I went to the store today and bought les miserables, only to find out once i got home that it is the abridged version. My edition of les miserables was abridged by lawrence m. After doing some research i found out that there was an english translation by charles wilbour personally approved of by victor hugo himself, which is the translation used in this edition. Its also insightful social commentary, among the best and most interesting of writing genres, if you ask me.
I first started with the abridged and felt like something was differentdont know what translation that was. Les miserables is the worlds longest running musical a true modern classic based on victor hugos novel and featuring one of the most memorable scores of all time. I purchased this kindle version in 20 but did not start reading it until january, 2019 and finished in october, 2019. What to know before reading les miserables by victor hugo. I believe it is one of the most powerful and meaningful books ever written. I ended up finishing the abridged version and i loved it. Les miserables abridged vs unabridged showing 150 of 84. One day, an ex convict wanders into the bishops village and cant find any food or lodging because everyone turns him away. Find low everyday prices and buy online for delivery or instore pickup. Gillenormand, by threatening to disinherit marius, has forced georges. The books opens by describing the life of a really upstanding dude named bishop myriel.
Abridged scripts are shortish screenplays for films that just cover the highlights think of them as cliffs notes for your favorite movies, except cliff is an asshole and thinks your favorite movie sucks. Here is the free version of the ebook which you can download to your kindle, nook. Featuring updated orchestrations based on the tonynominated 2014 broadway revival, les miserables. Emanuel caraman will play the phantom in harbor country operas abridged version of phantom of the opera on friday and saturday at the acorn theater in. Ive read 3 different versions of les miserables, two of which are unabridged. Set during the french revolution, this tale depicts the vast suffering of frances lower classes, and highlights a former prisoners attempts to bring love and justice back into daily life. This was done more often in the past than it is now e. I was a big fan of the original version of this, but i found. Very often plays, notably shakespeares, have been heavily abridged for television, in order to fit them into ninetyminute or twohour time slots. See a complete list of the characters in les miserables and indepth analyses of jean valjean, cosette, javert, marius pontmercy, and fantine. New introductions commissioned from todays top writers and scholars. Marius is a seventeenyearold who lives with his grandfather, m. I must admit that i have never read or watched les mis because i wanted my first exposure of it to be in the original french unabridged version. The students discover javert among their ranks, and, realizing that he is a spy, enjolras ties him up.
In a nearby town, georges pontmercy, marius father, a hero of the napoleonic wars, lives in retirement. A potent social document of the poverty, ignorance, and brutality of man, les miserables is also a rousing adventure story, famous for such unrivaled scenes as the brilliant depiction of the battle of waterloo. What is the best version of les mis by victor hugo to read. Yes the abridged version is tedious and yes it does seem draggy but do remember how old. After doing some research i found out that there was an english translation by charles wilbour personally approved of by victor hugo himself, which is. I managed to read the unabridged version of the story in less than one summer. Aug 05, 2008 the book les miserables, abridged or unabridged.
If youre up for the full version, its a commitment. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The convict jean valjean is released from a french prison after serving nineteen years for stealing a loaf of bread and for subsequent attempts to escape from prison. Les miserables study guide contains a biography of victor hugo, literature essays, a complete etext, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Victor hugo and illustration by emile bayard to the 1862 edition. A brief outline of the political changes during the period covered by the novel, 1815 to 1832, will, it is hoped, prove useful.
Cliffsnotes study guides are written by real teachers and professors, so no matter what youre studying, cliffsnotes can ease your homework headaches and help you score high on exams. What is the best version of the book les miserables by vitor hugo. I was so excited to read les mis for english class so i was even angrier than i normally would have been at the complete cutting out of grantaires character from the ultraabridged version were reading. Les miserables is a novel by victor hugo that was first published in 1862. Then in 2015 over summer, finally got around to reading the unabridged book and that version felt like a masterpiece. Hugo now turns to another leading character, marius. I did read the unabridged version years ago which was over 1400 pages, and i want to say that a sizeable portion of the difference is hugos retelling of the battle of waterloo. The movie version is terrible, but i do enjoy the broadway original cast recording. When valjean arrives at the town of digne, no one is willing to give him shelter because he is an exconvict. Children need to read and understand the lessons it teaches at a young age, while they are still in their early, formative years and still forming their view of the world and of interpersonal relationships the world needs and our children need more love, sacrifice.
