Monseigneur Charles Francois-Bienvenu Myriel
Saintly Bishop whose kind-hearted treatment causes the reformation (change) of the ex-onvict Valjean. He is also called "Mr. Bienvenu."
Mlle. Baptistine
Sister of the bishop.
Mme. Magliore
Housekeeper for the bishop and his sister.
Jean Valjean
Ex-convict still pursued by the law, who strives for a moral perfection (always wanting to do good) and achieves a kind of sainthood in his love for the little orphan Cosette. He is also known as M. Madeleine and M. Leblanc.
Little Gervais
Chimney sweep from whom Valjean steals a coin, his last criminal act for which Javert tirelessly trails him.
Fantine
A beautiful waif (young girl) of unknown parentage who comes to Paris at the age of fifteen. She falls in love with Tholomyes and bears an illegitamite child, Cosette. Forced to give up her child, Fantine is crushed and ultimately destroyed by adversity (hardships).
Cosette
Illegitimate daughter of Fantine, originally named Euphrasie. She has a wretched childhood with the brutal innkeeper Thenardier, her gaurdian, but later finds happiness in Valjean's devoted care and in the love of a young man.
Felix Tholomyes
A student, Fantine's lover and father of Cosette.
Thenardier
An evil innkeeper who mistreats Cosette during her childhood, lures Valjean into an ambush, and commits various other crimes. He is also known as Jondrette and Fabantou.
Mme. Thenardier
A woman full of ill-will and evilness who spares only her husband and her two daughters.
Eponine
Older daughter of the Thenardiers. As a child she is spoiled at Cosette's expense; later she becomes a ragged, hungry adolescent. Her love for Marius first endangers (threatens), then saves his life.
Azelma
Second daughter of the Thenardiers. Spoiled at first, her life becomes as miserable as her sister's.
Gavroche
The Thenardiers' oldest son, a typical Paris street urchin (person). He dies heroically at the barricades in the revolution of 1832.
Two Little Boys
The Thenardiers' youngest children. Given by their parents to an acqaintance, Magnon, they wander the streets of Paris After she is arrested. Gavroche's protection gives them temporary peace.
Inspector Javert
An incorruptable police man. He makes it his life's work to track down Jean Valjean.
Fauchelevent
Valjean, as Madeleine, saves his life; Fauchelevent later is gardener at the convent of the little Picpus and gives shelter to Valjean and Cosette.
Bamatabois
An idler of the town who torments Fantine by putting snow down her back.
Champmathieu
The man accused of being Jean Valjean, on whose behalf "Madeleine" reveals his true identity.
Sister Simplicity
A nun who lies to save Valjean from Javert.
Boulatruelle
An old roadworker, ex-convict, and minor associate of the underworld chiefs. He is constantly seeking buried treasure in the forest near Montfermeil.
The Prioress
Head of the convent where Valjean and Cosette live for several years.
Mestienne and Gribier
The two gravediggers. Mestienne, friend of Fauchelevent, dies suddenly, and his place is taken by Gribier, nearly causing Valjean to be buried alive.
M. Gillenormand
Relic of the Enlightenment (the old ruling power), he is hostile to the romantic love and liberal politics of his grandson Marius.
Mlle. Gillenormand
Gillenormand's daughter, a lackluster (dull) old maid whose interests are limited.
Marius Pontmercy
An iealistic student who falls passionately in love with Cosette and later marries her.
Colonel Georges Pontmercy
Marius' father, an officer of Napoleon's, named by him a colonel, a baron, and an officer of the Legion of Honor.
Lieutenant Theodule Gillenormand
M. Gillenormand's grandnephew. He is asked to spy on his cousin Marius.
Magnon
Friend of Mme. Thenardier. She bears two illegitimate boys, for whom M. Gillenormand, her former employer, pays all the expenses. When the boys die, the Thenardiers gladly give her their two youngest sons in exchange for a share of the money.
M. Mabeuf
An old gardener, now a churchwarden. He is instrumental (the key) in revealing to Marius the truth about his father. Later, driven by destitution (poverty), he dies a heroic death at the barricades.
Mother Plutarch
Servant of M. Mabeuf; shares his poverty to the end.
Montparnasse, Clasquesous, Gueulemer, Babet
The four chiefs of the Paris underworld (crime), occasionally associated with Thenardier.
Enjolras
An uncompromising political radical who dies courageously as the leader of a group of student insurrectionists (revolutionists).
Grantaire
Enjolras' friend. He is a drunken cynic (negative outlook) who shares Enjolras' death before a firing squad.
Combeferre
Friend of Enjolras and second in command of the student revolutionaries.
Courfeyrac
A student. With Enjolras and Combeferre, he helps incite and lead the rebellion.
Jean Prouvaire
A friend of Enjolras and one of the group revolutionaries. He is rich, sensative, and intelligent.
Bahoral
A law student and revolutionary. He is good-humored and capricious, and refuses to be serious in his studies.
Joly
A student. A hypochondriac (he thinks he is always sick), but he is nevertheless a fun and happy companion.
Bossuet
Student revolutionary. Although he signs his name "Legle (de Meaux)," he is called Bossuet (Bald), Laigle (The Eagle), and occasionally Lesgle.
Feuilly
Self-taught worker, and an ardent revolutionary.
Le Cubic
Shoots a porter during the insurrection (struggle with government) and is executed by Enjolras. May actually have been Claquesous.