ABSTRACT
Praptiningrum, Dhenok, 2015, Hugo’s Ideology Transformation in Les Miserables: A Religious Monarchist to A Radical Republican. Yogyakarta: English Language Studies of Graduate Level, Sanata Dharma University.
This thesis aims at analyzing the transformation of Victor Hugo’s ideology reflected in Les Miserables to understand his idea of socialism and point of view on social structure. As Hugo has proclaimed himself a socialist
in his essays of humanity entitled “Capital Punishment” and “Mind and Masses”, the analysis focuses on Hugo’s repressed condition reflected in Les Miserables. To support the analysis, this research chooses the novel published in 2012 by Penguin Books. This version of Les Miserables is translated by Norman Denny. In his introduction, Denny writes his
awareness about Hugo’s ideology transformation. Therefore, this novel is translated with the translator’s awareness of Hugo’s social background and ideology transformation.
This research analyzes Les Miserables by using psychoanalytic-Marxism as the reading strategy to comprehend the social and psychotic dimension in Les Miserables. Psychoanalytic-Marxism is a literary theory proposed by Eugene Victor Wolfenstein based on psychoanalysis and Marxist theory. Both theories are deconstructed to reconstruct psychoanalytic-Marxism which places someone’s psychotic dimension within her/his social condition. The discussion on ideology transformation comprises three main points; (1) the concept of desire and passion, (2) the insanity / in sanity concept, and (3) the psychotic dimension of the author within his social life which is depicted in the novel. The first point supports the argument that social condition builds someone desire. The second point
emphasizes on the idea of “emergent” within the “dominant” ideology from
psychoanalytic-Marxism and an individual point of view within the collective. The third points focuses on how psychoanalytic–Marxism perceives the author’s unconscious notion within the author’s social condition
The three analysis points of psychoanalytic-Marxism conclude that although Hugo proclaims himself a socialist and projects his idea about socialism in Les Miserables, Hugo transforms into a socialist with religious soul. The research finds that Les Miserables shows that Hugo’s ideology is
not only a set of belief but also a praxis. Therefore it reflects Hugo’s
projection of his set of belief and his ideology as praxis that concludes
Hugo’s socialist idea within his religious mind.
ABSTRAK
Praptiningrum, Dhenok, 2015, Hugo’s Ideology Transformation in Les Miserables: A Religious Monarchist to A Radical Republican. Yogyakarta: Program Pasca Sarjana Kajian Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma
Tesis ini ditulis dengan tujuan menganalisis transformasi ideologi Victor Hugo yang tercermin dalam Les Miserables guna memahami konsep sosialisme Hugo and pandangannya terhadap struktur sosial. Berdasarkan keputusan Hugo untuk menyatakan diri sebagai seorang sosialis dalam esai kemanusiaannya yang berjudul “Capital Punishment” dan “Mind and
Masses”, analisis mengenai ideologi Hugo dalam tesis ini akan menjadi analisis gagasan bawah sadar Hugo yang tercermin dalam Les Miserables.
Guna mendukung analisis, dalam penelitian ini digunakan versi novel yang diterbitkan pada 2012 oleh Penguin Books. Versi Les Miserables ini diterjemahkan oleh Norman Denny yang dalam kata pengantar novel tersebut memaparkan bahwa ia menyadari perubahan ideologi dalam diri Hugo. Sehingga, novel tersebut diterjemahkan dengan mempertimbangkan latar belakang kehidupan sosial dan perubahan ideologi Victor Hugo.
Penelitian ini menganalisis Les Miserables dengan psychoanalytic - Marxism sebagai strategi pembacaan untuk membaca sisi sosial dan psikologi yang terefleksi dalam Les Miserables. Psiskoanalitik-Marxisme merupakan teori sastra yang ditulis oleh Euegene Victor Wolfenstein berdasarkan teori klasik psikoanalisis dan Marxist. Kedua teori tersebut diuraikan untuk membentuk psychoanalytic - Marxism yang menempatkan dimensi psikologi seseorang dalam konteks sosial. Ada tiga poin pokok mengenai perubahan ideologi yang akan dibahas: (1) konsep keinginan dan naluri, (2) konsep insanity / in sanity, dan (3) dimensi psikologi seorang penulis dalam konteks kehidupan sosialnya yang tercermin dalam novelnya. Poin pertama akan mendukung analisis mengenai bagaimana latar belakang dan kondisi sosial membentuk keinginan dalam alam bawah sadar seseorang. Poin kedua menekankan ide “emergent” yang muncul melawan ideologi
“dominant” dari sudut pandang psychoanalysis - Marxism dan sudut pandang seorang individu dalam kelompok sosial. Poin ketiga berfokus pada bagaimana psychoanalytic - Marxism melihat bagaimana kondisi psikologi dan ideologi penulis tercermin dalam karyanya.
menyimpulkan konsep sosialis Hugo lebih mengarah pada dasar pemikiran sosialis yang dilandasi jiwa religius.
HUGO’S IDEOLOGY TRANSFORMATION IN LES MISERABLES: A RELIGIOUS MONARCHIST TO A RADICAL REPUBLICAN
A THESIS
Presented as a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
For the degree of Magister Humaniora (M.Hum.) in English Language Studies
by
Dhenok Praptiningrum Student Number: 136332045
THE GRADUATE PROGRAM OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDIES SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
A THESIS
HUGO’S IDEOLOGY TRANSFORMATION IN LES MISERABLES: A
RELIGIOUS MONARCHIST TO A RADICAL REPUBLICAN
by
Dhenok Praptiningrum
Student Number: 136332045
Approved by
Paulus Sarwoto, Ph.D. ________________________
A THESIS
HUGO’S IDEOLOGY TRANSFORMATION IN LES MISERABLES: A
RELIGIOUS MONARCHIST TO A RADICAL REPUBLICAN Presented by
Dhenok Praptiningrum Student Number: 136332045
Defended before the Thesis Committee and Declared Acceptable.
THESIS COMMITTEE
Chairperson : Dra. Novita Dewi, M.S.,M.A (Hons),Ph.D. __________________
Secretary : Paulus Sarwoto, Ph.D. __________________
Member : 1 Dra. Th. Enny Anggraini, M.A. __________________
: 2 P. Mutiara Andalas, SJ.,S.S.,M.A,Ph.D. __________________
Yogyakarta, 12 Februari 2016
The Graduate Program Director
Sanata Dharma University
STATEMENT OF WORK‘S ORIGINALITY
This is to certify that all ideas, phrases, sentences, unless otherwise stated, are the ideas, phrases, and sentences of the thesis writer. The writer understands the full consequences including degree cancellation if she took somebody else’s ideas,
phrases, sentences without proper references.
