I am a worm and not a man

My translations (movie content, 1862 articles, just all of them)

My general research interests (plus this tag for things I’m still looking into)

The Real Misérables

A Study of Les Misérables

Cham’s Les Misérables

Say you lived in the U.S. and wanted to see a live performance of Les Misérables in the 1890s and into the early 1900s, your best bet might have been to go see a performance by Ida Benfey. (Above is an ad for her show in 1902). Per wikipedia:

Ida Benfey Judd (c. 1858 – February 14, 1952) was an American educator, elocutionist and monologist, billed as "The American Storyteller". She founded the Mark Twain Association, and was its first president.

She seems to have performed scenes from Les Mis around the country for years. Here are two articles about her performances which give some insight.

The San Jose Daily Herald, 19 April 1894

Miss lda Benfey’s interpretation of Victor Hugo's “Les Miserables” was masterly. The audience that gathered at the Unitarian church was composed of the intellectual culture of San Jose, expecting a treat and having their expectations richly repaid. The character of Jean Valjean is one of the most sublime in all literature, made so by the conquering of the pure over the impure, the good over the evil. Only an artist of great talent together with a knowledge and sympathy to place herself entirely en rapporte with the character she portrays could charm an audience as did the artist of last evening. The charity of the good Bishop, so like the Master whom he served, the trusting affection of Cossette [sic], the stern, unrelenting pursuit of duty by Javert the inspector, his final acknowledgment that the claims of the moral law were superior to the claims of human law, his acceptance of death as the result of such acknowledgement, all were most vividly portrayed. The confession of Valjean to Marius that he was an escaped galley slave, the story of the stealing of the loaf of bread to keep off starvation, the sublime self sacrifice of the man in his devotion to conscience, gave to the artist a splendid opportunity which was not lost. The evening’s entertainment closed with the death-bed scene, the triumph of Valjean. Many eyes were wet with tears, many people went home to read again the masterpiece of Hugo with an insight into its rare beauties which they perhaps had not appreciated before.

The Savannah Morning News, 20 January 1900

Victor Hugo the next day writing to Albert Lacroix about the Brussels edition of Les Miserables:

The Massena Observer, 30 January 1919

Stockton Independent, 17 October 1921

Just as officer Brown was turning from San Joaquin street onto Weber avenue one morning last week he heard "Stop thief." Before he had time to get into action two women tumbled into his arms. When the officer had recovered his wind he raw that each of the women had a loaf of bread under her arm and a choice assortment of pastry in her hands. Both were dressed in hiking togs and one had a lean and hungry look. They told the officer they were hungry and had decided that they would rather steal from Chatterton's bakery than beg, having tried both. Working for living, as the officer suggested, they scorned. "That’s why we left home and took the road," they said, "Too much work. The world owes us a living, we’ve always heard, so we started out to collect.” Officer Brown called the wagon and took them to the police station. On the way their plea that they were hungry was substantiated, for they nibbled eagerly on the pies they had taken. After they were booked at the central station the desk sergeant pressed them with questions. They admitted finally that the taking of the bread was an experiment and that they were Jeanette Dailey and Beatrice Loftus, both of Oakland, members of the California Writers’ Club in search of “material”. They had read Victor Hugo's famous Les Miserables and wanted to see whether a modern Jean would fare any better than Hugo's Jean. The desk sergeant scratched his head at their explanation and said he’d never heard of the other Jean as he erased their names from the register. “A great improvement over the time of Jean Val Jean,” said their smile as they adjusted their haversacks and departed. The pair went from Stockton to Lodi to work in a grape-packing shed. They next will go to Sonora to investigate stories concerning a haunted house in that vicinity. The writers have designated New York as their ultimate destination. They are financing their travels by doing odd jobs and writing.

