This is a list of most of the more important characters of Les Miserables
Monseigneur (Bishop) Charles Francois-Bienvenu Myriel
The bishop who, by giving Jean Valjean the silver, turned JVJ's life around
Madamoiselle Baptistine
Sister of the bishop
Madame Magloire
Housekeeper for the bishop and his sister
Jean Valjean
The ex-convict who is relentlessly pursued by the law, most particularly Javert. He finds redemption through helping people. He is also known as M. Madeleine and M. Leblanc
Petit Gervais
A young chimney sweep who loses some money to JVJ
Fantine
Beautiful waif of unkown parentage who eventually ends up working in M. Madeleine's factory to support her young illegitimate daughter, Cosette
Cosette
Fantine's young daughter fathered by Felix Tholomyes; mistreated when in the care of the Thenardiers. Later falls in love with Marius
Monsieur Thenardier
Evil innkeeper who earlier saved Marius' father's life; turns to crime
Madame Thenardier
Wife of M. Thenardier; atrociously awful to Cosette when she resided w/ the Thenardiers
Eponine
Oldest of the Thenardier children; loves Marius
Gavroche
Younger brother of Eponine
Emile Javert
Police inspector charged with chasing down Jean Valjean for his whole life
Fauchelevent
Stuck under wagon; saved by Jean Valjean (as M. Madeleine). Later helps Jean Valjean and Cosette
Champmathieu
A former convict on trial for stealing apples; mistakenly believed to be Jean Valjean
Sister Simplice
A nun who takes care of the ailing Fantine; she lies to Javert in order to help Jean Valjean
Monsieur Gillenormand
Grandfather who raised Marius
Madamoiselle Gillenormand
Prudish old-maid aunt of Marius; daughter of M. Gillenormand
Marius Pontmercy
Our Romeo of the story; falls desperately in love with Cosette
Colonol Georges Pontmercy
Father of Marius; officer of Napoleon; forced by Gillenormand to give up Marius to him
Theodule Gillenormand
Distant cousin of Marius'; asked by old Gillenormand to spy on Marius' "affairs"
Monsieur Mabeuf
Old churchwarden who tells Marius the truth about his father, Colonel Pontmercy, and his affection towards his son
Enjolras
Leader of the student insurrectionists
Coufeyrac
Marius' good friend; helps lead the revolution w/ Enjolras and Combferre
Combferre
Enjolras' second-in-command
Bahoral, Joly, Bossuet, Feuilly
Other student-inssurrectionist friends of Marius
Well, there you are, the main characters of Les Miserables, plus some minor ones. To get back to the home page, click here. Or here for a biography of Victor Hugo, the author of this great book. And here for a nice little summary of the book. Here is the 10 Questions for Study/Discussion. Oh, and we cannot forget the vocabulary!
