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Fantine

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337:'s trial, he goes back to see Fantine at the hospital. She asks about Cosette, and the doctor lies to her saying that Cosette is at the hospital but cannot see Fantine until her health improves. She is appeased by this, and even mistakenly thinks that she hears Cosette laughing and singing. Suddenly, she and Valjean see Javert at the door. Valjean tries to privately ask Javert for three days to obtain Cosette, but he loudly refuses. Fantine realizes that Cosette was never retrieved and frantically asks where she is. Javert impatiently yells at Fantine to be silent, and additionally, tells her Valjean's true identity. Shocked by these revelations, she suffers a severe fit of trembling, falls back on her bed and dies. Valjean then walks to Fantine, whispers to her and kisses her hand. After Valjean is taken into custody, Fantine's body is unceremoniously thrown into a public grave. Later on, after escaping imprisonment, Valjean rescues Cosette and raises her on Fantine's behalf. 42: 301: 346: 321:, the town's police inspector, immediately arrests her while Bamatabois sneaks away. She begs to be let go, but Javert sentences her to six months in prison. Valjean arrives to help Fantine, but upon seeing him she spits in his face. Dismissing the act, Valjean orders Javert to free Fantine, which he reluctantly does. Valjean comes to find out the reasons Fantine became a prostitute and why she attacked Bamatabois. He feels sorry for the innocent Fantine and Cosette, and tells her that he will retrieve Cosette for her. He sends Fantine to the hospital, as she is suffering from 484: 404:
poverty and starvation—the ruined girl, the abandoned mother, the hounded prostitute, remained to the very hour of her tragic death chaste as a virgin, spotless as a saint in the holy sanctuary of her own pure and undefiled soul. The brief, bitter, blasted life of Fantine epitomizes the ghastly story of the persecuted, perishing Fantines of modern society in every land in Christendom.
270:, and has a public letter-writer compose her letters to the Thénardiers for her because she is illiterate. However, she is unaware that the Thénardiers severely abuse Cosette and have forced her to be a slave for their inn. She is also unaware that the letters they send to her requesting financial help for Cosette are their own fraudulent way to extort money from her for themselves. 371:
affirms that she has remained virtuous and holy before God, Fantine can finally release her hatred and love others again. Or rather, it is because he perceives the reality beyond her appearance that she finds the mayor worthy of renewed devotion. For Valjean, the bedraggled prostitute verges on 'sanctity' through 'martyrdom' (640; sainteté . . . martyr)."
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the mayor for her misfortunes. She later takes on a lover, only for him to beat her and then abandon her. The Thénardiers send another letter saying they need forty francs to buy medicine for Cosette who has become "ill." Desperate for the money, Fantine has her two front teeth removed and sells them.
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Hugo introduces Fantine as one of four fair girls attached to young, wealthy students. "She was called Fantine because she had never been known by any other name..." She is described as having, "gold and pearls for her dowry; but the gold was on her head and the pearls in her mouth." Hugo elaborates:
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Bamatabois wants to buy Fantine's services and is angered when she rejects his advances. In the novel, he is a young layabout who humiliates her by putting snow down her dress as if she is an object of fun. In the film adaptation, he appears as a mix between the two, seeking to buy her services and
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The Thénardiers then send a letter stating they need ten francs so they can "buy" a woolen skirt for Cosette. To buy the skirt herself, Fantine has her hair cut off and sold. She then says to herself "My child is no longer cold, I have clothed her with my hair." However, she soon begins to despise
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The very name of Fantine, the gay, guileless, trusting girl, the innocent, betrayed, self-immolating young mother, the despoiled, bedraggled, hunted and holy martyr to motherhood, to the infinite love of her child, touches to tears and haunts the memory like a melancholy dream....Fantine—child of
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Rather than being fired by a female supervisor for being an unwed mother, a fellow female worker steals her letter from the Thénardiers claiming another need for money; the worker presumes that she is a prostitute to cover her debts with the low wages. Valjean sees this, but leaves this to his
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presented her as a figure whose suffering makes her lovable, writing of the scene after she has her teeth removed, that "We run to kiss the bleeding mouth of Fantine". Kathryn M. Grossman says she moves into a form of "maternal sainthood" and that "When Madeleine (Valjean's pseudonym as mayor)
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Fantine has been interpreted as a holy prostitute figure who becomes a quintessential mother by sacrificing her own body and dignity for the purpose of securing the life of her child. She is an example of what has been called "the cliché of the saved and saintly prostitute that pervades
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John Andrew Frey argues that the character has a political significance. Fantine is "an example of how women of the proletariat were brutalized in nineteenth-century France...Fantine represents Hugo's deep compassion for human suffering, especially for women born into low estate".
