Georges-Victor Hugo - Victor Hugo coming down from his study at Hauteville House (ca. 1880)

It's the 9 year anniversary of this magnificent work of art that made the Les Mis fandom absolutely lose their minds in 2013

does anyone want to be the Grantaire to my Enjolras?

Funérailles de Victor Hugo - la veillée sous l’arc de triomphe (1885) by Georges Jules Victor Clairin.

I.VIII.IV. fantine's death

III.III.IV. colonel pontmercy's death

Les Miserables (2012)

Look at these gorgeous bandes dessinées by Georges & Pia Bess. The books are huge and heavy, the size is perfect to appreciate the art.

Dracula, Frankenstein and Notre-Dame de Paris.

“Enjolras and Grantaire were gay.” I say into the mic.

The crowd boos. I begin to walk off the stage in shame, when a group of voices speak and command silence from the audience,

“He’s right.” I look to the owners of the voices, and there in the 5th row stands: Victor Hugo, George Blagden, Samuel Edwards and Raymond Walsh, themselves.

Enjolras: How petty can you get?

Grantaire: I once edited a Wikipedia article to win an argument I was wrong about.

Kahlil Gibran. Mark Twain. Christa Wolf. Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson. George Eliot. Jhumpa Lahiri. Sappho. Robert Burton. Victor Hugo. William Hope Hodgson. Mark Z. Danielewiski. H.G. Wells.

Classic Lit Bracket-Round Two Part One: 1984 vs. Les Mis

Les Mis propaganda

marius: (has spent literally the last 80 pages alternately talking himself into and out of pulling the trigger to alert the police while future papa in law is being mugged by the shadiest people in all of paris, eventually doing neither of those things and doing something else entirely)

enjolras: i know just the guy i could send to convince the marbleworkers and painters to make up their minds, if only he were here

“What about me?’ said Grantaire. ‘I’m here.’ ‘You?’ ‘Yes, me.’ ‘You? Rally Republicans! You? In defence of principles, fire up hearts that have grown cold!’ ‘Why not?’ ‘Are you capable of being good for something?’ ‘I have the vague ambition to be,’ said Grantaire. ‘You don’t believe in anything.’ ‘I believe in you.’ ‘Grantaire, will you do me a favour?’ ‘Anything. Polish your boots.’ ‘Well, don’t meddle in our affairs. Go and sleep off the effects of your absinthe.’ ‘You’re heartless, Enjolras.’ ‘As if you’d be the man to send to the Maine gate! As if you were capable of it!’ ‘I’m capable of going down Rue des Grès, crossing Place St-Michel, heading off along Rue Monsieur-le-Prince, taking Rue de Vaugirard, passing the Carmelite convent, turning into Rue d’Assas, proceeding to Rue du Cherche-Midi, leaving the Military Court behind me, wending my way along Rue des Vieilles-Tuileries, striding across the boulevard, following Chaussée du Maine, walking through the toll-gate and going into Richefeu’s. I’m capable of that. My shoes are capable of that.’ ‘Do you know them at all, those comrades who meet at Richefeu’s?' ‘Not very well. But we’re on friendly terms.’ ‘What will you say to them?’ ‘I’ll talk to them about Robespierre, of course! And about Danton. About principles.’ ‘You?’ ‘Yes, me. But I’m not being given the credit I deserve. When I put my mind to it, I’m terrific. I’ve read Prudhomme, I’m familiar with the Social Contract, I know by heart my constitution of the year II. “The liberty of the citizen ends where the liberty of another citizen begins.” Do you take me for a brute beast? I have in my drawer an old promissory note from the time of the Revolution. The rights of man, the sovereignty of the people, for God’s sake! I’m even a bit of an Hébertist. I can keep coming out with some wonderful things, watch in hand, for a whole six hours by the clock.’ ‘Be serious,’ said Enjolras. ‘I mean it,’ replied Grantaire.

drawing by me

“R”

i always thought it was a bit weird how Grantaire went by R, but guys.

R (as a letter) in french is pronounced like “air”.

his name is Grantaire.  it’s not him being angsty (...maybe it is), it’s a literal shortening of his name.

I have no idea how much people from other countries know French lit, but I'd like you all to know that one of the people on this list is a woman.

I'm considering making a second poll, but I need a few more names.

I also have another Romanticism poll (mostly UK centred) here.

And here's my pinned post with more polls about art, literature, comics, etc.