Enjolras (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
pro_patria_mortuus) wrote2032-06-06 11:02 am
pro_patria_mortuus) wrote2032-06-06 11:02 am
Entry tags:
Sticky post: on canons
If you only know the musical, then the additions from the book are too numerous to go into, but mostly not worth bothering to enumerate in a post like this. It's more that there's greater specificity about Enjolras's character and friends, and the historical background and context, than the musical can fit in. The biggest difference is that the Amis de l'ABC are just one of a great many underground revolutionary groups, and Enjolras does not personally decide that now is the time to revolt.
Also, Enjolras will be talking like a Victor Hugo character. So there's that.
If you know the book, here are details I'm pulling from the stage musical and/or 2012 movie, or otherwise millicanoning:
- Enjolras's age is (in)famously unclear, since Hugo contradicts himself on the subject. I've gone with the reading that he died at age 26.
- For ease of PBs, and because I really like a lot of his expressions (and costuming), I am going with Aaron Tveit as a PB. My book-version Enjolras looks somewhat younger and more babyfaced than his icons, though. Picture something halfway between his icons and this guy. (Also, I assure you that any time I go on narratively about how gorgeous he is, how light shines off his hair like a halo, etc, it's because I am restraining myself significantly from what Victor Hugo would be doing. Victor Hugo really wants you to know how Symbolically Pretty Enjolras is. Your character is nonetheless not required to find classical beauty by 19th century European standards remotely appealing, and Enjolras himself would be somewhat relieved if they didn't. But his hair is very shiny.)
- I am keeping the falling-out-the-window-with-a-flag aspect of his death from the 2012 movie, because it cracks me up. And because being nailed to the wall by bullets doesn't even work with gravity, Hugo, what. The rest of that scene is as written, though.
- Enjolras and Grantaire may or may not ever start to soliloquize or argue in song that sounds suspiciously more like Broadway style than like Combeferre's republican filking. They will not notice anything weird about this, and will be bemused if your character does. Needless to say, if this happens, it's not book-canon. Yeah okay so this hasn't ended up a thing we played around with. Barring crackplots, all the Amis will probably only sing songs on purpose.
- In general, I am defaulting to book canon on all particulars, but I'm willing to work with other muns! If you're playing a character from the musical, and you want to discuss Enjolras's relationship with your character or a plot point, come talk to me! (Email, message, or in the comments of this post, if you like.) We'll see if we can figure out something that works for everyone.
Also, a note on canon puncture! Victor Hugo was already a fairly well-known writer at the time of Enjolras's death, and there's no particular reason to think that isn't true in the world of Les Misérables as well as in the real world. Enjolras died as a martyr intending to give his death to posterity and republican inspiration, so he would not be remotely upset to learn that his life and death had been fictionalized in a famous novel of social criticism, or that that novel was adapted into a play later. However, if your character would bring up very specific details of the novel, or say "Yeah, you look exactly like the actor in that movie!" or whatever, then please talk to me first. (It may well still be workable, but I'd like to make sure we're on the same page.)
Also, Enjolras will be talking like a Victor Hugo character. So there's that.
If you know the book, here are details I'm pulling from the stage musical and/or 2012 movie, or otherwise millicanoning:
- Enjolras's age is (in)famously unclear, since Hugo contradicts himself on the subject. I've gone with the reading that he died at age 26.
- For ease of PBs, and because I really like a lot of his expressions (and costuming), I am going with Aaron Tveit as a PB. My book-version Enjolras looks somewhat younger and more babyfaced than his icons, though. Picture something halfway between his icons and this guy. (Also, I assure you that any time I go on narratively about how gorgeous he is, how light shines off his hair like a halo, etc, it's because I am restraining myself significantly from what Victor Hugo would be doing. Victor Hugo really wants you to know how Symbolically Pretty Enjolras is. Your character is nonetheless not required to find classical beauty by 19th century European standards remotely appealing, and Enjolras himself would be somewhat relieved if they didn't. But his hair is very shiny.)
- I am keeping the falling-out-the-window-with-a-flag aspect of his death from the 2012 movie, because it cracks me up. And because being nailed to the wall by bullets doesn't even work with gravity, Hugo, what. The rest of that scene is as written, though.
- In general, I am defaulting to book canon on all particulars, but I'm willing to work with other muns! If you're playing a character from the musical, and you want to discuss Enjolras's relationship with your character or a plot point, come talk to me! (Email, message, or in the comments of this post, if you like.) We'll see if we can figure out something that works for everyone.
Also, a note on canon puncture! Victor Hugo was already a fairly well-known writer at the time of Enjolras's death, and there's no particular reason to think that isn't true in the world of Les Misérables as well as in the real world. Enjolras died as a martyr intending to give his death to posterity and republican inspiration, so he would not be remotely upset to learn that his life and death had been fictionalized in a famous novel of social criticism, or that that novel was adapted into a play later. However, if your character would bring up very specific details of the novel, or say "Yeah, you look exactly like the actor in that movie!" or whatever, then please talk to me first. (It may well still be workable, but I'd like to make sure we're on the same page.)