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Meanwhile, Fantine's health and her own lodging debts worsen while the Thénardiers' letters continue to grow and their financial demands become more costly. In order to continue to earn money for Cosette, Fantine becomes a
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takes a less positive view, arguing that Hugo in effect punishes Fantine for her sexual transgression by making her suffer so horribly. "What disasters follow from a sin of the flesh! On the matter of sex, the morality of
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playing outside. They agree to do so as long as she sends them money to provide for her. Fantine's only will to live is keeping Cosette alive. She becomes a worker in Mayor Madeleine's (a.k.a.
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a day while Cosette's lodging costs ten. Her overworking causes her to become sick with a cough and fever. She also rarely goes out, fearing the disgrace she would face from the townspeople.
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Fantine dies peacefully in hospital with Valjean at her side after entrusting him with Cosette. Javert never reveals Valjean's true identity to her, as he arrives after her death.
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and devoted motherhood. She has been portrayed by many actresses in stage and screen versions of the story and has been depicted in works of art.
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Fantine is fired by a meddlesome supervisor, Madame Victurnien, without the knowledge of the mayor, when she finds out that Fantine is an
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in 1862, the character of Fantine has been in a large number of adaptations in numerous types of media based on the novel, including
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in Paris who is impregnated by a rich student. After he abandons her, she is forced to look after their child,
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heckles her and shoves snow down the back of her dress when she ignores him. Fantine ferociously attacks him.
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Fantine's image as a saint-like symbol of female victimhood appears in the writings of the union leader
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Fantine is not illiterate and does not sell her teeth, but she does sell two of her back teeth in the
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Intentions: The Decay of Lying, Pen, Pencil and Poison, the Critic as Artist, the Truth of Masks
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melds perfectly with the most intolerant and puritanical interpretation of Catholic morality."
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who are owners of an inn. She asks them to care for Cosette when she sees their daughters
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played Fantine in the West End. Fantine has since been played by numerous actresses.
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to support her daughter, losing her beauty and health until she finally dies of
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foreman; the foreman, his advances having been rejected by Fantine, fires her.
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nineteenth-century fiction", which is also found in the writings of
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The death of Fantine; Valjean (as Mayor Madeleine) closes her eyes.
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Figuring Transcendence in Les Miserables: Hugo's Romantic Sublime
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The Temptation of the Impossible: Victor Hugo and Les Misérables
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By the time Cosette is approximately three, Fantine arrives at
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Les Misérables: Highlights from the Motion Picture Soundtrack
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Dictionary of Literary Themes and Motifs: L-Z - Vol. 2
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then putting snow down her dress after she refuses.
