jdeng
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Towards the end of ConfrontationI have difficulty understanding Valjean�s last lines in the song, with my questions in [�].
Valjean (to Fantine):
And this I swear to you tonight
Your child will live within my care
And I will raise her to the light [to raise Cosette to be a CHEERFUL or RIGHTEOUS lady?]
Valjean & Javert:
I swear to you [still swear to Fantine?], I will be there [to raise your child]
Or
I swear to you [swear to Javert now?], I will be there [to return himself to Javert, i.e., to keep his earlier pledge to Javert?]
I would be most grateful if you guys could cast some light on these.
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marlalp
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Re: Towards the end of Confrontation"And I will raise her to the light"
He is saying he will raise her under God, to be righteous, virtuous, pious.
"I swear to you/I will be there"
To Fantine, and he should always be looking at Fantine when he says this. He is promising her he will be there for her child. I think he already forgot about his pledge to Javert, because Javert didn't agree to his terms.
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Vichysois
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^Adding to the above: Valjean's swearing to be "there" for Cosette while Javert is quite literally swearing to be "there" wherever Valjean "may hide away."
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jdeng
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Many thanks, Marlalp and Vichysois, appreciate your answers with explanations.
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jdeng
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Just when I thought that I could understand every single line of the song, I am puzzled by this sentence:
Javert:
I was born inside a jail
I was born with scum like you
I am from the gutter too!
Does he mean
1, he was born with sin?
or
2, he was born with baddies (prisoners) around him?
Many thanks again!
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wtfchuck
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| jdeng wrote: | Just when I thought that I could understand every single line of the song, I am puzzled by this sentence:
Javert:
I was born inside a jail
I was born with scum like you
I am from the gutter too!
Does he mean
1, he was born with sin?
or
2, he was born with baddies (prisoners) around him?
Many thanks again! |
The 2nd one. He means that he was born amongst "scummy" people like Jean Valjean.
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jdeng
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Thanks a lot, wftchuck!
Your "head", together with your explanation, has created a vivid scene to help me understand what Javert means by that line.
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