Eponine - Tumblr Posts
Grantaire: Enjolras is too tall for me to kiss them on the lips. What should I do?
Eponine: Punch them in the stomach. Then, when they double over in pain, kiss them.
Bahorel: Tackle them!
Joly: Dump them.
Bossuet: Kick them in the shin!
Enjolras: No to all of those! Just ask me to lean down!!
What Are Your Top 5 Favorite Musical Songs?
Here are mine(in no particular order):
On My Own: Although I’ve haven’t experienced romantic love yet, I adore this song! It’s well orchestrated and sung by Frances Ruffelle, her voice is beautiful.
The Wizard & I: I can relate to Elphaba’s wish to be accepted since I felt that way too. Idina Menzel’s sings amazingly and gets into character so well. I also saw this song performed live and the way it’s done on stage made me like this song more.
Satisfied: Love the blending of rapping and regular singing in this song. It works so well! Renée Elise Goldsberry nails it and made me see Angelica in a different, but good way.
Breathe: I haven’t heard the whole soundtrack yet, but “Breathe” is such a standout to me so far. Again, I relate to Nina’s fear of disappointing her family(I feel that way 24/7). Mandy Gonzalez sings very well and her high notes are delightful to hear. As an Hispanic, I really enjoyed the addition of Spanish.
I Don’t Need Your Love: Izuka Hoyle nails the vulnerability of Catherine Parr’s sad story of losing her love, and her growing confidence in herself later on. The latter part of the song makes me feel so powerful. All the women singing together by the end was so good! Their voices blended so well together.
@themiserablesmonth day 11: Desperate
@themiserablesmonth Day 13: Repair
Happy Barricade Day!
[ID: A digital drawing in shades of brown of Les Amis de l’ABC, Éponine, Gavroche, and Père Mabeuf standing behind or climbing over the barricade. Mabeuf is holding the flag, and there is a fire burning in the background. The next four images are closeups on different parts of the drawing. End ID.]
HAPPY BARRICADE DAY
please enjoy my first ever full animatic!! this song has always been so les mis-coded to me. please understand I have been daydreaming about making this animatic for literal years. it's, ah, a bit messier than I'd intended since I did Not practice effective time management and didn't start until june 1, but I'm SO GLAD I finished it!
hope you like it :D
I literally can’t stop thinking about an IT and Les Mis crossover. Like the Amis hear about how intolerant Derry is so they show up and try to change things by teaming up with the local outcasts. It starts out serious enough with Mike teaching them about Derry’s past and Ben shows them places to hold a protest, but soon they’re at the quarry and chaos happens. Grantaire and Richie team up to annoy their boyfriends while Stan and Combeferre look on in fond annoyance. Eddy and Enjolras spend a lot of time wondering aloud why they ended up dating these two idiots but when they think no one can hear them they pretty much fangirl over them. Jehan and Ben write poems together whenever Jehan wasn’t too busy cooing over how Richie was a mini Grantaire, while Bev and Eponine smoke and bond over the idiot boys they’ve ended up being friends with. Richie joins them for a bit, and both pretend to be annoyed by him, but Bev’s barely suppressed smiles and Eponine’s abnoxiously ruffling his hair made it known they didn’t mind it. Richie’s jokes had only gotten more annoying throughout the day with Courfeyrac’s encouragement. They all are scolded by Eddie and Joly, whom the others tried to keep away from each other out of fear they would feed off each others’ fears, but instead they end up talking about how difficult it is to be constantly afraid and how they’ve been trying to cope. Bev and Eponine talk about their dads, and Grantaire and Richie also end up having some serious conversations about their childhoods and dealing with homophobia, and Grantaire teaches him some self defense for when Bowers attacks while Enj and Eddie try not to stare. Combeferre and Stan talk about moths and birds and Jehan goes bird watching with them before leaving to make flower crowns with Bev. Gavroche completely corrupts Georgie and the two cause mischief for hours, Courfeyrac giggling right along with them. Mike shows Bahorel and Bossuet around the farm, but Bossuet leaves shortly after being attacked by three chickens. Mike barely controls his laughter enough to help. Bahorel ends up walking around with ten kittens in his arms for the rest of the day. One of the cats ends up in Enjolras’ sweatshirt hood and the only clue to how it got there was a snickering Grantaire, Courfeyrac, and Mike. Bill and Feiully just sit quietly and watch with amusement as the chaos unfolds, and sometimes Enjolras joins them. At one point Feiully leaves to go talk more history with Mike. No one’s really sure why, but Feiully becomes Bev’s favorite, after Eponine, and Richie’s too, after Grantaire. Eponine sat by Bill as well, and he looked absolutely terrified but calmed down as they started talking.
