Les Misérables

Valjean endures mistreatment in the Toulon prison as Javert watches him. He displays extraordinary strength by rescuing a man crushed under a boulder, and later saves another convict who falls while repairing battlements. These feats mark the beginning of a transformation from prisoner to a man capable of mercy.

A kindly Bishop feeds and shelters Valjean, offering him a path to redemption. Valjean steals silver plates, but the Bishop pretends they were a gift and blesses him with two silver candlesticks, telling him his soul is bought for God. The Bishop's mercy alters Valjean's course and seeds his vow to change.

Valjean rises to become a prosperous businessman using the Toulon bead-manufacturing method and takes the name Madeleine to govern the town as mayor. His success draws Javert's attention as he serves as chief of local police and senses the familiar figure behind the new leadership. Madeleine's ascent tests his resolve to live a law-abiding life while evading capture.

Valjean rescues Fantine, who pleads for mercy as she faces punishment. Javert is about to enforce punishment, and he witnesses Valjean perform another astonishing rescue when he saves a man crushed under a cart. This sequence deepens Javert's belief in the identity of Madeleine and sets the pursuit in motion.

Javert denounces Madeleine to his superiors, but formal confirmation is delayed. Before confirmation arrives, another man is arrested in Arras as the escaped convict Valjean. Madeleine travels to Arras, identifies himself, and wins the release of the falsely accused man, defying the authorities.

Valjean returns to the town to help the dying Fantine, who reveals how the Thénardiers care for Cosette. Javert presses for Valjean's arrest, and Fantine dies before capture. Valjean escapes, determined to protect Cosette from the Thénardiers and the law.

Valjean ransoms Cosette from the Thénardiers and presents her with a doll, securing her freedom. The pair flee to Paris to begin a new life away from pursuit. The act marks a turning point as Cosette becomes Valjean's daughter and responsibility.

Valjean escapes Javert by climbing a wall into the Paris convent, aided by the gardener who was once saved from a similar fate. The gardener agrees to pretend they are brothers and recommends Valjean to the nuns as a gardener. Cosette attends the convent school, and Valjean hides their presence within the cloistered life.

Cosette grows into a young woman under the shelter of the convent. Valjean decides they should leave the cloister so she can experience the world beyond its walls. This decision marks the next phase of their life in society.

In a public garden, Cosette and Marius lock eyes, sparking a fateful romance. Marius, part of the radical circle, has Gavroche tail Cosette and report their whereabouts to him. The chance encounter binds their destinies to the larger political turmoil.

Marius visits his grandfather Gillenormand to ask for money, and the elder suggests making Cosette his mistress. Marius is repulsed by the idea and refuses to compromise their love. This clash foreshadows the conflicts between generations and ideals.

Radicals build a barricade and exchange fire with the army. Gavroche identifies Javert as the undercover infiltrator among them, and Enjolras arrests him, promising to shoot if the barricade falls. Marius sends Gavroche with a message to Cosette, while Valjean tries to persuade Marius to abandon the radical cause.

Gavroche is killed during the fighting, a blow to both sides. Valjean asks Enjolras for permission to kill Javert, but Enjolras grants him the right to act; Valjean chooses mercy and frees Javert, guided by the Bishop's vow he once heard.

As Marius is wounded, Valjean carries his limp body through the sewers to safety. Javert relentlessly pursues them and, unable to reconcile his duties with his conscience, jumps into the Seine and ends his own life. The act marks the collapse of Javert's world.

The story concludes with the wedding of Cosette and Marius, attended only by Valjean and Gillenormand. The ceremony brings a fragile peace and closure for Valjean's long years of sacrifice and protection. The final image ties Valjean's mercy to Cosette's future.