Wellsville Daily Reporter, 13 December 1909

Do we really feel as we think we feel when we read the story of the greatest character of all fiction--Jean Valjean, the escaped convict in Victor Hugo's masterpiece, "Les Miserables?"  It is said of Laurence Sterne he shed tears over a dead ass, but was callous to the sufferings of a living mother. Are we a nation of Sternes who shed tears over the sorrows of an imaginary Jean Valjean, and send back to "hell," as he calls the outcast's life, a real Jean Valjean in the person of Alderman William Burke of Philadelphia? Burke was born a gutter-snipe and knew neither father nor mother. He became a thief, as you or I probably would have done under the circumstances. Because of his natural ability which would have made him a success in any other calling he became what the underworld calls "a goad thief." He was unvaryingly successful until he became a drug fiend, and then he was caught, because, as he says, a dope fiend "hasn't nerve enough to steal unless he has the stuff in him, and then he has no brains." He served seven years in state's prison. He broke himself of the drug habit. Would you or I have done that? He thought out his life task and resolved to live a straight life when he got out. And he made good on his resolves. Would you or I have done that? He saved a little money while working at his trade of wood finisher after he left prison with a suit of clothes and five dollars. Would you or have done that? He won the respect of his neighbors. He went into business and made some money. He married a respectable girl and has a child. He was a good speaker and helped to carry Philadelphia for the reform ticket which broke the hold of the old gang on that town. And now, he has sent in his resignation, with a full statement of the tragic facts of his life. He took it for granted that he would be execrated as soon as the people found out his secret. He intends to live straight and make a living for hjs family, but he seems to assume that nobody will give him credit for his triumph over the doom of birth, neglect, and education in crime. Is he right in his estimate of the unforgiving character of the American people? He has shown greater qualities in getting out of a life of crime than most of us have shown in keeping out. Is he right in thinking us incapable of seeing that fact? Mayor Blankenburg is in favor of not accepting Burke's resignation. Will Philadelphia stand with Blankenburg, or will those who think themselves without sin cast the stones at Burke which shall drive him out into the darkness? It is a test of our sincerity in admiring Jean Valjean. 

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More information about his life, along with his first name (Benjamin H. Tripp) can be found here.

An update:

The Washington times, 19 August 1912

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 19.— William Burke, who, rendered desperate by the blackmailing of a prison mate, resigned his seat in the city council, confessed his criminal career, and fled, has received the most magnanimous offer yet made him in the effort to bring him back to this city.

It remained for John L. Fehr, American representative of the Chinese Merchants' Association, to make the first practical proposition to this modern Jean Valjean to come home Philadelphia and face the music.

Striking because of the practical Christianity in the offer, it is made doubly so because Fehr himself six years ago completed a prison term and has since risen to a position of respect in this community and has overcome his past to such an extent that he is now a well-trusted business man.

There are no strings to Fehr's offer, for he has promised that, if Burke will come back, he will provide him with a set of stock and fixtures and set him up in the cigar business on a large scale and let him take his own time in repaying the money.

Fehr described his struggles and told of the successful business which he had built up and how social workers had come to him for aid and that he gradually had risen until now he is one of the most trusted men in his community. Fehr then added feelingly:

"It is not the persons who live blameless lives themselves that Burke has to fear. It is the crooks, the envious, the hypocrites, and those who will slink away when their own pasts are bared that a man who leaves prison has to fear."

Encouraging words and offers of help have led Burke to decide to return to Philadelphia within a week.

"After weeks of sleeplessness and terror I at last feel like a man," said the former convict at his place of seclusion. "No longer pursued by the fear of exposure and the consequences to myself and family, I will be able to devote my best energies to gaining an honest livelihood." Burke's looks gave strong corroboration to his claim that the world has assumed a more rosy hue to his eyes, for he talked with a cheery air and referred confidently to his ability to start life anew.

"That is the right attitude," declared Mayor Blankenburg, when told, at Pocono Pines, of Burke's decision. "Now that he has made a clean breast of it he should come forward and face the music like a man. There may be some persons who may not care to have anything to do with him, but he will take the sympathy of the great majority, and they will be glad to help him."

"Mayor Blankenburg's offer to help is very kind, and I am grateful to him and to the many others who have sympathized with me," said Burke. "I am now sure that I will win my next fight for an honorable place in Philadelphia.

"Politics, however," continued Mr. Burke, "will never again lure me. I will be content with private employment. It was the limelight that brought me in the clutches of the man who bled me, and I shall never forget the lesson.

"I am glad now, however, that my story is known, for wherever I go will know that whatever respect or esteem I gain is sincere and not likely to be blotted out by exposure of an unfortunate past.

"I have made up my mind to return to Philadelphia," said Burke. "I fled from the city because I could not remain and stand the humiliation of the confession. I feel much encouraged, however, by the kind words of Mayor Blankenburg, and also by the sympathy expressed by others.

"Why should I not return? It is the only logical thing for me to do. If I go to another city it would be a case of the old story over again. People would find out sooner or later that I had a prison record at one time, and then there would be more explaining to do.

"When I return it will be under the name of William Burke. I am going to face the music like a man. I had the nerve to live down the past for eight years, and I will have the courage to do it again in the future. I am going to be honest and to make my living by hard work. I am through with being a crook, and would not return to the old life for anything.