Fantine
Encyclopedia
Fantine is a character in Victor Hugo
's 1862 novel Les Misérables
.
"All four were ravishingly beautiful. As to Fantine, she was joy itself. Her splendid teeth had evidently been endowed by God with one function - that of laughing. Her thick blond tresses, inclined to wave, and easily escaping from their confinement, obligated her to fasten them continually. Her rosy lips babbled with enchantment. The corners of her mouth, turned up voluptuously, seemed to encourage audacity; but her long, shadowy eyelashes were cast discreetly down towards the lower part of her face as if to check its festive tendencies. Her whole toilette was indescribably harmonious and enchanting. Fantine was beautiful, without being too conscious of it. She possessed two types of beauty - style and rhythm. Style is the force of the ideal, rhythm is its movement." (pg. 64, Hugo)
Fantine was passionately in love with a man named Félix Tholomyès. His friends Listolier, Fameuil and Blachevelle were also paired with Dahlia, Zéphine and Favourite. One day, the four men invite the three other women on an outing. They finish the day at a restaurant, only for the women to be abandoned by the men with a goodbye note. While the four girls take it in good humor and laugh it off, Fantine later feels heartbroken. Tholomyès had fathered their illegitimate
daughter Cosette
, and Fantine is left to care for her alone.
and meets the Thénardiers
who are owners of an inn. She asks them to care for Cosette when she sees their daughters Éponine
and Azelma 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. Jean Valjean
's) factory in Montreuil-sur-Mer
, 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.
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 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.
, 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 tuberculosis
.
, Fantine is one of the central characters.
At the End of the Day: Fantine, who works in Jean Valjean
's (a.k.a. M. Madeleine's) factory, is exposed by another female worker as having a secret daughter after receiving a letter from Thénardier. She is deemed a prostitute, using her daughter to pick up extra wages. The factory's foreman, from whom she had rejected advances, sacks her.
I Dreamed a Dream
: Fantine's solo song. Fantine is abandoned, singing of dreams gone by and the man whom she once loved (Cosette's mysterious father) who abandoned her and her daughter.
Lovely Ladies: Fantine finds herself among prostitutes and proceeds to sell her locket to an old woman, her hair to a crone and ultimately herself. As she must lower herself to the life of a prostitute, she begins to grow ill.
Fantine's Arrest: One man, Bamatabois, wants to buy Fantine's services, but she rejects him. After he toys with her, she hits him. When Javert arrives, Bamatabois tells him that he "was crossing from the park" when she "attacked" him. Javert arrests her for "disturbing the peace," but Valjean intervenes. After hearing Fantine's story, he sees that she visits a doctor and not be sent off to jail, to the horror and objections of Javert.
Come to Me (Fantine's Death): The dying Fantine hallucinates that Cosette is indeed there in the sickroom with her. Valjean comes in and vows to protect and take care of her daughter, Cosette. Fantine dies beside him shortly after.
The Confrontation (silent): Valjean and Javert confront each other by Fantine’s bedside. Valjean then walks to Fantine’s body and promises her that Cosette "will live within (his) care" and that he "will raise her to the light."
Valjean's Death: Fantine returns as a ghost and escorts the dying Valjean to Heaven, praising him for having raised her daughter to adulthood.
Victor Hugo
Victor-Marie Hugo was a Frenchpoet, playwright, novelist, essayist, visual artist, statesman, human rights activist and exponent of the Romantic movement in France....
's 1862 novel Les Misérables
Les Misérables
Les Misérables , translated variously from the French as The Miserable Ones, The Wretched, The Poor Ones, The Wretched Poor, or The Victims), is an 1862 French novel by author Victor Hugo and is widely considered one of the greatest novels of the nineteenth century...
.
Backstory
"Fantine was one of those beings which are brought forth from the heart of the people... She was called Fantine because she had never been known by any other name...""All four were ravishingly beautiful. As to Fantine, she was joy itself. Her splendid teeth had evidently been endowed by God with one function - that of laughing. Her thick blond tresses, inclined to wave, and easily escaping from their confinement, obligated her to fasten them continually. Her rosy lips babbled with enchantment. The corners of her mouth, turned up voluptuously, seemed to encourage audacity; but her long, shadowy eyelashes were cast discreetly down towards the lower part of her face as if to check its festive tendencies. Her whole toilette was indescribably harmonious and enchanting. Fantine was beautiful, without being too conscious of it. She possessed two types of beauty - style and rhythm. Style is the force of the ideal, rhythm is its movement." (pg. 64, Hugo)
Tholomyès and Cosette
Fantine is first introduced as one in a group of four enchanting girls: the others being Dahlia, Zéphine, and Favourite. Her parents and origins are unknown. Hugo describes her as having "gold and pearls for her dowry; but the gold was on her head and the pearls in her mouth."Fantine was passionately in love with a man named Félix Tholomyès. His friends Listolier, Fameuil and Blachevelle were also paired with Dahlia, Zéphine and Favourite. One day, the four men invite the three other women on an outing. They finish the day at a restaurant, only for the women to be abandoned by the men with a goodbye note. While the four girls take it in good humor and laugh it off, Fantine later feels heartbroken. Tholomyès had fathered their illegitimate
Legitimacy (law)
At common law, legitimacy is the status of a child who is born to parents who are legally married to one another; and of a child who is born shortly after the parents' divorce. In canon and in civil law, the offspring of putative marriages have been considered legitimate children...