Yogyakarta, 2 February 2016,
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN
PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS Yang bertanda tangan dibawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:
Nama : Dhenok Praptiningrum
NIM : 136332045
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan,
sayamemberikankepadaPerpustakaanUniversitasSanata Dharma karyailmiahsaya yang berjudul:
HUGO’S IDEOLOGY TRANSFORMATION IN LES MISERABLES: A
RELIGIOUS MONARCHIST TO A RADICAL REPUBLICAN
beserta perangkat yang diperlukan. Dengan demikian, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikannya di Internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin maupun memberikan royalty kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal : 2 Februari 2016
Yang menyatakan
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
There are numerous people that I should thank for the accomplishment of this study. First of all, I should mention Paulus Sarwoto, Ph.D, my thesis advisor, whose courses have brought my attention to this topic and whose patient guidance has led me to finish this thesis. I should also mention P. Mutiara Andalas, SJ.,S.S.,M.A,Ph.D., Dr. F.X. Siswadi, M.A., Dra. Novita Dewi, M.S.,M.A.(Hons),Ph.D, and Dra. Th. Enny Anggraini, M.A. who have guided me with their critical feedback.
A lot of thanks should also go to my parents and my siblings, Bani and Karenia, for their support during my study. I would also like to thank Bastian Leo, my best friend and my fiancé, for his support. Last but not least, I should mention Miranda Siregar and Elsa Emiria Leba whose time have always been available for me for any sharing. Finally, I should not forget all of my friends in KBI Sanata Dharma who have been very helpful to me, not only during the thesis writing, but also during my study in KBI Sanata Dharma.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
TITLE PAGE ... i
APPROVAL PAGE ... ii
DEFENSE APPROVAL PAGE ... iii
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ... iv
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI ... v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ... vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS ... vii
ABSTRACT ... xi
ABSTRAK ... x
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION... 1
A. INTRODUCTION ... 1
B. Research Methodology ... 14
CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW... 16
A. Hugo’s ideology transformation within the previous studies ... 16
1. Psychoanalytic studies on Les Miserables ... 16
3. Les Miserables and its surrogation ... 26
B. Les Miserables and psychoanalytic - Marxism ... 31
1. Defining Hugo’s socialism ... 32
2. Psychoanalytic-Marxism ... 44
CHAPTER III: CONSTRUCTING HUGO’S IDEAL SOCIETY ... 50
A. The Revolutionary Characters ... 50
B. An ideal society in Les Miserables ... 60
CHAPTER IV: HUGO IDEOLOGY TRANSFORMATION... 71
A. The constructed desire ... 71
B. Insanity / In Sanity ... 76
C. The religious monarchist who becomes radical republican ... 81
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSIONS ... 92
BIBLIOGRAPHY ... 104
APPENDIX ... 106
ABSTRACT
Praptiningrum, Dhenok, 2015, Hugo’s Ideology Transformation in Les Miserables: A Religious Monarchist to A Radical Republican. Yogyakarta: English Language Studies of Graduate Level, Sanata Dharma University.
This thesis aims at analyzing the transformation of Victor Hugo’s ideology reflected in Les Miserables to understand his idea of socialism and point of view on social structure. As Hugo has proclaimed himself a socialist in his essays of humanity entitled “Capital Punishment” and “Mind and Masses”, the analysis focuses on Hugo’s repressed condition reflected in Les Miserables. To support the analysis, this research chooses the novel published in 2012 by Penguin Books. This version of Les Miserables is translated by Norman Denny. In his introduction, Denny writes his awareness about Hugo’s ideology transformation. Therefore, this novel is translated with the translator’s awareness of Hugo’s social background and ideology transformation.
This research analyzes Les Miserables by using psychoanalytic-Marxism as the reading strategy to comprehend the social and psychotic dimension in Les Miserables. Psychoanalytic-Marxism is a literary theory proposed by Eugene Victor Wolfenstein based on psychoanalysis and Marxist theory. Both theories are deconstructed to reconstruct psychoanalytic-Marxism which places someone’s psychotic dimension within her/his social condition. The discussion on ideology transformation comprises three main points; (1) the concept of desire and passion, (2) the insanity / in sanity concept, and (3) the psychotic dimension of the author within his social life which is depicted in the novel. The first point supports the argument that social condition builds someone desire. The second point emphasizes on the idea of “emergent” within the “dominant” ideology from psychoanalytic-Marxism and an individual point of view within the collective. The third points focuses on how psychoanalytic–Marxism perceives the author’s unconscious notion within the author’s social condition
The three analysis points of psychoanalytic-Marxism conclude that although Hugo proclaims himself a socialist and projects his idea about socialism in Les Miserables, Hugo transforms into a socialist with religious soul. The research finds that Les Miserables shows that Hugo’s ideology is not only a set of belief but also a praxis. Therefore it reflects Hugo’s projection of his set of belief and his ideology as praxis that concludes Hugo’s socialist idea within his religious mind.
ABSTRAK
Praptiningrum, Dhenok, 2015, Hugo’s Ideology Transformation in Les Miserables: A Religious Monarchist to A Radical Republican. Yogyakarta: Program Pasca Sarjana Kajian Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma
Tesis ini ditulis dengan tujuan menganalisis transformasi ideologi Victor Hugo yang tercermin dalam Les Miserables guna memahami konsep sosialisme Hugo and pandangannya terhadap struktur sosial. Berdasarkan keputusan Hugo untuk menyatakan diri sebagai seorang sosialis dalam esai kemanusiaannya yang berjudul “Capital Punishment” dan “Mind and Masses”, analisis mengenai ideologi Hugo dalam tesis ini akan menjadi analisis gagasan bawah sadar Hugo yang tercermin dalam Les Miserables.
Guna mendukung analisis, dalam penelitian ini digunakan versi novel yang diterbitkan pada 2012 oleh Penguin Books. Versi Les Miserables ini diterjemahkan oleh Norman Denny yang dalam kata pengantar novel tersebut memaparkan bahwa ia menyadari perubahan ideologi dalam diri Hugo. Sehingga, novel tersebut diterjemahkan dengan mempertimbangkan latar belakang kehidupan sosial dan perubahan ideologi Victor Hugo.
Penelitian ini menganalisis Les Miserables dengan psychoanalytic - Marxism sebagai strategi pembacaan untuk membaca sisi sosial dan psikologi yang terefleksi dalam Les Miserables. Psiskoanalitik-Marxisme merupakan teori sastra yang ditulis oleh Euegene Victor Wolfenstein berdasarkan teori klasik psikoanalisis dan Marxist. Kedua teori tersebut diuraikan untuk membentuk psychoanalytic - Marxism yang menempatkan dimensi psikologi seseorang dalam konteks sosial. Ada tiga poin pokok mengenai perubahan ideologi yang akan dibahas: (1) konsep keinginan dan naluri, (2) konsep insanity / in sanity, dan (3) dimensi psikologi seorang penulis dalam konteks kehidupan sosialnya yang tercermin dalam novelnya. Poin pertama akan mendukung analisis mengenai bagaimana latar belakang dan kondisi sosial membentuk keinginan dalam alam bawah sadar seseorang. Poin kedua menekankan ide “emergent” yang muncul melawan ideologi “dominant” dari sudut pandang psychoanalysis - Marxism dan sudut pandang seorang individu dalam kelompok sosial. Poin ketiga berfokus pada bagaimana psychoanalytic - Marxism melihat bagaimana kondisi psikologi dan ideologi penulis tercermin dalam karyanya.
sekaligus praktik sosial yang menyimpulkan konsep sosialis Hugo lebih mengarah pada dasar pemikiran sosialis yang dilandasi jiwa religius.