566:. New York City: Signet Books. pp. 103, 107. 811: 282:. Fantine begins to work at home, earning twelve 189:in France, and when the musical came to England, 1231: 1218:Société Plon et autres v. Pierre Hugo et autres 797: 434: 238:, and Fantine is left to care for her alone. 679: 313:. During a January evening, a dandy called 333:After Valjean reveals his true identity at 1275:Fictional characters from the 19th century 804: 790: 586: 619:. New York City: Brentano']. p. 167. 532:Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress 496:Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress 629: 482: 344: 299: 217: 710:Writings and Speeches of Eugene V. Debs 16:Fictional character from Les Misérables 1255:Literary characters introduced in 1862 1232: 587:Seigneuret, Jean-Charles, ed. (1988). 785: 611: 222:Fantine is passionately in love with 145: 1270:Female characters in musical theatre 704: 654: 556: 13: 502:Since the original publication of 241: 14: 1291: 742: 408: 615:(1905). "The Critic as Artist". 454:of the musical, as in the novel. 40: 1260:Female characters in literature 393:Industrial Workers of the World 295: 273: 266:'s) factory in her hometown of 203: 196:Fantine became an archetype of 724: 698: 673: 648: 623: 605: 580: 550: 534:for portraying Fantine in the 472: 421:stage musical of the same name 208: 150:) is a fictional character in 1: 1017:Les Misérables: Shōjo Cosette 630:Grossman, Kathryn M. (1994). 544: 479:Adaptations of Les Misérables 395:. In 1916 he wrote the essay 1149:Do You Hear the People Sing? 680:Vargas Llosa, Mario (2007). 340: 7: 1250:Fictional people from Paris 10: 1296: 777:Internet Broadway Database 657:A Victor Hugo Encyclopedia 655:Frey, John Andrew (1999). 476: 438: 435:Differences in the musical 412: 1265:Female characters in film 1240:Les Misérables characters 1193: 1132: 1104: 1073: 981: 903: 825: 415:Songs from Les Misérables 128: 117: 106: 93: 82: 74: 69: 59: 39: 29: 24: 536:2012 film adaptation of 494:, for which she won the 328: 304:Fantine at Javert's feet 181:She was first played in 735:Internet Movie Database 441:Synopsis of the musical 70:In-universe information 1074:Television adaptations 769:– English translation. 499: 406: 350: 305: 1245:Fictional prostitutes 1133:Songs and soundtracks 486: 401: 348: 303: 218:Tholomyès and Cosette 143:French pronunciation: 492:2012 film adaptation 1280:Fictional Catholics 731:Fantine (Character) 19:Fictional character 895:Friends of the ABC 773:Search for Fantine 500: 490:as Fantine in the 397:Fantine in our Day 377:Mario Vargas Llosa 356:Fyodor Dostoyevsky 351: 306: 1227: 1226: 1156:I Dreamed a Dream 983:Other adaptations 766:Project Gutenberg 391:, founder of the 268:Montreuil-sur-Mer 160:. She is a young 147:[fɑ̃.tin] 144: 136: 135: 1287: 1213:(1904 sculpture) 1039:Ezhai Padum Padu 905:Film adaptations 806: 799: 792: 783: 782: 768: 737: 728: 722: 721: 702: 696: 695: 677: 671: 670: 652: 646: 645: 627: 621: 620: 609: 603: 602: 584: 578: 577: 554: 149: 142: 122:Marius Pontmercy 97: 86:Factory worker, 44: 22: 21: 1295: 1294: 1290: 1289: 1288: 1286: 1285: 1284: 1230: 1229: 1228: 1223: 1205:(1886 painting) 1189: 1128: 1106:Filmed concerts 1100: 1096:2018 miniseries 1091:2014 telenovela 1086:2000 miniseries 