The Miserables the full novel 2/1 (two parts)

Critics agree, or almost agree, that Victor Hugo is the greatest French lyric poet, and one of the greatest poets in the world across different eras. Hugo's talent is a superpower over objective imagination, with astonishing skill in imagery complemented by a unique ability to elevate words until they become a melody. His poetry is characterized by vastness and vitality in his literary works—poetry, novels, and plays—especially when directed towards children and the oppressed. Hugo composed poetry, entered the field of theatrical writing, and authored many novels, including "Notre-Dame de Paris" 1831, "The Man Who Laughs" 1869, and "Twenty-Three" 1872. The greatest of his novels, and the most enduring, is "Les Misérables," which he began writing before 1850 and completed only in 1862. Hugo wrote this novel under the influence of humanist and socialist teachings championed by "Cabet" and "Proudhon," defending the cause of all those whom society despises, and arguing that their crimes should be attributed to the corruption of that very society. In fact, "Les Misérables" is primarily a social novel, aiming to alert to the injustices borne by the oppressed on earth—sometimes in the name of the system, sometimes in the name of justice, sometimes in the name of morality, and always in the name of the people. It is also a historical novel, reflecting the author's democratic ideas and revolutionary tendencies, decorated—sometimes at the expense of storytelling—with pen sketches depicting France's history during one of its most dangerous periods, not only in the country's life but in all of Europe’s history—namely, the era spanning Napoleon Bonaparte and Louis-Philippe, marked by revolutionary uprisings and reactionary setbacks. "Les Misérables" is, in essence, a good-hearted tragedy, a prayer of philosophy, and an epic of struggle. In short, it is a hymn to freedom, a gospel of social justice, and a symphony of human progress—through blood, tears, and sacrifice—towards the goal for which reformers across ages have strived: to realize human dignity and establish the ideal society. Perhaps the most beautiful pages are those depicting the character of Mabeuf, the suffering of Fantine, Jean Valjean’s escape, the Battle of Waterloo, and the Revolution of 1832. Perhaps even more beautiful is the heart of the great Hugo beating behind every word, every idea, and his overwhelming, benevolent poetry that transcends borders and barriers, with no goal other than love, justice, and the common good.