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
“There is always more misery among the lower classes than there is humanity in the higher.”1
This thesis aims at analyzing Victor Hugo’s novel, Les Miserables, which
reflects the changes of the author’s intention and ideology. Victor Hugo himself has stated that he adjusted his ideological view into socialism2. Les Miserables is written as Hugo believes that literature has a significant effect to the society. Hugo writes the novel as a depiction of social life where God, the Infinite Mankind, is not the central of society reflected in Les Miserables3. Hugo also emphasizes that the stagnant social structure which is built by the monastery needs liberty to transform it into a republican.
Les Miserables reflects that the social structure creates miserable situation for the lower classes where humanity is neglected4. The miserable situation of the lower class is also depicted in Hugo’s humanity essays entitled
“Capital Punishment” and “Mind and Masses”. In those two humanity essays,
Hugo emphasizes his idea of socialism to point out false consciousness in the society. However, Les Miserables is written as a character-based novel with a religious man, Jean Veljean, as the main character. Hugo also creates Monseigneur Myriel, a bishop character as the basis of the story. This contradiction and Hugo’s
idea about humanity would be the main reason why Les Miserables is analyzed to
1 Victor Hugo, Les Miserables, trans. Norman Denny (New York: Penguin Group, 2012)153 2 Victor Hugo, introduction, Les Miserables, by Norman Denny, trans. Norman Denny (New York: Penguin Group, 2012) 10
comprehend Hugo’s ideology transformation that is depicted in his idea of ideal
society in Les Miserables and how his idea of ideal society leads into his ideology transformation.
Literature is an “active reflection” in which the society is reflected and
directed. The notion that literature serves as an active reflection is similar to Hugo’s idea that is reflected in Les Miserables. Victor Hugo creates the character
Javert and Jean Veljean with particular social condition and ideology background in order to emphasize the social relation and ideological conflict in the society. The social conflict between classes leads to a recognition of social condition that triggers social changes. Both the transformation of Jean Veljean5 and the conflict in Javert’s ideology depict the social changes. Jean Veljean represents the ideology
transformation and social reconstruction.
Meanwhile, Javert represents how social condition constraints someone’s
ideology. Further, this social condition leads him to reject any possible situations which contribute to changes. Javert has a strong belief that juridical responsibility creates a false consciousness in the society6. In Les Miserables, Hugo presents the depiction of Jean Veljean and Javert to reveal his idea about literature, ideology, and social construction. In other words, Les Miserables is the medium in which Hugo analyzes social construction. Thus, the analysis on Les Miserables would elaborate the transformation of Hugo’s ideology and the emergence of necessity to
reconstruct social structure against the dominant ideology.
Les Miserables, first published in 1862, has been re-published and translated several times in many languages. Therefore, for the analysis, I choose
the version of Les Miserables which was translated by Norman Denny and published by Penguin Books in 2012. This selection is due to two reasons. First, this version includes the unpublished parts of the novel. There are two parts of the novel which were not considered to be published in the first place; the part two of book VII entitled “Parenthesis”7 and part four of book VII entitled “Argot”8. Lacroix, Hugo’s publisher, decides to remove these parts because they do not
directly improve the character or the plot, though they are Hugo’s personal
experience, religious belief, and intention9. However, the unpublished parts of the novel would support the analysis of Hugo’s ideology transformation because they
vividly embodies Hugo’s deliberate attempt to criticize the society. The “Argot”
and the “Parenthesis” emphasize Hugo’s reason in writing Les Miserables.
Second, the translation of the novel which Penguin Books published in 2012 contains the comprehension of Hugo’s ideology transformation. In the introduction
of the novel, Norman Denny stated that he is aware of Hugo’s personal life as he
wrote:
He (Hugo) had moved steadily away from his right-wing bourgeois origins to the point where he was not only an avowed republican but could openly proclaim himself a socialist10.
The quotation above explains that Penguin Books published the novel that focuses on Hugo’s intention and ideology change. Since the novel includes “Argot”, this
part greatly helps the translator to translate Hugo’s language. The “Argot” explains
the reason why Hugo chooses the diction of the novel, so it enables the readers to understand Hugo’s dialectical thinking.
7 V. Hugo, Les Miserables, 202 8 V. Hugo, Les Miserables,1214
The analysis focuses on how Les Miserables reflects Hugo’s ideology transformation and the relation between ideology and literature as part of superstructure11. In Marxist perspective, both literature (arts) and ideology reflect and shape the society. In other words, they define the forms of social consciousness. However, we have to be aware that society, which refers to ‘base’
or the motor of social and economic life, is the one that produces both ideology and literature12. Thus, ideology and literature have complex correlation. A literary text is not merely produced as a reflection or a copy of reality; instead, it reflects and shapes the real social life.
In producing literary text, an author involves creative writing process to create character and plot which is constrained by her/his intention. The creative writing process enables an author to not only describe but also create a fictive social context. In fact, literature is not a sacred text unaffected by the real social life. In some degree, the author copies the realities and modifies it into her/his fictional world13. For instance, Hugo takes inspiration in writing Les Miserables from the real social condition, but he modifies the setting for achieving his goal. Thus, literature is not just a reflection, but as Terry Eagleton proposes, it is called an active reflection because it reflects and affects the reality at the same time14. At the same time, Hugo’s life and even his intentions are built by the social condition
around him. Although he was aware of the social structure, he was also a product of the society. It creates an area of shadow in Les Miserables where Hugo as an author who is in one side able to produce a literary work due to his intention, but in the
11 Terry Eagleton, Marxism and Literary Criticism (New York:Routledge,2006)2 12 T.Eagleton, Marxism and Literary Criticism, 3
other side even his intention is built by social structure. Thus, psychoanalytic - Marxism would create a lens for us to read how Hugo uses a literary text as a medium where he is also built by social structure.
As an active reflection of the society, literature reflects the way of life or ideology of the society. Althusser suggests ideology as praxis which means that ideology is not only a set of belief, but also the whole way of how a society life15. A relation between literature and ideology becomes clearer because literary text captures the whole life process in the society. Since literature is an active reflection of the society, in some degree it reflects particular ideology as praxis through which the social life described in any literary text. Moreover, literature affects and even shapes the society, for it shows the author’s set of beliefs which constrains the social condition in the literary text.
