The Setting of Les Miserables

The Setting of Victor Hugo's, Les Miserables, is that of Paris, France when it people were stirred to Revolt. This was a gritty time for the middle class, requiring men to take up arms for what they believed in even when every odd was against them. The Barricade scene that occurs in Hugo's work is a direct reflection of the life and times of the 1830's. Throughout this period of history there were a total of eight barricades that occurred. Hugo attempts to give an accurate depiction of history.

During the early 19th Century, living conditions were less than leisurely for the middle class citizens of Parisian society. It was not uncommon for workers to take up housing in boarding houses or apartments. Single workers would often rent a single a room and then share it with a complete stranger; those workers with families would rent and apartment with one or two bedrooms and then share it with another family or a different generation of their own family. These housing situations provided no heat, no candles for light, and no water; bathroom facilities...if that's what you would call them... were shared by all.

Because of these living situation it then becomes clear why the working men find relief in the cafe. It becomes a place of refuge/relief, entertainment, and provides a place of meeting. In Les Miserables we can see this reflected. However, because we never see the homes of our brave young men seeking out revolution it is important to remember the state of their homes in order that we can understand the role that the cafe plays when we set our scene.



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