Charles francoisbienvenu myriel was bishop of digne. The protagonist, jean valjean, is sentenced to prison for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread. The same is true of long classical ballets such as the twoandahalf hour sleeping beauty, which has almost never been performed complete on television. Thernardier if you can remember that cosette is the grown up version of young cosette, and that when she was little there was a blonde girl who was our daughter and had no lines of dialogue. If you want the pure version, go with the unabridged. Theyre missing out, but theyll still get more out of an abridged les mis than they would from the movie, and its certainly better than dropping out entirely. The story of jean valjean, a poor french boy who is arrested at the age of 19 for stealing a loaf of bread for his family, and who is sentenced to the quarries for seven years. Victor hugos masterpiece of adventure, rebellion, and human redemption burst onto the french literary scene in 1862. Comparing three translations of les miserables gently. Les miserables school edition music theatre international. The editing room has been around since 1998 and features over 900 abridged scripts for movies.
The bishops palace at digne was contiguous to the hospital. Les miserables tells the story of exconvict, jean valjean, and his valiant struggle to redeem his past. I know the unabridged version of the book starts out very slow, but i heard. Les miserables by victor hugo the original, squashed down to read in about 25 minutes. Though the book is worth reading, the musical is what really brought.
Why would anyone read an abridged version of any book. I think the abridged version doesnt have the sidetracking. This newly abridged edition of les miserables tells the story of the peasant jean valjeanunjustly imprisoned, baffled by destiny, and hounded by his nemesis, the magnificently realized, ambiguously malevolent police detective javert. Les miserables abridged by victor hugo, 9780140624151, having recently seen les miserables the film in the cinema, i wanted to own the original book.
As valjean struggles to redeem his past, we are thrust into the teeming underworld of paris with all its poverty, ignorance, and suffering. Its great because its an imaginative, beautifully crafted and uplifting story. I am reading it right now in french and i think that that is the best version. I normally would never read an abridged version, but now i dont know if i should take the book back sometime next week and try to find an unabridged version, or if i should just read the one i have now. Les miserables abridged or how i learned to stop worrying and love the french a broadway abridged script. Valjean from les miserables, and tevye from fiddler on the roof 6. After repeated attempts to escape, he ends up spending twenty years. Seriously, one of the greatest books ever, and i dont say that lightly. Myriel becomes monseigneur bienvenu chapter 3 a difficult diocese for a good bishop. In 3d a broadway abridged script by gil varod and robert j. Les miserables pdf book free download les miserables by victor hugo. Set in the parisian underworld and plotted like a detective story, les miserables follows jean valjean, originally an honest peasant, who has been imprisoned for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sisters starving family.
Les miserables by victor hugo is one of the greatest novels of the nineteenth century. I picked up a modern translation of les miserables recently and decided i didnt like it since it was overly abridged and too modern. Les miserables by victor hugo crisis magazine jul 24, 20 a young victor hugo unwittingly found i ve read the big les mis 3 times and the abridged. Kind of crazy to think this condensed version is a mere 959 pages, huh. Vibrant and readable, idiomatic and well suited to a long narrative, julie roses new translation of les miserables is closer to the captivating tone hugo would have struck for his own contemporaries. It is read by christopher cazenove and it is part of the classics read by celebrities audiobook series. Ive only ever read the abridged version of les miserables, so thank you for your. The multiawardwinning les miserables is as groundbreaking today as it was when it first premiered in london in 1985. The world of victor hugo and les miserables introduction acknowledgements a note on the abridgment preface fantine book one an upright man chapter 1 m. Queensland, australia les mis abridged the movie edition. Right now you can get the abridged edition of les miserables for free on amazon. Diane johnson a lively, dramatic, and wonderfully readable translation of one of the greatest 19thcentury novels.
I picked up a modern translation of les miserables recently and decided i didnt like it since it was overlyabridged and too modern. He was a man of seventyfive, and had occupied the bishopric of digne since 1806. So angry, in fact, i started writing this the day i skipped ahead and couldnt find my favorite cynic. The abridged version dimesandnickels les miserables. May 04, 2017 i read two versions of les miserables. Abridged, with introduction and notes the notes are mainly explanatory of allusions contained in the text, or of events, or biographical.
The full version contains a lot of digressions and historical notes, all fascinating. What is the best version of the book les miserables by. Mar 31, 2015 what to know before reading les miserables by victor hugo. Its not easy to put les miserables in a nutshell, considering that its one of the longest novels ever written.