A literary text has complex relation to ideology because of the creative process of its production16. Eagleton emphasizes that the creative process includes how and why the author develops the characters and the plot of the novel due to her/his goal. The creative writing process enables an author, such as Victor Hugo, to show the social condition, people are capable of understanding the portrayal of particular society. Since the literary text is written based on the author’s both
conscious and unconscious intention, it becomes a projection or an active reflection of the society. In the creative process of writing, not only does an author copy or rewrite the real social condition but also looks closer to the reality and reconstruct the social condition to in fiction. It is true that the author is a product of
social structure, but a literary text, although in some degree it is still under the society control, would be able to be a medium for people to notice the social condition.
To analyze Hugo’s ideology transformation, it is important to scrutinize
Hugo’s creative process while writing Les Miserables because the activity would
provide significant support for the analysis. Hugo’s ability to create a complex social condition in Les Miserables is supported by his double social consciousness. Victor Hugo was raised in a well-to-do middle class family where his mother was a religious Catholic and his father was a Bonaparte follower17. His family background leads Hugo to be familiar with Christianity values and to be part of the society where he had some accesses to education and stable economic condition. His family background constrains his ideology to be a right wing bourgeois with religious life. His parents’ different ideology is the main reason for Hugo to
experience political and religious lives.
Hugo was aware of the condition where social environment constrained people’ life. This awareness then results in his strong intention to analyze social
condition. He further concludes that society reconstruction can be achieved by means of making people have similar awareness. In his essays of humanity, Hugo even emphasizes that literature is one of media to shape the society and it is a socialist belief that supports the process so he proclaims himself a socialist18. Les Miserables reflects a long process of the ideology transformation. Hugo creates Jean Veljean, a character who has undergone significant transformations in his life.
Les Miserables provides a medium to analyze ideology through which Victor Hugo’s ideology transformation is intricately explained.
Society is a developing process which never comes to an end. Raymond Williams proposes a similar concept in his book entitled Marxism and Literature. The never ending process of social process is part of Williams’ cultural theory in
which he explains that the social and cultural systems are built by three basic elements. According to Williams, there would always be the dominant who determines main social features and practice19. The dominant authority would perpetuate particular ideology and determine the social condition in the time being.
At the same time, there would be always residual in this cultural process. The residual refers to particular ideology which was developed in the past, yet it is not distinguished to the archaic20. Though the residual was formed in the past, it still effectively affects the dominant. Williams explains that the dominant is even formed on the residual basis. Thus, certain values are still affected by the residual, even the dominant ideology is formed by the previous cultural institution and formation. In the last stage of social and cultural process, the emergent would appear. By the emergent Williams refers to meaning and social value and even new social practice21.
The emergent denotes social changing against the dominant. In most cases it also refers to the formation of new social class who emerges to reconstruct the social structure in radical way. In the early process, the emergent appears to be the stage of realizing the false consciousness which is constrained by the dominant.
Hence, literature, for example Les Miserables, exists in the emergent area. Hugo writes Les Miserables to show the social and cultural process based on his ideology where he believes that society is a never ending process. He begins the story with how monastery builds the social structure and becomes the social basis to continue the social process. It is all explained through the narration of the Bishop’s life in first part of Book I and the transformation of Jean Veljean as a character which is built by the social structure, but then transforms into the emergent that brings changes. Therefore, it would reflect the process of author’s ideology transformation.
Les Miserables projects Hugo’s ideology transformation, and it reflects Raymond Williams’ idea of cultural theory. Therefore, Hugo’s intention and social
and psychotic background serve as the best supports for the analysis. In this case the “Parenthesis” stresses the ideology that Hugo believes and explains why in the
beginning of the book he emphasizes Christianity22. In “Parenthesis” Hugo writes, “That is why in previous chapters I have talked of these establishments with respect”23. It shows that Hugo intends to explain why he writes so much about
monasteries in the previous book. In the previous chapters and in the previous books, especially in the Part One where Hugo reveals the story of Fantine, he stresses the importance of monastery to shape the society. Although the monastery is not the focus of the story, Hugo writes that we should notice the function and the existence of monastery in the whole story24.
22 Victor Hugo, Parenthesis, Les Miserables (New York: Penguin Group, 2012) 1208 - 1212 23 V. Hugo, Parenthesis, Les Miserables, 1027
Then in “Parenthesis” Hugo also emphasizes that monastery is part of the
history that has shaped the society. However, to continue the whole social life, there should be a new value. Hugo emphasizes that Les Miserables is an imitation of a reality which he believes that God, not the monastery, has ordered it. He writes that monastery creates some claustration that castrated people’ life25. It is a product
of community where the rule of law is created based on equality and fraternity, but this stage has already done and the society needs liberty to transform the monastery into a republic26. The monastery has created a society with a misconception that people are bound to obey the law and to judge or to be judged by the law. Jean Veljean, who grows up to be a thief, reflects the social condition. Hugo stresses that the society has shaped Jean Veljean into a criminal, but Jean Veljean is ironically punished for committing crimes. The society does not realize that they have shaped Jean Veljean to be a criminal. Hugo argues that this misconception or false consciousness is constrained by the monastery as the dominant ideology at the time being.
Hugo argues that the monastery is supposed to aim for salvation with sacrifice as the method27. The character of Bishop, Monseigneur Myriel depicts this condition. Les Miserables points out that the monastery should be the reflection of God’s love that transforms Jean Veljean to be Madeleine rather than
to be an institution that perpetuates dominant power28. To continue the cultural and social process, Hugo proposes that republican should replace monastery. Hugo emphasizes that the main objective is not to reconstruct the society to be ideal
25 V. Hugo, Parenthesis, 1211 26 V. Hugo, Parenthesis, 1207 - 1208
because God is ideal and absolute. Instead, this changes focus on establishing some progress in the society. Monastery has built the society into the society which is described in the first book of Les Miserables29. Yet, a society should be defined as a never ending social process. Hugo states in his essay on humanity entitled “The
Mind and The Masses” as he writes, “To destroy is the task; to build is the work. Progress demolishes with the left hand; it is with the right hand that it builds.”30
In the other part of the book which is not published in the first publication, Hugo writes the part four of book VII, entitled “Argot”. In “Argot” Hugo explains the roots of the words “les miserables”31. In this chapter, he also emphasizes that
revolution is a starting point to reach the aim of Progress, as Hugo wrote:
Thanks to the Revolution, social conditions have changed and we have got the feudal and monarchic sickness out of our system. There is no longer anything medieval in our constitution. [...] Revolutionary feeling is moral feelings. [...] The law for every man is liberty [...]32.
Hugo explains that social structure is ordered as well as the individual life is constrained. The monarchic system has created a feudal society that he calls monarchic system. In Les Miserables revolution is a symbol of people’ repressed feeling to the stagnant condition in the society where they no longer need to be controlled. In other part of the novel, Hugo even strongly shows his point of view that religion or monastery order is even controlled by the monarchic social structure and either way it directs people when he describes Madeleine, “The poor, as well as God, benefited by the deputy’s misgiving, for he also endowed two
hospital beds－making twelve in all.”