1081:1974 telenovela 1069: 977: 899: 821: 810: 758: 749:French text of 745: 740: 729: 725: 706:Debs, Eugene V. 703: 699: 692: 678: 674: 667: 653: 649: 642: 628: 624: 610: 606: 599: 585: 581: 574: 555: 551: 547: 481: 475: 452:film adaptation 443: 437: 417: 411: 364:Charles Dickens 343: 331: 298: 276: 244: 242:The Thénardiers 224:Félix Tholomyès 220: 211: 206: 198:self-abnegation 101:Félix Tholomyès 95: 55: 20: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1293: 1283: 1282: 1277: 1272: 1267: 1262: 1257: 1252: 1247: 1242: 1225: 1224: 1222: 1221: 1214: 1206: 1197: 1195: 1191: 1190: 1188: 1187: 1180: 1173: 1166: 1159: 1152: 1145: 1142:Les Misérables 1136: 1134: 1130: 1129: 1127: 1126: 1121: 1116: 1110: 1108: 1102: 1101: 1099: 1098: 1093: 1088: 1083: 1077: 1075: 1071: 1070: 1068: 1067: 1059: 1051: 1043: 1035: 1027: 1020: 1013: 1008: 1003: 1002: 1001: 992:Les Misérables 987: 985: 979: 978: 976: 975: 970: 965: 960: 955: 950: 945: 940: 935: 930: 925: 920: 915: 909: 907: 901: 900: 898: 897: 892: 890:Patron-Minette 887: 882: 877: 872: 867: 862: 857: 852: 847: 842: 837: 831: 829: 823: 822: 814:Les Misérables 809: 808: 801: 794: 786: 780: 779: 770: 761:Les Misérables 755: 754: 751:Les Misérables 744: 743:External links 741: 739: 738: 723: 697: 691:978-0691131115 690: 672: 666:978-0313298967 665: 647: 641:978-0809318896 640: 622: 604: 598:978-0313229435 597: 579: 573:978-0451419439 572: 563:Les Misérables 548: 546: 543: 538:Les Misérables 504:Les Misérables 477:Main article: 474: 471: 470: 469: 462: 459: 455: 448: 436: 433: 410: 409:In the musical 407: 389:Eugene V. Debs 382:Les Misérables 342: 339: 330: 327: 297: 294: 275: 272: 250:and meets the 243: 240: 219: 216: 210: 207: 205: 202: 157:Les Misérables 154:'s 1862 novel 134: 133: 130: 126: 125: 119: 115: 114: 108: 104: 103: 98: 91: 90: 84: 80: 79: 76: 72: 71: 67: 66: 61: 57: 56: 45: 37: 36: 32:Les Misérables 27: 26: 18: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1292: 1281: 1278: 1276: 1273: 1271: 1268: 1266: 1263: 1261: 1258: 1256: 1253: 1251: 1248: 1246: 1243: 1241: 1238: 1237: 1235: 1220: 1219: 1215: 1212: 1211: 1210:Les Gavroches 1207: 1204: 1203: 1199: 1198: 1196: 1192: 1186: 1185: 1181: 1178: 1174: 1171: 1167: 1164: 1160: 1157: 1153: 1150: 1146: 1144: 1143: 1138: 1137: 1135: 1131: 1125: 1122: 1120: 1117: 1115: 1112: 1111: 1109: 1107: 1103: 1097: 1094: 1092: 1089: 1087: 1084: 1082: 1079: 1078: 1076: 1072: 1065: 1064: 1060: 1057: 1056: 1055:Beedala Patlu 1052: 1049: 1048: 1044: 1041: 1040: 1036: 1033: 1032: 1031:Beedala Patlu 1028: 1026: 1025: 1024:Jean Val Jean 1021: 1019: 1018: 1014: 1012: 1009: 1007: 1004: 1000: 997: 996: 995: 993: 989: 988: 986: 984: 980: 974: 971: 969: 966: 964: 961: 959: 956: 954: 951: 949: 946: 944: 941: 939: 936: 934: 931: 929: 926: 924: 921: 919: 916: 914: 911: 910: 908: 906: 902: 896: 893: 891: 888: 886: 885:Bishop Myriel 883: 881: 878: 876: 873: 871: 868: 866: 863: 861: 858: 856: 853: 851: 848: 846: 843: 841: 838: 836: 833: 832: 830: 828: 824: 820: 816: 815: 807: 802: 800: 795: 793: 788: 787: 784: 778: 774: 771: 767: 763: 762: 757: 756: 753: 752: 747: 746: 736: 732: 727: 719: 715: 711: 707: 701: 693: 687: 683: 676: 668: 662: 658: 651: 643: 637: 633: 626: 618: 614: 608: 600: 594: 590: 583: 575: 569: 565: 