Something that bothers me about adaptations of Les Misérables is how many of them portray Marius as a political figure when he isn't.
He doesn't fit into his grandfather's lifestyle, a monarchist. So, after the death of his absent father, Marius discovers that the reason for his father's absence was because his grandfather prevented him from spending time with Marius due to political differences (Marius's father was a Bonapartist).
Thus, Marius, as a way to get closer to his deceased father and honor him, adheres to Bonapartism. At this point, the book informs us that he is "confusing enthusiasm with idealism". He is enthusiastic about exploring a political avenue beyond what his grandfather instilled in him. Not that he has truly embraced the cause; he simply sees Bonapartism as a way to reject his grandfather.
Upon leaving his grandfather's house with the promise not to return, he encounters Bossuet and Courfeyrac. The first helped Marius with his absences from university; The second, seeing that Marius had nowhere to go, offered him shelter. They were the ones who took him to Les Amis de l'ABC. But, at his first meeting with the group, Marius only knew about Bonapartism and gave a lively speech on the subject that was not well received, especially by Enjolras.
Soon Marius realized that he didn't fit into anything political; he didn't like monarchism, he wasn't exactly a true follower of Napoleon, and he didn't feel the same fervor for seeing France as a Republic as his peers. So, he becomes "apolitical."
He leaves Courfeyrac's house. He starts working as a translator, although he manages to graduate. He enjoys taking walks and is bored and aimless in life...
Then, he sees Cosette in the Luxembourg Gardens and falls madly in love, to the point of pursuing her to find out where she lives. He acts like a stalker.
When the barricades begin, he thinks he has lost Cosette, believes she has gone away and he will never see her again. The first thing he does is go to his grandfather, whom he swore he would never speak again, but he thought the situation was drastic enough and went to ask for help.
He didn't ask for help when he lacked money, he didn't ask for help when he had nowhere to live, but now he thought it was important! What love does, huh?
It turns out that his grandfather is very happy to see him again, but he despises his love for that young woman and says that she is just one of the many women he will love...
... Marius, upon going to his grandfather and hearing this, feels that he has betrayed the people he loved, both his father and his beloved Cosette. So, he leaves his grandfather's house again, regretting having gone there and furious.
Now, he knows that his companions are at the barricade and will need all the help they can get. And he thinks he will never see Cosette again, he loses all hope. He also daydreams about whether his father would be proud if he fought at the barricades and died for a good and just cause.
It is in this state of mind that he goes to the barricade. Yes, he fights bravely and stands firm until the end. He is one of the most useful allies, and certainly Enjolras and company approved of Marius's enthusiastic participation. But it's not as if he was as politically inflamed as his barricade companions; he was more like a romantic suicide.
When it's all over and he survives, his grandfather is horrified at having almost lost his beloved grandson and decides that it's not worth continuing to fight with Marius over political or romantic issues. He relents, takes care of Marius when he is on the verge of death, and then helps find that young woman and approves of his marriage to her.
But his grandfather shouldn't even worry; Marius wasn't really a supporter of Napoleon, nor did he want France as a Republic, even though he fought on the barricades. Marius sees his time on the barricades as a nightmare!
A nightmare from which he emerged directly to marry Cosette. From darkness to light.
Suddenly, his grandfather's lifestyle isn't "so bad to accept", as long as Marius can marry the woman he loves and give her a good life.
He only misses his companions when he remembers that he has no one to be his best man at his wedding. That's all.
He was never a political figure.
turnnoffyourmind
discoholicmusic
andulkaphoto
pixelskylines
2087
izzy806