You know that one character? He’s from that one fandom based off of a book that is huge and most people don’t read. He’s a dark haired, depressed guy who’s in love with a small, angry boy and is part of a group of students who are trying to save their home city and annoys the boy he loves just to get attention, especially by calling him nicknames he hates and is super smart and brave even though no one expects him to be. He is the character whom people often make a musician or artist with a sad backstory in their fics and was willing to die just to the love of his life wouldn’t die alone facing the enemy and never got the chance to express his feelings. His name starts with an R and the boy he loves’ name starts with an E. You know him? Surely there’s only one character that fits that description…
Silly little Éponine doodle because I LOVE HER SO MUCH OML ID DIE FOR HER and also IM GOING TO SEE THE SHOW NEXT YEAR FOR THE WORLD TOUR AND IM FLABBERGASTINGLY EXCITED BECAUSE WE CAN FINALLY FORK OUT SOME MONEY TO ACTUALLY SEE IT WITH IT FINALLY COMING TO OUR COUNTRY so I’ve been back to The Brick™️ in the meantime
Even the title of this chapter is painful. Éponine's life was an agony, evident in her desire to end it. It is equally distressing to witness Marius's indifference towards her, his failure to recognize her, and his inability to acknowledge her even when she names herself. He shows no appreciation for the countless small and large acts of service she performed for him. And now she is actually dying, having covered him from a bullet by her body.
However, the situation is more complex. Éponine's revelations make this one of the most controversial chapters. She confesses that she lured Marius to the barricade with the knowledge that they were all doomed. "You are going to die, I count upon that," she tells him. She hopes they will die together, with her first and him following shortly afterward. This is a very Romantic idea. And Marius himself could have appreciated it, if it were not Éponine, but Cosette. But I would not dare to blame Éponine for her twisted Romantic dream. After all, Marius was willing to die, so she only pushed him in the right direction. What is more disturbing is her other confession: “How happy I am! Every one is going to die.” Of course, she is not the one causing the death, she just found the right place where everyone is going to die. It is also kind of understandable that it would be comforting to know that you won’t be alone in your death (probably, I don’t know). But still, it is sad and disturbing that the death of all the people at the barricade makes her feel happy. This brings us back to the issue: what a horrible life she had!
And then there is Cosette’s letter Éponine has concealed from Marius. The only reason she gives it to Marius now is she doesn’t want him to have bitter feelings against her when they (soon, as she thinks) meet again after death. Her final words are a heartbreaking confession about her (possible) love for Marius. She expresses it in a way that implies she is not even sure what it was. But at the end of the day, no one knows what to do with this confession, least of all Marius. And I’m afraid she wouldn’t have died happy, knowing that Marius is not going to join her. Poor Éponine, even in this, she was deceived.
Im returning to my eponine obssesion era
I let out a gasp at today's title; I had forgotten how fast all the deaths come (Bahorel, Jehan and now Éponine!) I wanna focus on Éponine:
Éponine's humanization
The last we saw Éponine named was in 4.8.3, facing off Patron-Minette. There, she is reduced to a multitude of animals: a dog, a daughter of a wolf. And here, just before her identity is revealed, she is referred to by 'it' pronouns, once again comparing her to something less-than-human:
It was crawling along the pavement. It was this that had spoken to him.