33 Both through “Argot” and “Parenthesis”
Hugo explains his idea of social construction and how it affects individual life. He also writes that Les Miserables is an illustration of how the social process which aims at achieving some progress should run.
As Les Miserables reflects the idea of developing process to build an ideal society, there are two questions which would be examined in this thesis:
(1)How is Hugo’s idea of ideal society depicted in Les Miserables?
(2)How does Hugo’s idea of ideal society in Les Miserables lead to Hugo’s ideology transformation?
To analyze Hugo’s ideology transformation in Les Miserables, this research
applies psychoanalytic - Marxism as the literary theory. Psychoanalytic - Marxism is going to double perspectives to the analysis. It creates a possibility to analyze Les Miserables from Marxist perspective to see a literary text as an active reflection. Marxism also creates research area for the historical and social to constrain people’ life34, while psychoanalysis focuses on desire and emotional
drive. Psychoanalysis would examine an individual psychotic condition through her/his manifest desires. The manifest desires, sexual and aggressive drives, are actually formed by social rules that begins in the family35. Thus, psychoanalytic - Marxism creates possibilities to see Les Miserables from its social point of view as part of superstructure with its relation to base and examine its psychotic dimension. The ideology analysis, in this case Hugo’s ideology transformation in Les
Miserables, would be examined from the perspective of psychoanalytic - Marxism.
The psychoanalytic - Marxism would put Hugo’s psychotic idea in particular social condition.
Besides the literary theory, the previous literary studies of Les Miserables would support the analysis of Hugo’s ideology transformation. There are some
previous studies which analyzed Les Miserables, one of which that support the analysis of Hugo’s ideology transformation is The Temptation of the Impossible
which is written by Mario Vargas Llosa. Vargas Llosa focuses on how Les Miserables creates a portrayal of the real social condition. According to Vargas Llosa, Hugo shows his idea of how the reality should be. In the introduction of his book, Vargas Llosa even emphasizes that Les Miserables is a representation of the real reality36. Hugo writes Les Miserables not only as a fiction but also as a criticism, suggestion, and analysis to a complex social condition in Paris around the revolutionary years.
Besides Vargas Llosa’s The Temptation of the Impossible, there are
economic and social studies which present deeper explanation on how the social system and social order affect the economic condition of the lower class characters. In her journal, Ariana Smart analyzes that the way Hugo describes Paris in Les Miserables shows his psychotic condition from which he suffered from claustrophobia37. A social study such as the “Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables: A Marxist Consciousness” is another analysis to Les Miserables which is conducted
36 Mario Vargas Llosa, The Temptation of the Impossible Victor Hugo and Les Miserables, (New York: Princeton University Press, 2004) 3 - 4
to Les Miserables38. Qurat-ul-Ain Ahmad, Sofia Dildar Alfi, and Abdul Baseer claim that Les Miserables portrays inter-class conflict with vivid social-economic background. At the same time, there are some comparative studies about Les Miserables and its surrogation. There have been various kinds of adaptations of Les Miserables such as the musical movie which was released in 2005. A comparative study to this musical movie entitled “The Missing Half of Les Mis” compared the picture or revolution which is depicted in the novel and in the movie39.
The study of Hugo’s ideology transformation depicted in Les Miserables
would function as literary study which supports and continues the previous studies. The previous studies have analyzed how Hugo reconstructs the society in Les Miserables and emphasizes his idea of an ideal society show his ideology transformation. Thus, this study would analyze Hugo’s ideology transformation
which is depicted in Les Miserables. Although some previous studies have confirmed that Hugo’s ideology changing leads him to perform a radical acts in his
writing with socialist lining, this thesis would show the other point of Hugo’s
socialism which is affected by his religious and romantic mind.
Furthermore, this study would reflect the idea of creative writing process in which Les Miserables is seen as a projection of reality. The previous studies which focus on Hugo’s particular psychotic condition and the social condition in the novel would support the analysis about Hugo’s ideology transformation. Thus, the
previous studies leave a room for the analysis of Hugo’s ideology transformation.
38 Qurat-ul-Ain Ahmad, Sofia Dildar Alfi, & Abdul Baseer.“Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables: A Marxist Consciousness”. The Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Business. 5.5(2003):115 - 123
The analysis of Hugo’s ideology transformation would confirm that
inter-disciplinary studies can be conducted. In addition, it would also answer the doubt of the blur picture of revolution in Les Miserables which can be interpreted in different tones when it comes to the surrogations.
Besides psychoanalytic - Marxist reading and locating the analysis among the previous studies, Hugo’s other works are also essential sources to support the
analysis. Two essays on humanity serve as the secondary data sources to analyze Hugo’s ideology transformation. In his essays entitled “The Mind and the Masses”
and “Capital Punishment” Hugo explained his idea of society and socialism.
Research Methodology
To conduct the analysis of Hugo’s ideology transformation depicted in Les
Miserables, several steps of research methodology are performed. The study begins with reading the novel to find particular topic for the analysis. To support Les Miserables analysis, Hugo’s other works that are in dialogue with Les Miserables, “Capital Punishment” and “Mind and Masses”, are examined. Based on the reading process, it is found that indeed Hugo himself states that he transforms into a socialist. In “Parenthesis”, part two of Les Miserables’ book
seven, Hugo explains that Les Miserables is a literary text where social structure has creates allusion to the society in the story. He emphasizes that it is monastery that perpetuates the allusion and the society needs to be liberated in order to aim an ideal situation where society stays in a progress. Up to this point, Marxism seems to be a literary theory to comprehend the analysis.
bishop character and how Jean Veljean, the main character, changes his way of life for a religious reason. This fact shows that there is a repressed ideological conflict within Hugo’s mind. To see Hugo’s ideology transformation only from Marxist
perspective would leave Hugo’s psychotic condition untouched. Thus, applying psychoanalytic - Marxism as a literary theory for the analysis would be a key for the analysis. After synthesizing the theory and defining Hugo’s idea of socialism, the analysis about Hugo’s ideology transformation is conducted to write this thesis.
This thesis consists of five chapters. The first chapter is the introduction of the study which explores the background of the study. This sub-chapter includes the explanation about the reason of choosing Les Miserables that is translated by Norman Denny as the main data source to analyze Hugo’s ideology transformation. Chapter one also depicts the formulation of the focus of the analysis. The second chapter contains the literature review which focuses on the previous studies and the literary theories which are used to conduct the study. The third chapter would provide an elaborate explanation about the first research question. This chapter contains the discussion on Hugo’s idea of ideal society and
CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW
“Nobody loves the light like the blind man.”40
This chapter includes two major discussions. The first part defines the position of the analysis of Hugo’s ideology transformation in Les Miserables
among the previous studies. The second part discusses psychoanalytic – Marxism as the literary theory to read Les Miserables in order to analyze Hugo’s ideology transformation.
