Tag Archives: Miserables

Is Jack Smith a Javert?

By Robin Bates | Published: August 6, 2023

A Trump co-conspirator is complaining that special counsel Jack Smith is like Javert. I explore the comparison.

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Zelenskyy Could Be a Hugo Character

By Robin Bates | Published: March 17, 2022

Friday A Washington Post column yesterday reminded me of a post I wrote a year ago and which I am reconfiguring for today. Seeking to balance the inspiring leadership of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky with the grim reality of the war, David Ignatius wrote, Zelensky has taken the West with him, emotionally, to the barricades […]

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More Time Spent in the Covid Sewers

By Robin Bates | Published: December 26, 2021

In a repost from March, I see our Covid slog as similar to Jean Valjean trudging through the Paris sewers.

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Les Misérables Aided Civil War Soldiers

By Robin Bates | Published: December 5, 2021

Hugo’s “Les Misérables” was a hit with Civil War soldiers. An article explores the reasons why.

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Javert Would Not Survive in Today’s GOP

By Robin Bates | Published: May 31, 2021

Hugo’s Javert is torn between his principles and God’s law. Trump cultists, having no principles, face no struggle.

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Can Trumpists See the Real Biden?

By Robin Bates | Published: May 26, 2021

Can one see one’s savior as a monster? The issue shows up in Hugo’s “Les Misérables” and among Republicans who demonize Biden.

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Hugo on a Nation Catching Its Breath

By Robin Bates | Published: February 22, 2021

In “Les Miserables,” Hugo says France needed a period of quiet following the rambunctious Napoleonic years. Sounds familiar.

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Hugo Describes Trump-Style Resentment

By Robin Bates | Published: February 17, 2021

The toxic mixture of resentment and entitlement found in the Capitol Hill insurrectionists is described by Victor Hugo in “Les Miserables.”

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Les Miz and Trump’s Execution Spree

By Robin Bates | Published: January 3, 2021

As Trump and Barr go on an execution spree, Victor Hugo’s thoughts on the guillotine come to mind.

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