What a frightening and horribly sad image! Thankfully, once she says her name, she is humanized once more- giving her back her proper pronouns as well as giving her the agency to tell Marius to not go, to let her stay here and die in his lap. Not a very happy choice, but it's a choice that she gets to make for herself!
Though her choice to die (and to call Marius down to the barricades) is troubling, we cannot hate her for it after seeing how extremely messed up and tragic her life and death are, hence The Agony of Death after the Agony of Life. Though the agony most certainly refers to how miserable Éponine's entire life story has been, I think it can also refer to how agonising her choices have been to live and die: the agony of having to commit crimes just to live, and the agony of resorting to calling your friend down to both of your deaths in the hopes of reuniting in the afterlife, for it is the only way you believe you can be happy. Ultimately, this decision still humanizes Éponine despite her cold intentions: it shows how much she loves and dreams of Marius, to the point of desperation, portraying her as someone very human.
Overall, Éponine manages to bow out of the story with a very touching scene. Readers are reminded of just how human she was, even living in such desperate poverty, and Hugo makes a good choice letting her final words be one of an innocent-like love confession: in the end, no matter her actions or her life, she is still defined by her yearning for love. And we the readers are left to lament and reflect at how such a girl - so full of the potential to love - can be pushed to such a state. o7 Éponine, for such beautifully haunting final words.
It haunts me that Hugo included dying Éponine’s confession in love to Marius at such a late stage, when it literally sounds like it’s made from beyond the grave. And sadly, it’s because she believes herself filthy and unworthy, a sentiment she clung to until her very last breath. As she said in 4.2.4 “A nice young man like you must not be seen with a woman like me.” Even death, “the great equalizer,” does not change the situation, and her confession sounds extremely uncertain, serving mainly to spare him from the potential embarrassment and shame of being loved by “a creature” like Éponine. It’s all too heart-wrenching.
- Éponine is dead. That is why the recap of what was going on during the last two days from Éponine’s perspective feels very sad. I think this line is particularly poignant: “Éponine had been the cause of everything.” So true!
- However, I have a feeling that by presenting these past events the way Hugo does, he is trying to show Éponine as somehow…mean. It is especially felt in the last sentence: “She died with the tragic joy of jealous hearts who drag the beloved being into their own death, and who say: “No one shall have him!”” I am not sure why he depicted her in this light, but I am confident that (almost) none of contemporary readers think poorly of Éponine.
- One might think that upon receiving Cosette’s letter, Marius would change his mind regarding pursuing death. For a moment, he was indeed happy to learn that Cosette did not forget him, but then he remembers that nothing had changed and that he had promised her that he would die. After writing farewell letters, Marius decides to take care of Gavroche (not because he wants to save the child, but because he now knows that Gavroches is one of the Thénardiers). He wants to remove the gamin from the barricade for the most dangerous moment, and sends him away with his letter to Cosette. It’s heartwarming to see how grateful and happy Gavroche is to help Marius (he reminds me so much of his sister in this respect). However, Gavroche is Gavroche, and he will find a way to deliver the letter and be back at the barricade as soon as possible.
- Also, I think it adorable that we encounter a nineteenth-century drag in this chapter: “the first young scamp she came across who had thought it amusing to dress like a woman.”
This chapter hurts so much. Éponine is the first to get a drawn-out death, and while it’s painful, it’s also moving that of all the characters, she’s the one who gets this kind of attention in her last moment. Having been ignored her whole life, she finally receives a moment of care, both from Marius and from Hugo, who gives the misérable the greatest focus in death.
And now that Marius is “awake,” he’s kind to her again! He tries to move her in a way that won’t hurt her so she can be saved! It’s too late for her, but it’s a sweet thought, and the return of Kind Marius is great.