A. Hugo’s ideology transformation within the previous studies
Les Miserables has been analyzed in various disciplines besides literary studies, such as in the field of social and cultural studies. It shows the complexity of Les Miserables as a literary work which depicts the whole life of a society. The previous studies also include the comparative studies between Les Miserables and its surrogation like the comparison between the novel and the movie adaptation in 1995 and musical movie in 2005. The previous studies create a specific room where the analysis of Hugo’s ideology transformation can be conducted.
1. Psychoanalytic studies on Les Miserables
There are several works where Les Miserables is analyzed with psychoanalysis to study Hugo’s psychotic condition and his religious depiction.
Ariane Smart analyzes that Les Miserables shows Hugo’s psychological condition. Smart writes an analysis about the setting of place, Paris, which is depicted in Les
Miserables41. Based on Smart’s analysis, Les Miserables vividly shows the ideal expectation of social condition in France with Paris as a capital of materiality. Smart analyzes how Hugo describes Paris as a representation of his claustrophobia. Paris is a symbol of mysterious and dangerous place which Hugo describes as a gigantic spider web that trapped individual power and social oppression42. Smart argues that the symbolic language that Hugo uses to describe Paris such as the gigantic spider web and mysterious dark place shows Hugo’s fear of small and dark place43.
Though Paris is a small and dark place, it represents eminence, money, and politic supremacy as the main issue of the story with the setting of Paris in 1800s44. Paris is similar to a gigantic spider web which attracts individual and social power and economic activities. Ariane Smart focuses on Fantine and Tholomyes relationship which represents inter-class social relation. Tholomyes, a student who has romantic relationship with Fantine, takes Fantine to Paris where they spend their bohemian life style for a moment45. Paris is a place with large social gaps and where people from different social class meet. Smart emphasizes that Fantine and Tholomyes relation actually symbolizes the relation between upper class and lower class46. These two social classes live in the same place with different condition. The upper class live in such situation where education, power, and wealth are easy to access. In contrast, the lower class is too ignorant, for they are uneducated and
41 Ariane Smart, “The Darkness and the Claustrophobia of the City: Victor Hugo and the Myth of Paris” Vol.8, 2000, 315
42 A. Smart, 317 43 A. Smart, 318 44 A. Smart, 321
perceive that education, power, and wealth are part of the upper class life. Hugo describes Fantine’s life to show this condition with vivid description:
She sold all her possessions, which produced two hundred francs, but only eighty remained after her debts were paid. And on a fine spring morning she left Paris, a girl of twenty-two with her baby on her back.47
Hugo emphasizes that Fantine thinks that having a relationship with Tholomyes was a way to make her life better48. She respects and trusts Tholomyes by letting him sleep with her. Ironically, Tholomyes has a different view regarding his relationship to Fantine. It is a carefree relationship, so he leaves Fantine in desperation to be become a prominent provincial attorney in the future. Hugo even associates the relationship between Tholomyes and Fantine is like Homer’s
Polyphemus or Shakespeare’s Caliban instead of romantic relationship49.
According to Smart, the tragic inter class relation in Paris shows that Hugo portrays Paris as dark small space where people from different social classes live together, and they have little knowledge on the social structure in Paris. Both Fantine and Tholomyes realize social class and inter-class relation, but they do not notice the gap between them. Smart argues that the condition of Paris shows Hugo’s point of view that a small and dark place is a scary place. Hugo’s poetic
language in Les Miserables creates a research area to analyze Hugo’s psychotic condition50.
She claims that the way Hugo describes the condition in Paris reflects his claustrophobia, his fear of being in a small dark room. In Hugo’s description, Paris
represents a small deadly prison where all the economics, politics, and people are trapped in an uncanny atmosphere51. It is not only the description, Mme Magloire, a minor character who lives with the bishop, also shows that Hugo suffers from claustrophobia. Mme Magloire never feels comfortable to live in such place which is dark and full of criminals who might steal the silvers from their unlocked house (the church)52.
In her writing, Ariane Smart argues that the revolution moment reflects the repression of anger and desire coming up into the surface. It emphasizes Freudian psychoanalytic theory which suggests that any psychological conflict does not vanish, but it is repressed to the unconscious notion. The repressed emotion would appear to the surface, or the conscious level through a completely different action53.
Besides reflecting the author’s psychotic condition, Les Miserables
explicates Hugo’s religious side. Janis Barnett in his thesis “Transformational Grace In Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables’”, writes about Hugo’s religious belief:
[...]I argue that Hugo intends his readers to recognize, [...], that human transformation is a spiritual undertaking which is often initiated, and always assisted, by God, [...] that they connect the transformational grace made evident in the narrative to the “real reality” [...] to understand that what matters most in life is relationship and union with God.54
Barnet’s analysis that emphasizes Hugo’s religious sides confirms Hugo’s idea of ideology and society which is written in the “Parenthesis”. Hugo himself
51 A. Smart, 315
52 V.Hugo, Les Miserables, 35 -37
53 Julie Rivkin and Michael Ryan, introduction: Strangers to Ourselves: Psychoanalysis, Literary Theory, an Anthology 2nd edition (New York: Blackwell, 2004) 390
states that God is the center of life and to Whom people should keep their faith55. According to Barnet Hugo puts himself as the central of the novel. He emphasizes himself as the creator who builds the story to teach the readers about life and God.56
Another writer, Vargas Llosa, in his book entitled The Temptation of the Impossible, argues that Hugo intended to lead the readers to see the novel as a real reality where Hugo is the main character57. Vargas Llosa argues that Les Miserables is a literary work which gives us a complex detail of social life where we can see the complex connection between fiction or literary text and real life or society58. How Hugo engages historical reference and builds the plot and the characters of the novel show his awareness of false consciousness in the society. Vargas Llosa states that Les Miserables is the real reality in fiction. In other words, he agrees that Hugo uses Les Miserables as a projection of reality where he creates his own reality in fiction, the readers are able to observe the social condition.
Similar to Barnett who points out that Hugo, the narrator of Les Miserables, is the main character of the novel, Vargas Llosa states that Victor Hugo is the main character of the novel. Though Barnet and Vargas Llosa have similar idea about Hugo as the center character of the novel, Vargas Llosa emphasizes that it is the way Hugo uses Les Miserables as a medium instead of teaching people about God. Vargas Llosa writes, “How can we describe this narrator? His most salient features
55 V.Hugo, Parenthesis, 1212. 56 J.Barnett, 14
are omniscience, omnipotence, exuberance, visibility, and egomania.”59 The
readers would always find the presence of Hugo in Les Miserables when he narrates the story.
