Marius Pontmercy

The son of Georges Potmercy and Monsieur Gillenormand’s daughter. Marius is a lawyer and an intelligent young man who falls in love with Cosette. He grows up at Monsieur Gillenormand’s place not knowing anything about his real father because Gillenormand forbade their communication and did not allow them even to see each other. Eventually, Marius finds out who his father is, and Georges Pontmercy becomes a hero for him. Later Marius recalls his father frequently. For instance, when he experiences hardships, he compares them with much more difficult life of Colonel Georges and realizes that he has no reason to complain. His father’s figure and his heroism lead Marius throughout the whole life.

When the father is dying, he asks Marius to pay his debt to Sergeant Thénardier, who is believed to save his life at Waterloo. Later on, Marius tries to fulfill his father’s wish, and at the same time, he struggles to protect Jean Valjean, the father of Cosette, the girl he likes. When Cosette seems to be lost, he falls in despair. He goes to fight at the barricades and almost dies, but Jean Valjean saves him. After that, when Valjean is dying, he reveals to Marius his dark past. Finally, Marius and Cosette find each other and get married.