daughter Cosette
Cosette
Euphrasie "Cosette" Fauchelevant is a fictional character in the novel Les Misérables by Victor Hugo.- Cosette in the novel :...
, and Fantine is left to care for her alone.
The Thénardiers
By the time Cosette is approximately three, Fantine arrives at MontfermeilMontfermeil
Montfermeil is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Montfermeil is famous as the location of Thénardier's inn in Les Misérables. It has made the headlines due to troubles in its social estate called "les...
and meets the Thénardiers
Thénardiers
The Thénardiers, commonly known as Thénardier and Madame Thénardier , are two of the primary villains in Victor Hugo's novel Les Misérables and the stage musical of the same name...
who are owners of an inn. She asks them to care for Cosette when she sees their daughters Éponine
Éponine
Éponine Thénardier is a fictional character in the 1862 novelLes Misérables by Victor Hugo.- Éponine in the novel :As children, Éponine and her younger sister Azelma are described as pretty, well-dressed, charming and a delight to see. They are pampered and spoiled by their parents the Thénardiers...
and Azelma 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. Jean Valjean
Jean Valjean
Jean Valjean is the protagonist of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel Les Misérables...
's) factory in Montreuil-sur-Mer
Montreuil-sur-Mer
Montreuil or Montreuil-sur-Mer is a sub-prefecture in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. It is located on the Canche river, not far from Étaples...
, 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.
Job Termination
Fantine is fired by a meddlesome supervisor, Madame Victurnien, when she finds out that Fantine is an unwed mother, without the knowledge of the mayor. Fantine begins to work at home, earning twelve sous a day while Cosette’s lodging costs ten. Her overworking causes her to become sick with a cough and fever. She also does not go out due to fearing the disgrace she would face of the town.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 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.
Prostitution
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 prostitute. During a January evening, a dandy called Bamatabois heckles her and shoves snow down her dress when she ignores him. Fantine ferociously attacks him. JavertJavert
Javert is a fictional character from the novel Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. He is a prison guard, and later policeman, who devotes his life to the law. He is always referred to just simply as "Javert" or "Inspector Javert" by the narrator and other characters throughout the novel; his first name...
, 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 tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
.
Death
After Valjean reveals his true identity at Champmathieu’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 later crudely thrown in a public grave.Fantine in the musical
In the stage musical based on the novel of the same nameLes Misérables (musical)
Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo....
, Fantine is one of the central characters.
Differences in the musical
- Rather than being fired 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 foreman; the foreman, his advances having been rejected by Fantine, fires her.
- Fantine also does not appear to be illiterate as when the foreman hands her the letter from the Thénardiers she is able to read it just as well as anyone else.
- Some of her experiences after her termination are excluded from the musical, including selling her teeth.
- 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.
Songs
Fantine is featured in the following songs in the musical:At the End of the Day: Fantine, who works in Jean Valjean
Jean Valjean
Jean Valjean is the protagonist of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel Les Misérables...
's (a.k.a. M. Madeleine's) factory, is exposed by another female worker as having a secret daughter after receiving a letter from Thénardier. She is deemed a prostitute, using her daughter to pick up extra wages. The factory's foreman, from whom she had rejected advances, sacks her.
I Dreamed a Dream
I Dreamed a Dream
"I Dreamed a Dream" is a song from the musical Les Misérables. It is a solo that is sung by the character Fantine during the first act. The music is by Claude-Michel Schönberg, with orchestrations by John Cameron...
: Fantine's solo song. Fantine is abandoned, singing of dreams gone by and the man whom she once loved (Cosette's mysterious father) who abandoned her and her daughter.
Lovely Ladies: Fantine finds herself among prostitutes and proceeds to sell her locket to an old woman, her hair to a crone and ultimately herself. As she must lower herself to the life of a prostitute, she begins to grow ill.
Fantine's Arrest: One man, Bamatabois, wants to buy Fantine's services, but she rejects him. After he toys with her, she hits him. When Javert arrives, Bamatabois tells him that he "was crossing from the park" when she "attacked" him. Javert arrests her for "disturbing the peace," but Valjean intervenes. After hearing Fantine's story, he sees that she visits a doctor and not be sent off to jail, to the horror and objections of Javert.
