Getting into bed with Les misérables : a study of the symbolism(s) of the bed

While Victor Hugo's Les Miserables remains enormously popular and has received great critical interest, one important and abundant symbolic component has been inexplicably neglected: the bed. This thesis examines the plurality of meanings that the bed evokes, traditionally, and its multiple functions as a repository of human dignity and well-being, in particular. The thesis consists of three parts corresponding to the logical pairings of six principle symbolisms of the bed, each of which is examined for its connection with the conception and portrayal of human suffering in this novel. In general, the absence of the bed both reflects and perpetuates physical, emotional and moral distress, while its presence testifies to and aids in the survival of humanity.