Jean Valjean

Fictional character in Les Misérables Fictional character Jean ValjeanLes Misérables characterJean Valjean disguised as Monsieur Madeleine. Illustration by Gustave Brion.Created byVictor HugoIn-universe informationFull nameJean ValjeanAliases Monsieur Madeleine Ultime Fauchelevent Urbain Fabre Prisoner 24601 Prisoner 9430 NicknameMonsieur LeblancGenderMaleOccupation Tree pruner Convict Businessman Mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer Family Jean Valjean Sr. (father) Jeanne Mathieu (mother) Jeanne (sister) Unnamed brother Seven unnamed nieces and nephews ChildrenCosette (surrogate daughter)RelativesUnnamed brother-in-lawReligionRoman CatholicNationalityFrenchBorn1769Death1833 (aged 64) Jean Valjean (French: [ʒɑ̃ val.ʒɑ̃]) is the protagonist of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel Les Misérables. The story depicts the character's struggle to lead a normal life and redeem himself after serving a 19-year-long prison sentence for stealing bread to feed his sister's starving children and attempting to escape from prison. Valjean is also known in the novel as Monsieur Madeleine, Ultime Fauchelevent (once called Tranchelevent by Monsieur Gillenormand), Monsieur Leblanc, and Urbain Fabre. Jean Valjean a