Les Misérables' OC Character, Nande, By Su Manshu
Les Misérables' OC character, Nande, by Su Manshu
Su Manshu was a revolutionary poet who wrote a translation of Book One of Les Misérables into traditional Chinese.
Copy and pasted from a comment I made in Dec 2024:
Su Manshu wrote a self-insert (Nande) who was a mouthpiece for the favour of the revolution of China (which was ruled by the Qing Dynasty at the time).
However, since there wasn't much of a freedom in press in regards to the criticism of it, the main character (the self insert) dies.
During the translation (which was only book 1), there is a running comparison of Chinese and French history, and also anti-Christian sentiments due to Su's fear of the 'Western influence' of China.
The translation is so different, there is some unintended comedic elements to it in retrospect, but I'm sure during the time when it was written, it was truly a piece of revolution. It's just funny if you take the political context out of it.
There is also mistranslations, such as the Bishop asking how many coins Jean Valjean has, and telling him that his place is not a hostel and therefore he doesn't need to pay -> to then become the Bishop asking Jean Valjean how much coins he has, and telling him that it is indeed like a hostel, and thus needs to pay him with all the coins that he has (rather than JvJ keeping them).
There is an academic argument apparently on whether or not mistranslations such as these were intentional, or if Su wasn't as proficient in English as we believed he was to be (since he translated from Wilbour's trans.)
It also is a running theme throughout the translation that JvJ is a bad guy.
The paper I read doesn't talk about other characters, so I don't know how other characters are presented unfortunately. Probably because it overly focuses on the OC lmao
More Posts from Nel-ii and Others
this is so fun i need to make more homoerotic twin cinema poems thank you and goodbye
[ID: a digital drawing of Valjean from Les Miserables. He is sitting mostly in the dark, at a table, staring emptily at a chicken wing. Handwritten text reads “last supper (a chicken wing).” End ID.]
First Grantaire in a while.
“He might be your brother.”
“He is.”
She turned to him with a stupefied air. “Éponine! How do you know that my name is Éponine?” “Promise what I tell you!” But she did not seem to hear him. “That’s nice! You have called me Éponine!”
— Les Misérables, IV.II.IV Illustrated by Adriano Minardi (Italian Edition, 1930)
Sketches from opposite ends of the Valvert spectrum; two dorks taking a walk, and Javert in the catacombs from @autumngracy‘s AROS
I saw les mis again 🥲
JBM steal! for @lesmisshippingshowdown !
On the FAR other end of my artistic experiments: so back in canon era (or so I've read) there were people along the fashionable strolling boulevards who did quick drawings and sketch-paintings for souvenirs. These were in no way artistic portraits--like good carnival caricaturists today, the artists made up their speed by relying on a small set of colors and some recognizable shortcuts /stock types of Person to Draw. It's always seemed like the sort of thing that JBM would pick up on a whim. This was something I tried to draw super quick, with a limited set of overbright "paints".
...also, there's this song. Which I've always loved for its sweet wistfulness-- the way it's about a time and a love that is gone and was probably even grieved, but long enough ago that now what remains is just the fondness. So , here, a filk for Musichetta, and JBM, some time Long Later when the paints and the memories are faded but still there. Also there is a bonus picture under the cut, after the filk:P (241 words,if I can trust my program!)
Deep in the pocket of an old worn out day skirt I chanced to discover an old memory Three for a quarter-franc boulevard portrait Taken of Joly and Legle and me
He's in the corner, his shirt collar open Like some Spanish lover, some bold Hernani Each of them smiling and holding my hand close It's Lesgle and Joly, they're smiling for me
It must have been sometime in June 1830 That hopeful bright summer, we knew we'd won free I took their arms as we walked through the arcade Three young believers on a half a franc spree
Three for a quarter franc Boulevard portrait Painting our loves for the whole world to see Hey kiss me quick, 'cause the sunlight is fading It's fading on Joly and Laigle and me
Waiting on that late night omnibus back home They held me warm, in the cool evening breeze All of us swore to be in love forever Forever for Joly and Lesgles and me
Three for a quarter franc Boulevard portrait Painting our loves for the whole world to see Hey kiss me quick, 'cause the sunlight is fading It's fading on Joly and Lesgueles and me
Three for a quarter franc boulevard portraits Three young believers on a half a franc spree I saved your picture in my day skirt pocket L'aigle and Joly, do you have one of me
Joly and Lesgle, do you have one of me
(Note: no IDEA if those prices would make any sense, but the Vibes Were Right. Also: Astute readers may notice one portrait is missing. this is NOT because I ran out of time and wrists , it's because that one was Bossuet's and well. His luck is Like That-- he misplaced it long before the end, though if he'd turned out his pockets one more time he might have realized he actually had it there all along...)
Communion
Are you seeing my vision here with Priest Enjolras? I'm planning out my fic with Priest Enj and Witch Grantaire and imagining this scene where Enj gives him communion wine. Grantaire is just along for the ride, he enjoys teasing Enj and doesn't believe in any of it but sure he'll let Enj feed him some wine. (We'll see what happens, I'm still formulating the fic.) Notice that Enj looks concerned and is blushing, that's because he's extremely attracted to him and doesn't know how to handle that.
Also nervous to post but just want to make clear I'm not promoting religion, I'm not religious, and the fic will not be overly religious feeling. In fact it will be Grantaire convincing him to break his vows so they can be together, so I guess it's the opposite.
It takes place in the past but sorta fairytale like (imagine like maybe Beauty and the Beast village feeling sorta thing?)
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nel || 19 || they/them || aroace || every once in a while I scream about something other than Les Miserables || if you know me irl no you don’t
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