564: 559: 553: 549: 542: 540: 539: 533: 529: 528:Anne Hathaway 525: 521: 517: 513: 509: 505: 497: 493: 489: 488:Anne Hathaway 485: 480: 467: 463: 460: 456: 453: 449: 445: 444: 442: 432: 430: 429:mezzo-soprano 426: 422: 416: 405: 400: 398: 394: 390: 385: 383: 378: 372: 369: 365: 361: 357: 347: 338: 336: 326: 324: 320: 316: 312: 302: 293: 289: 287: 286: 281: 271: 269: 265: 261: 257: 253: 249: 239: 237: 233: 229: 225: 215: 201: 199: 194: 192: 188: 184: 179: 177: 173: 169: 165: 164: 159: 158: 153: 148: 140: 131: 127: 123: 120: 116: 112: 109: 105: 102: 99: 92: 89: 85: 81: 77: 73: 68: 65: 62: 58: 54: 53:Margaret Hall 50: 49: 43: 38: 34: 33: 28: 23: 1216: 1208: 1200: 1182: 1170:One Day More 1141: 1061: 1053: 1045: 1037: 1029: 1022: 1015: 991: 844: 835:Jean Valjean 812: 759: 750: 726: 709: 700: 681: 675: 656: 650: 631: 625: 616: 613:Wilde, Oscar 607: 588: 582: 561: 558:Hugo, Victor 552: 537: 503: 501: 418: 402: 396: 386: 381: 373: 352: 335:Champmathieu 332: 323:tuberculosis 307: 296:Prostitution 290: 284: 280:unwed mother 277: 274:Loss of work 264:Jean Valjean 245: 232:illegitimate 228:goodbye note 221: 212: 204:In the novel 195: 191:Patti LuPone 187:Rose Laurens 180: 176:tuberculosis 161: 155: 138: 137: 124:(son-in-law) 94:Significant 46: 30: 1140:Songs from 880:Thénardiers 819:Victor Hugo 473:Adaptations 368:Oscar Wilde 360:Leo Tolstoy 252:Thénardiers 248:Montfermeil 209:Description 183:the musical 152:Victor Hugo 129:Nationality 64:Victor Hugo 1234:Categories 827:Characters 718:B007T2MF0U 545:References 439:See also: 413:See also: 315:Bamatabois 311:prostitute 172:prostitute 113:(daughter) 88:prostitute 83:Occupation 60:Created by 1163:On My Own 1063:Gnana Oli 999:2012 film 870:Grantaire 560:(2013) . 341:Character 234:daughter 118:Relatives 35:character 1177:Suddenly 875:Gavroche 865:Enjolras 708:(1948). 530:won the 516:musicals 163:grisette 107:Children 1202:Fantine 1194:Related 994:musical 860:Éponine 850:Cosette 845:Fantine 775:at the 733:at the 419:In the 256:Éponine 236:Cosette 168:Cosette 139:Fantine 111:Cosette 48:Fantine 25:Fantine 1066:(1972) 1058:(1972) 1050:(1955) 1047:Kundan 1042:(1950) 1034:(1950) 855:Marius 840:Javert 716:  688:  663:  638:  595:  570:  522:, and 466:Heaven 431:role. 319:Javert 260:Azelma 132:French 78:Female 75:Gender 1011:Manga 1006:Radio 524:games 520:plays 512:films 508:books 329:Death 96:other 1124:2019 1119:2010 1114:1995 973:2012 968:1998 963:1995 958:1982 953:1978 948:1958 943:1952 938:1948 933:1935 928:1934 923:1925 918:1917 913:1909 714:ASIN 686:ISBN 661:ISBN 636:ISBN 593:ISBN 568:ISBN 425:alto 362:and 285:sous 258:and 817:by 764:at 427:or 185:by 51:by 1236:: 541:. 526:. 518:, 514:, 510:, 366:. 358:, 325:. 178:. 1179:" 1175:" 1172:" 1168:" 1165:" 1161:" 1158:" 1154:" 1151:" 1147:" 805:e 798:t 791:v 720:. 694:. 669:. 644:. 601:. 576:. 498:. 141:(

Index

Les Misérables

Fantine
Margaret Hall
Victor Hugo
prostitute
Félix Tholomyès
Cosette
Marius Pontmercy
[fɑ̃.tin]
Victor Hugo
Les Misérables
grisette
Cosette
prostitute
tuberculosis
the musical
Rose Laurens
Patti LuPone
self-abnegation
Félix Tholomyès
goodbye note
illegitimate
Cosette
Montfermeil
Thénardiers
Éponine
Azelma
Jean Valjean
Montreuil-sur-Mer

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