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.
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.