events that unfold on the streets of old Paris, in the slums and on the barricades. It is no coincidence that in the 20th century there are dozens of adaptations of "Les Misérables" — from the silent film "On the Barricades" (1907) to the latest film by Tom Hooper.