Cosette, Eponine, Fantine. Those are the names of the three main women in Les Miserables. I love this show, although it is not a feminist masterpiece. Musicals like Fun Home pass the Bechdel test (quite literally), or Heathers. Mean Girls, Waitress, those shows also are pretty progressive. But not Les Mis. This show promotes outdated gender stereotypes, and paints most women characters as the martyr. Throughout the show, the women are used as pieces in the story to move the men throughout the plot. Without Fantine being a prostitute and dying, Jean Valjean would have been left with a plot hole. If Cosette wasn't stuck in a love trial with Maurius and Eponine, Maurius' story would have been a lot less interesting. Epinone serves as a martyr for Maurius’ manhood. She dies for his cause, while Cosette lives to be his wife. These women were not given a stake in this story. I will again reiterate that I sing A Heart Full of Love or One Day More as loud and passionate as the next person. But, I still feel badly for the women of this show. I wish there was more of an opportunity for feminism with these characters.
Comments