Even though I know the story having seen the movie, it is easy to lose oneself in the character pictures painted by Victor Hugo.
In the first section of the book, Fantine, Hugo can be rather laborious in some details. If one like me knows little about 19th Century France or French geography this can be frustrating at times trudging through details which seem to add little to the story.
However, again knowing the outcome before hand, the character of Fantine is truly one of the great tragic figures of all literature. Certainly, Hugo paints her portrait in this way.
The movies I have seen do not do justice to this woman. Hugo provides the detail and truly makes her a character of empathy. She is, of course, the mother of Cosette who Jean Valjean, at least per the movies, will eventually adopt opon Fantine's death and after leading her tragic and poverty stricken life.
Next onto section Cosette, the now orphaned child.
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