Hugo in fact does not only narrate the story, but also connects one event or character to another and directly teach the readers about morality. In some parts, Hugo even confirms and corrects the situation of the characters as if he were another character who always silently watches other characters. In the “Parenthesis” and the “Argot”, Hugo himself explains that it is himself that he is
the narrator of Les Miserables who is also the main character of the story60. In “Argot” he even explains that he writes Les Miserables with particular language which is called the argot language, take for example when he replaces “les misere”
with “les miserables” that refers to poverty and miserable condition61.
For Hugo put himself as the main character in Les Miserables, it would be easier to justify that Hugo “uses” Les Miserables as a medium to echo his
ideological intention. As a liberal monarchist who becomes a republican with radical and social-minded leanings62, Hugo has strong intention to reconstruct the society. He explains in “Parenthesis” that he wants to change the social condition
from the monastery into republic63. Although Smart, Bannet, and Vargas Llosa point out different focuses, they agree that Les Miserables reflects Hugo’s situation and belief. They all have a similar idea that Les Miserables shows Hugo’s awareness of social condition and Hugo’s strong idea to reconstruct the society.
59 M.Vargas Llosa, The Temptation of the Impossible, 12 60 V.Hugo, Les Miserables,1002
61 V.Hugo, Les Miserables,1215
Barnett and Vargas Llosa even emphasize that Les Miserables is a medium for Hugo to speak by placing himself as the center of the story. Hugo is the narrator of Les Miserables and a salient character with power to direct the society in Les Miserables. In other words, they notice that Hugo tries to emphasize his idea to change the social condition.
The way Hugo writes Les Miserables and his point of view about revolution, society, and literature are analyzed as a blend of literature and philosophy. A.M Blackmore in the Essential of Victor Hugo explains that Hugo writes his novels, including Les Miserables, to show particular intention64. Although Hugo has written essays to explain his idea, especially “The History of
Crime” in which he clearly states his idea about crime action, his novels, such as
Les Miserables that is written before and during the exile, projects clearer idea of Hugo’s life philosophy of social structure that builds every individual identity.
All these studies emphasize that Hugo uses Les Miserables to emphasize his intention to reconstruct the society. The central point of changing process in society is the character Jean Veljean. Jean Veljean is a symbol of the social change that represents Hugo’s idea of the progress in the society should be65. In the same time, Jean Veljean’s transformational life also reflects Hugo’s ideology
transformation. Supported by the previous studies that analyzes the complexity of the social depiction in Les Miserables, an analysis of Hugo’s ideology transformation would be the research to continue the previous studies.
The changes in the society are reflected through the plot of the story. Hugo creates an extricate plot in Les Miserables to show social process and describe the changes of people way of life as the result of their belief and ideology. This connection leaves us a gap to analyze Hugo’s ideology transformation and a social construction depicted in Les Miserables.
2. Les Miserables and the reality
As Eagleton has emphasized that a literary work is not merely a copy of reality, Les Miserables is also an active reflection or a medium to show the readers a real reality. The real reality here means that in some degree, Les Miserables is indeed a copy of the social condition around the revolution but it has been modified with Hugo’s point of view and interpretation to the social condition. The characters and the narrations of each character are both Hugo’s point of view to what actually
happened in the society. Hugo’s belief here leads the readers to see Les Miserables
as an example of interpretation of what really happened in the society around the revolution era in Paris. It creates a room to analyze Les Miserables as a literary work that reflects more than one aspects of social life.
and Abdul Baseer entitled “Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables: A Marxist Consciousness”.
Ahmad, Alvi and Baseer show that there is economic and social relationship between the upper class and the lower class which is constructed in order to perpetuate the tyranny of the upper class66. They analyze the social structure which is depicted in Les Miserables based on Marxist reading to see how the society is constructed with social power and economic condition where the rich bourgeois has control not only in economic field but also to perpetuate the social structure67. The depiction of social condition in Les Miserables create a clear purpose for the journal as there is written:
The research tries to establish the fact that economic parity and social impartiality are the best means to resolve the contradictory issues and to abolish the absurdity of life. The paper demonstrates that it is the behavior of society at large that encourages the criminality among the normal behavior oriented people.68
Ahmad et al show an analysis in social and economic field with Les Miserables as a model of social construction. This analysis further shows that the novel projects the society as well, especially through Hugo’s narration which explains the
characters and their social condition. The vivid depiction of the society in Les Miserables is supported by Vargas Llosa’s argument that states Les Miserables is a real reality69. These situations become an underlying reason to write the journal entitled “Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables: A Marxist Consciousness” since Hugo
also clearly presents human behaviour due to the economic condition.
66 Q. Ahmad et al, “Victor Hugo Les Miesrables: Amarxist Consciousness”, 5.5 (2013) 67 Q. Ahmad et al, 5.5 (2013)
68 Q. Ahmad et al, 5.5 (2013)
Les Miserables creates a complete picture of a society, especially when Hugo explains about Jean Veljean. The protagonist of the novel, Jean Veljean, shows how economic condition and power affects his life and status70. Jean Veljean is a symbol of human life which is constrained by his social condition. Hugo explains in his narration that Jean Veljean becomes a thief for he was poor and hungry as a child and nobody taught him to work for the food71. The society has turned him into a felon who steals a loaf of bread. Then the society, for one more time, turns him into a respected man after he has successfully changed his identity to the Monsieur Madeliene and great economic and social status72.
Besides Jean Veljean, Fantine is a symbol of an oppressed lower class person. Hugo describes Fantine as an ignorant woman who grows up without any education or clear family background73. Unlike Jean Veljean who turns into a respected man, the contact to the upper class even makes Fantine’s life more depressed74. While reading the story of Jean Veljean and Fantine’s life, the readers constantly find that Hugo interrupts the story both to narrate and to explain and judge the situation. This writing style is what Vargas Llosa points out as a creative writing process where Hugo created the real reality in Les Miserables75.
The studies place Les Miserables as a theory of human society which enables the readers to understand how the social and economic condition constrains people’ life. Indeed Hugo writes Les Miserables as a model of human
70 V. Hugo, Les Miserables, 92 71 V. Hugo, 92 - 94
life which is in line with Marxist concept to some degree76. Les Miserables is not just a portrayal of reality, there is a creative writing process that modifies the reality into a fiction due to Hugo’s intention. Eagleton states that literary works are written as an active reflection of the society in which the author can use his imagination and their language power to create a projection of a society77. This social studies prove that creative writing process in Les Miserables creates complex projection of society, so it supports the analysis of Hugo’s creative
process which reflects Hugo’s ideology transformation.
3. Les Miserables and its surrogation
Various adaptations of Les Miserables and literary works which are inspired by Les Miserables create a new research space. One of the studies is Charles Walton’s article entitled “The Missing Half of Les Mis”. He explores the
depiction of French revolution in “Les Miserables” 2005 musical movie.
According to Walton, the 2005 musical movie reflects a pessimistic depiction of revolution. Walton argues that Les Miserables indeed reflects Hugo’s belief in social progress through revolution, but Hooper’s musical movie stresses the
religious Hugo, not the socialist one78.