Come to Me (Fantine's Death): The dying Fantine hallucinates that Cosette is indeed there in the sickroom with her. Valjean comes in and vows to protect and take care of her daughter, Cosette. Fantine dies beside him shortly after.
The Confrontation (silent): Valjean and Javert confront each other by Fantine’s bedside. Valjean then walks to Fantine’s body and promises her that Cosette "will live within (his) care" and that he "will raise her to the light."
Valjean's Death: Fantine returns as a ghost and escorts the dying Valjean to Heaven, praising him for having raised her daughter to adulthood.
Musical
- Rose LaurensRose LaurensRose Laurens is a French singer-songwriter, particularly famous for her 1982 smash single "Africa", number three hit in many European countries...
, 1980 Original French Cast - Patti LuPonePatti LuPonePatti Ann LuPone is an American singer and actress, known for her Tony Award-winning performances as Eva Perón in the 1979 stage musical Evita and as Madame Rose in the 2008 Broadway revival of Gypsy, and for her Olivier Award-winning performance as Fantine in the original London cast of Les...
, 1985 London Musical - Randy GraffRandy GraffRandy Graff is an American actress. Graff has been in feature films such as Keys to Tulsa and Rent as well as being in television shows such as NBC's Law & Order a number of times. In addition to film and television, Graff has been in several Broadway shows...
, 1987 Broadway Musical - Louise PitreLouise PitreLouise Pitre is an actress in musical theatre on Broadway and in Canada. She is best known for her role as Donna Sheridan in the ABBA-themed musical Mamma Mia!, which earned her a 2002 Tony Award nomination.-Biography:...
, 1989 Original Canadian Cast, 1991 Paris Revival - Gemma Castaño, 1992 Original Spanish Cast
- Ruthie HenshallRuthie HenshallValentine Ruth Henshall , better known as Ruthie Henshall, is an English singer, dancer, and actress best known for her work in musical theatre. Henshall attended the Laine Theatre Arts school in Epsom, Surrey before making her first professional appearance on stage in 1986...
, 10th Anniversary ConcertLes Misérables - The Dream Cast in ConcertLes Misérables: The Dream Cast in Concert a.k.a. Les Misérables in Concert is a concert version of the musical Les Misérables, produced to celebrate its 10th anniversary. It was filmed in October 1995 at the Royal Albert Hall and released on DVD, VHS and LD in 1998 and re-released on DVD in North... - Kerry EllisKerry EllisKerry Jane Ellis is an English stage actress and singer who is best known for her work in musical theatre and subsequent crossover into music...
, 2005 London Production - Daphne Rubin-VegaDaphne Rubin-VegaDaphne Rubin-Vega is a dancer, singer, and actress. She is best known for originating the role of Mimi Marquez in the Broadway musical Rent, and the role of Lucy, in the Off-Broadway play Jack Goes Boating.-Biography:Rubin-Vega was born in Panama City, Panama, the daughter of Daphine Vega, a...
, 2006 Broadway Revival - Lea SalongaLea SalongaLea Salonga-Chien is a mezzo-soprano singer and actress from the Philippines well known for originating the lead role of Kim in the musical Miss Saigon, for which she won the Olivier, Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics and Theatre World awards.She was the first Asian to play the roles of Éponine and...
, 2006 Broadway Revival (joined in March 2007), 25th Anniversary Concert - Judy KuhnJudy Kuhn-Life and career:Kuhn was born in New York City and grew up in Bethesda, Maryland. She attended Georgetown Day School in Washington, D.C.She entered Oberlin College in 1976. Although she was very interested in singing and theater, she began Oberlin in the College, not the Conservatory. After taking...
, 2006 Broadway Revival (joined in October 2007) - Geneviève Charest, 2008 Québec City Production
- Melora HardinMelora HardinMelora Diane Hardin is an American actress, best known for her roles as Jan Levinson on NBC's The Office and Trudy Monk on USA's Monk.-Early life:...
, 2008 Hollywood Bowl Concert - Betsy Morgan, Current 25 Anniversary US Tour 2011
- Virginia Carmona, Current Spanish 25th Anniversary Production Cast
- Kare KauksKare KauksKare Kauks is an Estonian singer and music teacher.-Career:Kare Kauks has been vocal-coached by Heidy Tamme at the pop department of Tallinn Music School...
, 2001 Original Estonian Cast
Film and television
- Marie Ventura, 1913 Adaptation
- Gretchen Hartman (as Sonia Markova), 1917 Adaptation
- Sandra Milowanoff, 1925 AdaptationLes Misérables (1925 film)Les Misérables is a French silent film based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo.-Cast:* Gabriel Gabrio as Jean Valjean* Paul Jorge as Monseigneur Myriel* Sandra Milowanoff as Fantine & Cosette* Andrée Rolane as Cosette...
