Annotating Victor Hugo's Les Misérables is not meant to be an authoritative or certifiably scholarly work on the subject--I created this page out of personal interest. This is a presentation of gathered information, the correctness of which I do my best to verify.
Any brief quotations (I have no intention of reproducing significant portions of the text here--for reasons of respecting copyright, and for practical use of space) are taken from Les Misérables by Victor Hugo, translated by Isabel F. Hapgood. This version can be found at the University of Virginia Library, Electronic Text Center and other sites; it has been chosen for this page primarily because it's publicly accessible. No profit is being made from these "annotating" pages.
I've barely begun. As you can see, I've simply picked a starting point--not entirely at random--and will build from there. Additions and corrections are always welcome. Proper credit will be given.
Note: Arlene Harris has sent me some detailed info on the French incarceration systems of the time. I haven't yet been able to put this info onto this site, but in the meantime I would like to acknowledge her contribution.