In spite of the religious idea, Les Miserables emphasizes the downfall of bourgeoisie. Hugo leads the readers to admit that the bourgeoisie is responsible for creating false consciousness. The changes are needed and a revolution is a start of
76 V. Hugo, Les Miserables, 12
77 T. Eagleton, Marxism and Literary Criticism, 6
new stage of social life where working class can take control79. In contrast, Hooper’s cinematic impression implies that the dominance of Jean Veljean’s
religious life and the portrayal of the revolution is the end of some social structures. Hooper uses the depiction of revolution to end an imaginary after life world where people who has died appeared to join the barricade80.
According to Walton, this cinematic representation is a pessimistic interpretation of the novel that is considered to be a mis-interpretation. The cinematic representation of the revolution seems to ironic for Hugo explains that the revolution is a transition to reach the progress, not a way to reconstruct the social condition. Thus, it cannot be pictured pessimistically because in fact it would not change the social condition into an ideal but it leads the society to aim the progress81. As the aim to reconstruct the society is not to reach an ideal condition, but to aim progress with ideal as the concept, revolution should be picture in a more positive portrayal82.
Another comparative study between Hugo’s Les Miserables and the movie adaptation was written by Steven Alan Carr in 2005. The article entitled “The
Holocaust in the Text: Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables and the Allegorical Film Adaptation” is a study which focuses on the interpretation of the narration
setting83. Carr explains that the holocaust setting of place which Hugo describes in
79 C. Walton, “The Half Missing of Les Mis; the film pessimistic revolution view --- and ours”, Council and foreign relation (2003)
80 C. Walton
81 V.Hugo, Parenthesis, 1205. 82 V.Hugo, Parenthesis, 1206.
Les Miserables can be interpreted similar to a concentration camp84. The setting is similar to some movies about Nazi, especially the camp. Carr argues that Hugo’s description about the setting cannot be darker and gloomy that inspires the surrogation works to generate such a holocaust picture85. For instance a French movie adaptation which was made in 1995 built up the dark imagery of Paris and people who live in the city.
Carr’s article talks about the setting in which he compares Les Miserables
to its 1995 movie adaptation and other movies. This actually strengthens Ariane Smart’s opinion that analyzes the setting as a dark and small room86. Though Smart
and Carr have different research fields, they both analyze the setting and the analysis concludes a similar description. They both point out that Hugo’s
description of Paris in that era shows a dark small room impression. The gloomy and dark impression is indeed not only reflected in Les Miserables. Bradley Stephens in the introduction of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, Hugo’s other masterpiece, writes that Les Miserables and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame has created Gothic imagery87. Stephens stresses that Hugo’s Gothic imagery is built based on the metaphorical language he uses to describe Paris. It can be inferred that the movie adaptations are in dialogue with Hugo’s dark Paris imagery to interpret
Hugo’s idea of revolution and social life in Les Miserables. The strong portrayal of Gothic imagery, that Carr refers to gloomy and dark atmosphere, even affects a lot
84 S. A. Carr, “The Holocaust in the Text”, 50 85 S. A. Carr, “The Holocaust in the Text”, 55 86 A. Smart, 200
of movies, even the popular movies which are not the surrogation of Les Miserables88. It confirms that Hugo creates clear Gothic imagery.
The review on the previous studies to Les Miserables results in assurance that Hugo’s ideology transformation can be regarded as the continuation of the
previous studies. All previous studies are aware of the social condition which develops each character and the atmosphere of the story, including the transformation of Jean Veljean in Les Miserables. Thus, the analysis to the social condition and the depiction of Paris in Les Miserables helps the readers comprehending the novel as the real reality. As a projection of reality, Les Miserables shows us Hugo’s idea of society and ideology and creates a room for us to analyze Hugo’s ideology. Similarly, Qurat-ul-ain Ahmad, Sofia Dildar Alvi, and
Abdul Baseer write a journal entitled “Victor Hugo Les Miserables: A Marxist Consciousness”, and they point out certain degrees of transformation.
Some characters such as Jean Veljean changes his name to be Madelein as a symbol of social status of the character89. It shows that Hugo intentionally writes Les Miserables to respond the emergence of change social condition which turns the transformation into the idea of revolution. Hugo himself emphasizes that the revolution is not the goal, but it is the beginning of the social changes. In his essay “The Mind and the Masses” Hugo writes that the society needs to stay in progress
and revolution is the answer to aim the progress90. However, the depiction of revolution in Les Miserables is interpreted as pessimistic picture in its 2005
88 B.Stephens, introduction, The Hunchback of the Notre-Dame, xiii 89 Q. Ahmad et al, “Victor Hugo Les Miesrables: Amarxist Consciousness”
musical movie. According to Carr, the musical movie actually points out Hugo’s faded socialism since he is confused between religious and socialist belief. The interpretation of revolution depicted in the musical movie actually shows Hugo’s
version of socialism. Therefore, it serves as a starting point to scrutinize deeper to Hugo’s ideology and its transformation in Les Miserables.
The previous studies also show Hugo’s idea to reconstruct the society and
to point out false consciousness in the society. Hugo intends to point out social structure as a subject to change when people realize the social gap between upper class and lower class through education and economic movement. In fact, the false consciousness and the fictional society in Les Miserables have already shown particular ideology. According to Althusser in his “Ideology and Ideological State
Apparatus”, ideology is defined as two ideas. First, ideology is a representation of
imaginary relationship of individuals to their real condition of existence91. In other words, ideology is a set of beliefs that people use to discover the reality of the world behind its imaginary world that leads to allusion or false consciousness. In this case, the previous studies confirm that Hugo has found out the false consciousness and tried to show people through Les Miserables. Vargas Llosa makes a clear point if Hugo’s intention by stating that Les Miserables is a
representation of the real reality92.
Second, Althusser suggests that ideology is also praxis. Althusser writes that ideology is itself forced to recognize that every subject endowed with a consciousness. It means that believing in the ideas has to show one’s consciousness
inspires her/him an act according to the ideas93. When somebody proclaims that she/he believes in an idea, her/his whole way of living must be under the control of the idea. The idea can be a religion. When someone says that she/he is a Christian, she/he must live within Christianity values and perform Christian rituals. Based on this scheme, if she/he performs some actions out of Christianity value, there would be a chance that she/he “unconsciously” believes in other ideology.
B. Les Miserables and psychoanalytic - Marxism
Defining Victor Hugo ideology is a complex discussion, and it would be easier to believe what he has proclaimed. Hugo intends people to accept that he is a monarchist who converts to a socialist minded through the statements in his essay. Hugo appears to be the emergent94 who leads the society to analyze social phenomenon out of the dominant ideology95. It can be seen through his essay of humanity entitled “Capital Punishment”. He criticizes how a society and the court
judge a criminal as he writes:
First, the man you destroy is without family, relations, or friends. In this case, he has received neither education nor instruction; [...] You punish him because hi
