Why is Cosette the symbol of Les Miserables?

Hello readers! Guess what, it’s that time of year again! If you don’t know what I mean then you’re clearly not as big a Les Mis fan as I am.

It’s Marius and Cosettes 181^st wedding anniversary today! 

Wow, 181 years……. I have no idea what the gift for that would be. My best guess would be copious amounts of alcohol.

I mention this because it brings me neatly around to the title of this post. Why is Cosette the symbol of Les Miserables? It’s a question that I’ve heard a few times since I read Les Miserables, most recently by my favourite online critic Doug Walker Click here for reviewey goodness! who did an epic review of the movie musical recently.

It’s a good question though, I mean think about it, the title of the book and musical is Les Miserables, but is Cosette really the most miserable person in the entire thing? Sure she had a terrible childhood but I think she got a happier ending than most of the other characters. Why is it her face that gets plastered all over the books and musical imagery? Why not Valjean, or Fantine, or Eponine, or even Gavroche? Does Cosette really suffer the most out of all the characters?

Actually, I think she does, and it’s connected to the other point I’ve brought up in this post. I think Cosette suffers the most in Les Mis because for the rest of her life she has to be married to Marius Pontmercy.

And yes I’ve brought up my hatred of Marius before in this blog, and yes I am being kind of facetious when I say this, but I actually do think it would be really hard for Cosette being married to him.

Why do I think this? Well for many reasons, just look at the evidence. First of all I don’t think that boy is mentally stable, remember this is the boy who stalked Cosette for months (possibly even years actually) before he summoned up the balls to talk to her, then when he thought he’d lost her he went all suicidal and tried to blow himself up! Somehow I don’t think a boy like that is going to make a very responsible husband.

There are other reasons too, for starters Marius is guilty of treason and he’s bloody lucky he didn’t get caught at the barricades. That actually doesn’t bother me too much but then there’s also the fact that he’s partly responsible for the death of Cosettes father and I think Cosette just might have a hard time dealing with that when she finds out. In the novel she’s been married to Marius for several months before Valjean dies which I think is actually worse than it is in the musical because Marius knew full well what was going on with Valjean and didn’t tell Cosette anything about where her father was for months on end.

Honestly I think that sucks, I think it would really suck to be married to someone for months and then find out all the things they’d been keeping from you. It’s not like Cosette can even do anything about it either when she finds out, she’s a woman in 1833 it’s not like she can just leave him or even argue with him about all the lies. She’s really screwed actually when you think about it, maybe not forever, but I think she’s gonna be pretty depressed for a while when she realises just what a fuckwit she’s married too.

She has no other family she can turn to either and I’m betting that Marius is probably responsible for all the money her father left her as well. I think her marriage is in a pretty precarious position; every good thing she has is tied to a man who probably hasn’t been honest with her since her wedding night.

And if you’re reading this thinking I’m making too big a deal put of things, well maybe you’re right. I probably am. Cosette is probably going to have a very good life, and it’ll probably be full of love and Marius will probably be very good to her, but I just think when you share your life with someone and you share certain intimacies with someone it can be hard to forgive such betrayals. I think however Cosette has probably got a big enough heart to forgive all the lies she’s been told. She’ll be fine I’m sure, I just feel kind of bad for her.

Honestly I can’t imagine a more insufferable life than spending an eternity with Marius Pontmercy, and that my friends is why I think Cosette deserves to be the symbol of Les Miserables, if she’s spent 181 years with him then I think she’s earned it.

Happy Anniversary!