- FlorelleFlorelleFlorelle , was a French actress. She appeared in 54 films between 1912 and 1956.She was born in Les Sables-d'Olonne, Vendée and died in La Roche-sur-Yon, Vendée.-Selected filmography:...
, 1934 AdaptationLes Misérables (1934 film)Les Misérables is a 1934 film adaptation of Victor Hugo's novel of the same name. It was written and directed by Raymond Bernard and stars Harry Baur as Jean Valjean and Charles Vanel as Javert... - Florence EldridgeFlorence EldridgeFlorence Eldridge was an American actress.-Personal life:...
, 1935 AdaptationLes Misérables (1935 film)Les Misérables is a 1935 American drama film based upon the famous Victor Hugo novel of the same name. It was adapted by W. P. Lipscomb and directed by Richard Boleslawski... - Valentina Cortese, 1948 AdaptationLes Misérables (1948 film)Les Misérables is a 1948 Italian drama film directed by Riccardo Freda. It is based on the Victor Hugo novel of the same name.-Cast:* Gino Cervi – Jean Valjean* Valentina Cortese – Fantina / Cosetta* Hans Hinrich – Javert...
- Sylvia SidneySylvia SidneySylvia Sidney was an American actress who rose to prominence in the 1930s appearing in numerous crime dramas.-Early life:...
, 1952 AdaptationLes Misérables (1952 film)Les Misérables is a 1952 American film adapted from the novel Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. It was directed by Lewis Milestone, and featured Michael Rennie as Jean Valjean, Robert Newton as Javert, Sylvia Sidney as Fantine, Debra Paget as Cosette, Edmund Gwenn as the bishop, Cameron Mitchell as... - Danièle DelormeDanièle DelormeDanièle Delorme is an French actress and film producer....
, 1958 AdaptationLes Misérables (1958 film)Les Misérables is a film version of the Victor Hugo novel released in France on March 12, 1958. Written by Michel Audiard and René Barjavel, the film was directed by Jean-Paul Le Chanois... - Giulia Lazzarini, 1964 Adaptation
- Anne-Marie Coffinet, 1972 Adaptation
- Blanca SánchezBlanca SánchezBlanca Sánchez was a Mexican character actress.She appeared in several telenovelas such as Quinceañera and Luz y sombra. Her film work included such films as Tiempo de morir, Cuando los hijos se van, Yo soy Chucho el Roto, and Mamá Dolores.-External links:...
, 1973 Adaptation - Angela PleasenceAngela PleasenceAngela Pleasence is an English actress. She is the daughter of actor Donald Pleasence and his first wife, Miriam Raymond. The surname for both daughter and father has occasionally been miscredited as "Pleasance"...
, 1978 AdaptationLes Misérables (1978 film)Les Misérables is a TV film based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo. The film was written by John Gay and directed by Glenn Jordan.-Differences from the novel:... - Évelyne BouixEvelyne BouixÉvelyne Bouix is a French film actress and stage actress. She has appeared in 61 films from 1970.She was made Chevalier of the Ordre national du Mérite in 1999.-Selected filmography:* Les Misérables...
, 1982 AdaptationLes Misérables (1982 film)Les Misérables is a 1982 French drama film directed by Robert Hossein. It is one of the numerous screen adaptation of the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo.-Plot summary:... - Uma ThurmanUma ThurmanUma Karuna Thurman is an American actress and model. She has performed in leading roles in a variety of films, ranging from romantic comedies and dramas to science fiction and action movies. Among her best-known roles are those in the Quentin Tarantino films Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill...
, 1998 AdaptationLes Misérables (1998 film)Les Misérables is a 1998 film adaptation of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel of the same name, directed by Bille August. It stars Liam Neeson, Geoffrey Rush, Uma Thurman, and Claire Danes.... - Charlotte GainsbourgCharlotte GainsbourgCharlotte Lucy Gainsbourg is an Anglo-French actress and singer. After releasing an album with her father at the age of fifteen, more than twenty years passed before she released two albums as an adult to commercial and critical success...
, 2000 Adaptation - Anne HathawayAnne Hathaway (actress)Anne Jacqueline Hathaway is an American actress. After several stage roles, she appeared in the 1999 television series Get Real. She played Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries...
, 2012 AdaptationLes Misérables (2012 film)Les Misérables is an upcoming 2012 British musical film directed by Tom Hooper, written by William Nicholson and adapted from the popular musical of the same name, which is in turn based on an 1862 French novel by Victor Hugo.-Premise:...
External links
- French text of Les Misérables – EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
translation. - Fantine at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- Search for Fantine at the Internet Broadway DatabaseInternet Broadway DatabaseThe Internet Broadway Database is an online database of Broadway theatre productions and their personnel. It is operated by the Research Department of The Broadway League, a trade association for the North American commercial theatre community....