I am reading "Les Miserables" - France has a great and horrible history

by jgnat 13 Replies latest jw friends

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  jgnat

  I am reading "Les Miserables", the abridged, English version. This book is part of my self-education plan. If I am not to have a college degree, at least I shall have a college education. Fill in the gaps, as it were, where the "school of hard knocks" is lacking.

  I came across a revelatory passage, so I am preserving it here. Not that JWD is the most reliable repository. At 10,000 posts, can I hope to find it again? Anyways, I thought I'd share.

  "The country laments, so be it, but humanity applauds. Besides is it true that the country mourns? France bleeds, but liberty smiles, and before the smile of liberty, France forgets her wound.

  An enormous fortress of prejudices, of priveleges, of superstitions, of lies, of exactions, of abuses, of violence, of iniquity, of darkness, is still standing upon the world with its towers of hatred. It must be thrown down. This monstrous pile must be made to fall. "...

  "Les Miserables" has revealed to me, France has a great and horrible history. She has been humbled and knocked down, but not destroyed. Americans may have their Vietnam, but France has led the way in touching the futility of military ambition in the absence of public will. Nations would do well to learn from her history.

  Also, maybe Narkissos can confirm for me, does the language lend itself to puns?
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  Elsewhere

  does the language lend itself to puns

  *Ahem*

  Punography will not be tolerated.
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  serendipity

  lol @ elsewhere
  
  An enormous fortress of prejudices, of priveleges, of superstitions, of lies, of exactions, of abuses, of violence, of iniquity, of darkness, is still standing upon the world with its towers of hatred. It must be thrown down. This monstrous pile must be made to fall. "...
  
  I thought WTBTS when reading this.
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  jgnat

  It just goes to show, Serendipity, that people will only take so much.
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  Virgochik

  "Military ambition in the absence of public will..." hmmm, sort of like George Bushy and Iraq?
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  jgnat

  Virgochick, I am convinced a modern war CANNOT be won without also a massive public campaign.
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  Clam

  Jgnat "Les Mis" is a brilliant novel. It's got everything. Jean Valjean is one of my all time favourite fictional characters. He had almost as much to put up with as Job.

  It surprises me you're asking about whether the French go for puns. They certainly do but do you not glean this from the French Canadians?

  Enjoy the read.

  Clam
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  jgnat

  The few French Canadians speak English in this neck of the woods, and hug a lot. I've just noticed, in the novel, a playful play on words in naming.
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  Narkissos

  Also, maybe Narkissos can confirm for me, does the language lend itself to puns?

  Are you asking about French in general or Hugo in particular?

  Either way I'm not sure. Every language afaik lends itself to puns, and there are a lot in French language and literature, although Hugo is not the first example that would come to my mind in this respect. Got any examples, or some reason for asking?

  Edit: didn't see your last reply, jgnat. What was the pun?
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  jgnat

  Yes, the novel is full of them, as I am able to pick up in the translation. One example, A B C , abaisse. I see also that names themselves were changeable. One may be named for occupation, location, parentage, or the renamed on the whim of a master. I saw this when I followed my own family tree as far back as I could. After a certain point, peasants are born and die in obscurity, with no note of their existence.

  Our registries, in a way, levelled humanity.