“To love is to act.” Victor Hugo wrote these words three days before he died—and brought them to life in Les Misérables. Hugo shows what we can accomplish when we act out of a generous, humanitarian love that translates into positive action, a love deeply connected to conscience. We will look at how love shines through Bishop Myriel and Jean Valjean and how Hugo’s vision inspires both readers and Les Mis lovers. Insights I gained from interviewing artists who captured the novel’s heart in the famed musical—especially Les Mis creators Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, director Tom Hooper, and actor Hugh Jackman—will inform our investigation into Hugo’s persuasive power. And we will see how Hugo’s vision finds remarkable resonance in the words and deeds of modern social justice activists, including Bryan Stevenson, Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, and Shaka Senghor.  The contemporary relevance of Les Misérables is undeniable. 

By Professor Marva Barnett