Figure Profile— Jean Valjean part 1

       Hello readers! Throughout the coming few weeks, I’m going to take you to look into the characters’ journey of life, focusing on their mental aspect in particular.

Today, I’m going to introduce the main role— Jean Valjean, and I’ll pick up some musical songs to assist my introduction. And since Jean Valjean is an important figure in this musical, I’ll divide this profile into two parts.

Valjean’s Soliloquy— Being Forgiven versus Sheer Bewilderment

       After his release, due to the unfair, discrimination and mistreatment throughout his imprisonment, Jean Valjean is such a bitter man that he harbors great grudge against the world. Whereas a bishop chooses to believe in him and forgives all his guilt, telling him that his soul has been brought for god and hoping that he could turn over a new leaf.

        Though astonished by the bishop’s generosity, his surprise is succeeded by utter bewilderment about his outlook on the world. A new insight of life dawns on Jean Valjean; finally he decides to cast out his original identity and starts a new life.

Song lyrics: Valjean forgiven, Valjean's soliloquy

Who Am I— Being Caught in a Double Bind

        Jean Valjean then breaks his parole and lives under an alias. He becomes wealthy, possessing a few craft factories. However, he occasionally knows that the authorities have misidentified someone as ‘the ex-convict Jean Valjean’, and he is then torn as well as caught in a dilemma— should he confess or not? There are hundreds of workers rely on his business to make a living; he can’t abandon his fellow men, and it’s surely obligatory for him to stay. Whereas he won’t forgive himself for condemning the unfortunate man to slavery with indifference and pretending not to know his agony, and thus he decides to reveal his true identity to save the innocent man.

Song lyrics: Who am I

All the video clips and lyrics are found from the Internet