Cosette

This playlist describes Cosette, a dynamic character in the infamous novel Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. Cosette’s character changes drastically throughout the novel as one reads about her growth from a scared child to a beautiful, loving woman.

At the beginning of the novel, the audience learns that Cosette’s mother, unable to care for her, entrusted her to the owner’s of an inn, who also had children, promising to send money for her daughter’s care. As she did not realize the greediness of the couple, they were able to take advantage of Cosette’s mother and Cosette like a servant rather than a daughter. As Cosette’s mother died when she was still a child and she was mistreated for so long, it seems that “Welcome to the Cruel World” by Ben Harper is an appropriate song for this time of hardship in her life. Not only does this song portray the beginning of Cosette’s life using lyrics, it also does so with its slow tempo and lullaby quality. The fact that the voice of the singer sounds forlorn and all-knowing makes the listener feel as though he is foreshadowing what is to come in Cosette’s future.

Jean Valjean, the protagonist of Les Miserables, found Cosette after her mother died and paid the inn-keepers a very large sum to take her with him after he realizes how mistreated the child is. At this point in Cosette’s development, she, with good reason, had trouble trusting anyone, but her trust for Valjean quickly grew. For the first time in her life, she was given the opportunity to be a normal little girl. The song “Good Times Gonna Come” by Aqualung are representative of Valjean’s promise to Cosette to keep her safe. Through its slow tempo and melancholy sound, the song allows the listener to feel the impact of the troubles Cosette has had while the lyrics promise better times ahead.

One of the most memorable scenes in Les Miserables involves Valjean scaling a wall with Cosette on his back as he attempts to escape from his enemies just after they leave the inn together. This scene is extremely important in the development of Cosette’s character because during the adventure Valjean asked her to be quiet despite her fear. He asked for her trust that he would keep her safe. Never being given a reason to trust anyone in the short time she had been alive, this request was almost inconceivable. “I Will Follow You into the Dark” by Death Cab for Cutie shows the Cosette’s growing trust for Valjean. The general sound of the song itself relates that although Cosette has plenty of reasons not to trust people, she is able to trust Valjean. Her resilience as a character is seen well through this song in this way.

The main portion of Cosette’s growth into a young woman takes place in a convent. In his attempt to keep her safe, Valjean also kept her very sheltered. Rarely was she allowed to leave the walls of convent but each time she did she became more curious. While in the convent, her piousness grew along with her intelligence. She became faced with the decision to take her vows and become a nun. “End of Our Days” by Howie Day is a representation of how Cosette may have felt while in the convent, sometimes wishing to escape its walls. The lyrics of this song clearly get across that she is safe where she is, but feels the need to escape. The tone of the song does an even better job of relating Cosette’s longing and understandable human need to be exposed to the world outside the convent.

The book describes Cosette’s sudden transformation into womanhood eloquently as the author refers to the first time Marius, the man she later becomes romantically involved with, notices her. Victor Hugo wrote, “It is a snare which Innocence unconsciously spreads, and in which she catches hearts without intending to, and without knowing it. It is a maiden glancing like a woman.” As Cosette matures unbeknownst to or unnoticed by Valjean at this point, others begin to notice. “Open Your Eyes” by Snow Patrol represents Cosette’s struggle through this time, as she deals with hormones and decisions that are so new to her. Especially through its more upbeat and alive sound, compared to the previous songs representing her life, the listener is able to see that Cosette is excited and feeling hints of infatuation for the first time. The lyrics are more from Marius and other men’s point of view and this viewpoint gives depth to Cosette’s world, showing others’ feelings towards her.

Cosette’s romantic experience with Marius slowly grows until they begin to see each other at night after she opts to leave the convent and does not take her vows. Valjean is not aware that she and Marius have begun a relationship of any nature. She was not quite love-sick at this point in her life, but certainly infatuated, which is why “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer seems appropriate for this period. The lyrics convey the feelings of both Marius and Cosette and the light-hearted tempo shows the lack of danger they see in their actions. This song wonderfully represents their evolving feelings for each other, which seem purely physical and hormonal at first but soon grow into something deeper.

Cosette eventually begins a real relationship with Marius after Valjean discovers that there is nothing he can do to keep her from being in love. After the French Revolution, Marius and Cosette decided to get married. Cosette was faithful to both Valjean and Marius during this time and she begins to become more attached to Marius and less to Valjean.“Good Woman” by Cat Power best describes her development with lyrics that show how hard it is for her to leave Valjean, but that she must move on with her life. The sad tones of the music also show that this was a difficult transition for Cosette.

Near the end of the novel and the final development of Cosette, the reader finds that Marius had misjudged Valjean after discovering his criminal past. Within the confusion, Marius began to slowly push Valjean out of Cosette’s life. She in turn became distant from him as well and their relationship becomes a broken one. Valjean eventually becomes sick and once he is on his deathbed Marius and Cosette discover that Valjean was the one to save Marius’ life in the Revolution. Cosette comes to him with feelings of despair and anger at the situation, but mostly she is sad from the misjudgment of the man who has only been a loving father to her. She sits with him at the end of his life and if a song were playing during this time, it would be “Where I Stood” by Missy Higgins. The lyrics represent that Cosette regretted the mistake of thinking ill of Valjean. Without knowing his full story she forsook him for Marius, who also did not realize that Valjean was a good person even with his criminal background either. The tone of the song allows the listener to envision the tears of the Cosette at Valjean’s bedside.