Javert’s songs, “Stars” or “Javert’s Suicide”

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Explain in a brief, but well developed body paragraph for each, THREE of the following songs. In your response, identify the character, the Act, and the theme(s) contained within the song, as well as the meaning of the important lyrics. One of the songs should be a response to one of Javert’s songs, “Stars” or “Javert’s Suicide” in which you note contrasting lyrics in the other Javert song. No Introductory or Concluding Paras–just three well supported body paras.

 

Sample Solution

Javert’s “Stars” and the Contradictions of Law and Grace

In the haunting ballad “Stars,” Javert lays bare his soul, revealing his unwavering devotion to the law as an immutable and absolute force. He compares the stars to the moral order of the universe, fixed and unyielding, a constant source of guidance and justice.

  • Lyrics from “Stars”:

“There are bars on the windows, but I see the stars. They are like the eyes of God, watching, never sleeping. And they are the only witnesses to the truth that’s in my heart.”

These lines illustrate Javert’s unwavering belief in the law as a divine code, aligning him with the celestial order. The stars represent an external, objective truth that transcends human fallibility and provides a moral compass.

However, this unwavering adherence to the law leads to a fundamental contradiction that becomes starkly evident in another of Javert’s songs, “Soliloquy.” This later song reveals Javert’s inner turmoil as he grapples with the act of mercy shown to him by Valjean.

  • Lyrics from “Soliloquy”:

“There is good and evil, there is right and wrong. But where I stand, I stand alone. In a world that’s divided, I have no choice but to believe. In the code that I’m bound by, in the law that I hold dear.”

Here, the rigid adherence to the law begins to crumble. Javert acknowledges the existence of good and evil, yet he is trapped within the confines of a legal system that cannot reconcile these complexities. He feels alone and conflicted, unable to reconcile the act of mercy with his rigid worldview.

This tension between the absolute law and the human capacity for compassion is central to the tragedy of Javert’s character. He represents the limitations of a system that prioritizes rules over individual circumstances and fails to account for the complexities of human nature.

The contrast between Javert’s two songs highlights the inherent conflict between a rigid legal system and the need for empathy and understanding. While the stars represent the unchanging order of the universe, they fail to capture the nuanced realities of human experience and the transformative power of grace.

 

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