Serena Su 蘇詩涵

Politics theatricalized in Les Misérables

以舞台藝術呈現悲慘世界的政治經濟背景

This show portrayed the historical background about half of century the social life of the French, like the Battle of Waterloo and 1832 Paris Uprising .And the most important was the miserable destiny of the people at the bottom of society. For example, the remote small town, the emerging industrial city, the terrifying court, the dark prison, the suburban inn, the tragic slum, and the drainage. Every scene was as vivid as life and the images were so clear and also the morale was vast.

It was said to be the combine of realism and romanticism.

An excerpt

Victor Hugo had enthusiasm for democratic revolution and also clearly praised and admired revolutionary people’s passion.

There were two performance areas on stage one is for singing while other circle stage is for performing and the later even can rotate.

At the beginning, a group of prisoners were working hard under the burning sun and supervised by strictly soldiers on the circle At that time, the society had no concept of human rights. The prisoners lived like a living death.

And about the law executor, to be described euphemistically was doing his duty, but actually he was the watchdog of draconian laws.

Cosette’s foster parents were the innkeepers. They were the other type of the typical middle and lower class at that time, lived in poverty but liked to gain advantage everywhere. They didn’t have any ideas of future and democracy, they just wanted more money!

Hugo let Valjean, Fantine and Cosette explained the three problems at that time- “Poverty lets a man be frustrated. Famine lets a women be driven to prostitution. Darkles lets a child be emaciated.” Said by himself.

After the war, women came to street and question is there anything change?

But in the end, there is another turning point! All of the characters were singing a song of hope. “Somewhere beyond the barricade , there is a world you long to see.”