| Les Misérables – I Dreamed A Dream Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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The one thing that bothers me about the play vs the novel is the first half of the play is the first 75% of the novel and the second half of the play is the last 25% of the novel. Therefore many things in the first 75% of the novel get left out of the play. The only part that got cut that's really too bad (in my opinion) is Fantine's history. Her back story is amazing and it was entirely cut from the play and this song attempts to explain it. "He slept a summer by my side He filled my days with endless wonder He took my childhood in his stride But he was gone when autumn came" This part makes it seem like Fantine and Tholomyès were only together for 6 months or so. In reality the book makes it clear that Tholomyes ditches Fantine when Cosette is 2 years 2 months old. In the section when Fantine gives Cosette to the Thenardiers it is mentioned that 10 months had passed since Fantine was dumped by Tholomyes. It also makes clear that Cosette is "going on three" years old. Doing the math you can figure out Cosette was 2 years, 2 months old at the time Tholomyes leaves Fantine ("the pretty farce"). This means that Fantine and Tholomyes were together at least 3 years, not "a summer". "And still I dream he'll come to me That we will live the years together" After the pretty farce Fantine writes a few letters to Tholomyes but they are ignored. She pretty much forgets him at that point. So after she's fired from her job in Montreiul-Sur-Mer it's doubtful she'd still be dreaming of Tholomyes. If you want to read about Fantine's back story you can find the novel here: classicreader.com/book/268/ Read the section: Book Third.--In the Year 1817 |
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| Les Misérables – I Dreamed A Dream Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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The one thing that bothers me about the play vs the novel is the first half of the play is the first 75% of the novel and the second half of the play is the last 25% of the novel. Therefore many things in the first 75% of the novel get left out of the play. The only part that got cut that's really too bad (in my opinion) is Fantine's history. Her back story is amazing and it was entirely cut from the play and this song attempts to explain it. "He slept a summer by my side He filled my days with endless wonder He took my childhood in his stride But he was gone when autumn came" This part makes it seem like Fantine and Tholomyès were only together for 6 months or so. In reality the book makes it clear that Tholomyes ditches Fantine when Cosette is 2 years 2 months old. In the section when Fantine gives Cosette to the Thenardiers it is mentioned that 10 months had passed since Fantine was dumped by Tholomyes. It also makes clear that Cosette is "going on three" years old. Doing the math you can figure out Cosette was 2 years, 2 months old at the time Tholomyes leaves Fantine ("the pretty farce"). This means that Fantine and Tholomyes were together at least 3 years, not "a summer". "And still I dream he'll come to me That we will live the years together" After the pretty farce Fantine writes a few letters to Tholomyes but they are ignored. She pretty much forgets him at that point. So after she's fired from her job in Montreiul-Sur-Mer it's doubtful she'd still be dreaming of Tholomyes. If you want to read about Fantine's back story you can find the novel here: http://www.classicreader.com/book/268/ Read the section: Book Third.--In the Year 1817 |
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| Les Misérables – Empty Chairs at Empty Tables Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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This is the single part of the play that is "better" than the novel. The novel never addresses Marius' feelings towards the death of his acquaintances (I don't think it's fair to call them "friends") on the barricade. He spends 6 months recovering from his wounds then he is just focused on how happy he is to have Cosette. Marius was a Republican so he supported the rebellion. But he wasn't very passionate about it. The only reason he goes to the barricade is 1) when he goes to Cosette's house and she is gone Marius doesn't see any point to his life anymore, and 2) Eponine tells him to go to the barricade. I think in real life Marius would have felt grief over the end of his acquaintances. They were the only people in his life he spent any time with for at least a year prior to the insurrection. At that point he would have felt something towards them and he would have at least felt grief over their death. The novel never touched on this subject but I'm glad it was added to the play. |
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| Les Misérables – Fantine's Arrest + Come To Me (fantine's Death) Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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In the novel Fantine has been in the hospital for at least 6 weeks but it's not really specified how long. She is waiting every day for Cosette to come. Valjean keeps promising Fantine that Cosette's coming but every time Valjean sends someone to fetch Cosette the Thenardiers refuse to give her up. Valjean has decided to go get Cosette himself but was sidetracked by the Champmatheiu ordeal. Valjean visits Fantine every afternoon, but has been gone two or three days. Fantine and the nurses are convinced he's going to get Cosette. Then suddenly Fantine hears children's voices outside her window. The nurse tells Fantine it is Cosette she hears but that the doctor won't allow Fantine to see Cosette until Fantine gets stronger. The nurse says this because she believe Valjean will be back soon with Cosette. Valjean appears and the nurse is upset that he didn't get Cosette. Valjean goes to Fantine to check on her but suddenly Javert comes into Fantine's hospital room and spills the beans that Valjean is not the mayor, he is a convict, and that Cosette is not there and Valjean will be going to jail and not be going to get Cosette. The shock of this news causes Fantine to die. So while the song has Fantine "imagining" she is seeing or hearing Cosette in the novel Fantine really believed she was hearing Cosette right outside her window. Here's the section of the novel where Fantine dies. http://www.classicreader.com/book/268/69/ |
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| Les Misérables – A Little Fall Of Rain Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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I have read this novel several times and there is some confusion on this thread. Marius doesn't hate Eponine. He doesn't love Eponine. He has no opinion. She's just another living being in the world to him. Marius is going through a sort of transformation after his problems with his grandfather. He is in limbo, unsure what to do next, until one day he sees Cosette. From that point onward he is obsessed with Cosette. So while Eponine is in his life (she lives next door to him) Marius looks through her. Eponine loves Marius. But she is aware that he would never ever have any interest in someone like her. She is poor, and unattractive due to being malnourished. So Eponine's goal in life is to bring Cosette and Marius together. Marius asks Eponine to help him find Cosette and Eponine arranges everything, and goes so far as to prevent her father's gang from attacking Val Jean and Cosette's house. She does this because she wants to make Marius happy. Because she loves him. That's what this song is about. Eponine is saying to Marius "I don't care if I'm dying, if I can lay my head on your lap and take comfort from you I will be happier than I've ever been". And for the person who said Eponine always lived a sad life, that's untrue. Eponine was a very happy child and she had a "good life" until the Thenardier's lost their inn when she was around 10 years old. Here's the link to the chapter in the novel when Eponine dies. http://www.classicreader.com/book/268/293/ "The bullet traversed my hand, but it came out through my back. It is useless to remove me from this spot. I will tell you how you can care for me better than any surgeon. Sit down near me on this stone." He obeyed; she laid her head on Marius' knees, and, without looking at him, she said:-- "Oh! How good this is! How comfortable this is! There; I no longer suffer." She remained silent for a moment, then she turned her face with an effort, and looked at Marius. "Do you know what, Monsieur Marius? It puzzled me because you entered that garden; it was stupid, because it was I who showed you that house; and then, I ought to have said to myself that a young man like you--" She paused, and overstepping the sombre transitions that undoubtedly existed in her mind, she resumed with a heartrending smile:-- "You thought me ugly, didn't you?".... |
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