Light and Darkness Symbolism in Hugo's Les Misérables

Introduction: Moral Polarity and Ambiguity

Because of its strong ethical overtones and themes, Victor Hugo naturally gravitates toward imagery of light and darkness in Les Misérables. Light and darkness symbolize their respective moral poles — the binaries of good and evil, beneficence and maleficence, right and wrong. Drawing attention to ethical polarities helps the reader better understand and appreciate moral ambiguity. The protagonist Jean Valjean epitomizes moral ambiguity, as the reader follows his journey from sin to salvation. Ultimately, Hugo shows the reader how formal systems of justice and institutions of law and order cannot accurately determine moral polarities; the human heart is far too complex. Using imagery of light and darkness, Hugo shows that most of life manifests in various shades of grey.

The Bishop as a Symbol of Moral Light

The Bishop is the first major symbol of light in Les Misérables and is an overt representative of religious fortitude and spiritual salvation. "He gazed incessantly beyond this world through these fatal breaches, and beheld only darkness. The Bishop made him see light" (Chapter 4). This line directly shows how Jean "beheld only darkness," his experiences leading him to a morbid and depressed view of reality. The Bishop is the first person who shows Jean unconditional love and forgiveness — which are in short supply in Jean's world. Therefore, the light of the Bishop is not merely tied to religion or to God, and certainly not to the institution of the church. Rather, the light of the Bishop is a universal moral light — a light of truth found in human kindness and compassion.

Light as Truth and Cognitive Clarity

Light also represents truth, which is an important theme in Les Misérables. For example, Jean states, "You light your candles for me. Yet I have not concealed from you whence I come and that I am an unfortunate man" (Chapter 3). Ignorance is commonly linked with proverbial darkness. When the light of truth shines, the consequences can be dire; people see the world for what it is and other people for who they are. The light illuminates the truth, which a person can either bravely face or continue to hide and shroud in darkness.

Hugo also shows how light represents cognitive power and the ability to think clearly and rationally. "The light of nature was ignited in him. Unhappiness, which also possesses a clearness of vision of its own, augmented the small amount of daylight which existed in this mind" (Chapter 7). By this, Hugo implies that all human beings are capable of clear thinking and strong critical thought, because it is the "light of nature." Emotional despair and depression might be dark moods, but they do not necessarily cloud judgment. As the narrator puts it, "unhappiness…also possesses a clearness of vision of its own," and Jean possesses a clarity of vision that coexists with his dark demeanor.

Conclusion: No Pure Good, No Pure Evil

Les Misérables capitalizes on the power of moral ambiguity to inspire compassion for protagonist Jean Valjean. Hugo uses motifs of light and darkness to remind the reader of the ethical polarities that continually tug at the human heart. There are no purely good people, and no purely evil people either. Both Jean and Javert are at once filled with light and darkness, as are all people. The light of truth and redemption prevents denial, ignorance, and oppression, leading one toward liberation and salvation.