The musical Les Miserables tells the story of former prisoner Jean Valjean and his struggle for freedom and redemption. It opens with a bitter Valjean’s release from prison after 19 years. His parole officer, Javert, gives him a yellow ticket that brands him as a convict, and Valjean meets a bishop who urges Valjean to redeem himself. Valjean decides to start over with a new identity, even though he will have to break his parole, earning him the enmity of Javert.
Eight years later, Valjean is now a wealthy mayor and factory owner. During an inspection, he breaks up a fight between his factory workers, and we are introduced to Fantine, mother of the illegitimate Cosette. The factory foreman, angry that Fantine rejected him, fires her. Desperate to protect Cosette, Fantine turns to prostitution and ends up in a hospital where Valjean finds her and promises to look after her daughter.
Valjean crosses paths with Javert when he rescues a man trapped underneath a cart. Javert remarks that the mayor reminds him of a man named Valjean, who is awaiting trial. Valjean can’t let an innocent man be arrested, so he reveals his true identity, but begs Javert to give him time to save Cosette before he returns to prison. Javert refuses, so Valjean escapes and rescues Cosette.
After another nine years, Cosette is grown up and meets a student named Marius. Many Parisians are upset because General Lamarque, who protects the poor, is near death. Marius and another student, Enjolras, prepare for the coming revolution after the general dies. Valjean narrowly escapes Javert, who is spying on the students, and prepares to take Cosette into hiding once again, forcing her to part with Marius.
Act II spans the two-day students’ uprising and its aftermath. During the first day of fighting, Valjean learns that Marius loves Cosette, and goes to the barricade to find him. Instead he rescues Javert, who has been exposed as a spy, and tells Javert where he lives. The students prepare for the next day, and Valjean prays for Marius.
On the second day, Enjolras realizes that he and the other students will die, but refuses to surrender. The soldiers overrun the barricade, but Valjean arrives and carries the wounded Marius through the sewers. He meets Javert, and again begs him for some time so that he can save Marius. Javert agrees, and discovers that because Valjean saved his life, he can’t arrest him. Javert commits suicide by throwing himself in the river. Marius doesn’t know who saved him, but Valjean tells him that he will be leaving to protect Cosette. Marius and Cosette reunite and are married, then discover Valjean’s heroism and search for him. They find him on his deathbed in time to say goodbye.