Éponine’s reasoning is disturbing, just as Marius’ is. She, too, is desperate, and sees the barricade as a way of being close to the one person who’s shown her kindness in the only way that’s available to her: death. It’s brutal and harsh, but it’s also heartbreaking, because we see nothing in the novel to contradict her logic. Trying to get Marius killed is awful, but she’s right that she wouldn’t have seen another sign of affection from Marius outside of this tomb. The title of the chapter – “Death’s Agony after Life’s Agony” – underscores that there was no overall happiness in her life. Poverty forbade her that. Consequently, it’s hard to begrudge her this moment of joy because of Marius’ presence.
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to be happy with Marius around the Thénardiers for long, because he very quickly starts thinking about his debt from his father again, and the thought almost makes him leave Éponine’s side. At least he stays, but this just adds another layer of issues to his barricade mentality.
Her “sweetness” towards him is so sad, but I’m glad that she experienced something close to happiness. It’s just awful that this is as close as she got to that in her lifetime (and not even in her life! She asks Marius to kiss her forehead once she’s already dead, implying that joy can only come for her once she’s passed on).
I think how little of Eponine we see in the novel really contributes to how devastating her death is. I was not prepared for how much I cried.
Firstly, there's the fact that besides maybe Fantine, her death is the one that feels the most lonely. Sure, Marius is there. But only through chance. As Eponine says:
"I waited for you, I said, So, he won't come? Oh! If you knew, I bit on my blouse, I was suffering so!"
This isn't just a delirious person's imaginings. Marius doesn't even recognize her at first. She has to tell him her name. He almost walks away from her, leaving her to drag her body after his. At this little corner of the barricade which no one else is thinking of.
Her loneliness is further contrasted and made more explicit by Gavroche's little appearance. Though Eponine recognizes Gavroche as her brother, there is no point where Gavroche sees his sister. Eponine dies with her family close by but not looking.
Secondly, though we may have suspected that Eponine likes Marius, we only now see it explicitly. She confesses, but only right before she dies, and by then she uses past tense.
"I believe I was a little in love with you."
There have been hundreds of words spilled about how Eponine only loves Marius because she's experienced so little kindness in the world (which I agree with) so I won't dwell on it. I will say that how little Eponine demands even in death is heartbreaking. Only a kiss on the forehead and that she may rest her head against his knee.
Lastly - for this post at least - there's the contrast between her death and the little moments of relief, her words of contentment. The relief she gets from seeing Marius, the way that her conversation with him genuinely draws her away from her pains ("Oh! That's so much better! How comfortable this is! That's it! I'm not suffering anymore!") is contrasted with the most visceral descriptions of her wound.
Which really fits in with Eponine's character. As surrounded by misery, as being miserable herself, but also bearing it in a way that I think is often missed. Eponine is an incredibly resilient character. And we see this all the way to the end.
But she's still a child. She's still dying a horrible death, a bullet through her, on the cold street. Her last action - trying to smile - is thwarted by her death. Eponine's goodness (because she is full of goodness, even if I don't think she's remembered for that as much as she ought to be) is thwarted by her misery.
And that is her tragedy. That we see so little of her only emphasizes this. Only at the moment of Eponine's death do we understand the depth of her character explicitly. And by then it's too late
thinking about eponine saying “i’m the devil but it’s all the same to me” like how did victor hugo casually just write about a deeply traumatized girl believing that so deeply that she is unworthy of most things and evil but still performing small acts of kindness despite her shitty life (watering the flowers) and not become absolutely obsessed w her
the rue plumet garden is always on my mind. eponine grindset still going strong as you can see.
gave my cosette design a haircut <3 ALSO FYI my cosette is a light brunette the lighting here is just making her look blonde
the rue plumet garden is always on my mind. eponine grindset still going strong as you can see.
gave my cosette design a haircut <3 ALSO FYI my cosette is a light brunette the lighting here is just making her look blonde