As we enter Golden Globes and Oscar season, Les Miserables is sure to score some awards. And well it should -- it's a well-made film filled with great performances (Anne Hathaway), good ones (Hugh Jackson, the guy who played Marius whose name I can't be bothered to Google) and flat-out terrible, why-did-they-cast-him-he-can't-even-sing performances (Russell Crowe). If, like me, you are a fan of the musical, you'll be happy. If not, then you can always sneak into another screening of The Hobbit. Watching the movie, though, it finally struck me -- Eponine, the poor girl whose love for Marius goes unrequited, is one of the most annoying characters in popular fiction.
"What's that, Eponine? You're dying? Sorry, I was thinking about how hot Cosette looked in that comically oversized hat. Do you think she 'like likes' me?"
Now before you rise up in protest like soot-covered French street urchins, let me explain. When I first saw Les Mis on stage back in high school during the late 1900s, I immediately crushed on Eponine. "That's me," I thought, while likely wearing a Miss Saigon t-shirt in the theater. (What? I was a theater nerd who got laid approximately never.) "I'm also always pining for girls and they never notice me. They always go for the dumb jock guys and then come crying to me when they get dumped. I'm always giving them advice and doing things for them just like Eponine does for Marius." Back then, I thought Eponine represented all of us nice gals and guys who are taken for granted by the ones we love. And Eponine was the most tragic of all -- she dies saving Marius' life. Not only does she take him to see his beloved Cosette, she dies so that he can live a happy life and make little French babies with the girl he fell in love with after seeing on the street for like thirty seconds.
After seeing the movie, I see Eponine for what she really is -- a lonely sadsack. Sure, Samantha Banks gives a good performance and has a lovely voice. But the character drove me up the wall. Why can't she profess her love for Marius? And if he doesn't return her feelings, why does she do everything for him? Why does she help him find Cosette? Oh, sure, she's a loyal friend. Well, if Marius was a good friend, he'd realize Eponine has feelings for him and not make her watch him court Cosette. But no -- the dude's just selfish. Eponine has a famous song ("On My Own") about how she's "all alone again" and how "the streets are full strangers" without Marius, She literally has nothing else going for her. Pull yourself together, gurl. What about Enjolras? He's swarthy and leads the revolution while Marius makes goo-goo eyes at Cosette. He probably built the barricade. It sure wasn't Marius.
And the relationship is SO one-sided. Even when Eponine dies, Marius never says he loves her. He treats her like a friend or, at best, a sister, the ENTIRE TIME. Instead, he's in love with the girl with no personality. "Typical. Nice people finish last," you're probably thinking. And I used to think that way. But now I just sit there thinking that Eponine should stop singing her sad songs, wipe the soot off her face and tell Marius that she's in love with, she's been in love with him for a long time and if he's smart he'll forget his silly crush on Cosette and her giant Little Bo Peep bonnets and run off with her to America or something. Little Gavroche doesn't sit around waiting for a happy life that involves plenty of food and regular baths to just fall in his lap. No, that filthy little street urchin gets out there on the battlefield and gets stuff done.
Devoting your life to the point of ruin to someone who doesn't return your feelings is not romantic. It's just sad. So this year, pledge to not be Eponine. Don't pine for the guy who is in love with someone else. If all he talks about is other girls, move on. He's not interested and while you (hopefully) won't end up taking a bullet for him during a revolution, you will get your heart broken. Be the Marius or the Cosette in your story, not the Eponine. She might get a great song, but she's singing it alone.
"On my owwwwwn! Because I can't express my feeelings to the dude I'm crushing on!"
Did you see Les Miserables? Are you an Eponine or a Cosette? (Hopefully you're not a Fantine. She had it rough!) Let me know!
Its much deeper than that...the books explain everything..theres a Marius book and an Eponine book that share both of their feelings toward their relationship.
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I really loved Samantha Banks and her beautiful voice (and face) BUT dude you are SOOO right! That character is so annoying! She is whinny and very weak...not by any means strong. I did NOT relate to her. I may not always get the guy in the end (like her) or I may have some unrequited love stories (like her) but no way I'd basically end my life for a man (well boy) who's not even that attractive (FULLY agree about Enjolras! HOTTIE!) and doesn't treat me as well as he should!
Loved this blog :)
You make some excellent points, but don't forget Eponine is likely between the ages of 16-18, the time many of us experience unrequited love. The point is of course "move on", but some of us must experience the lonliness and lack of reciprocal feelings first, and then "move on". It is a growth thing...............
I know that this will probably be seen as a rubbish comment, but yeah, i'm rushing to the defence of Eponine. 1) dude, read the book, or watch the musical, but then you will see that she has nothing else going for her. In the book, Marius is represented as what Eponine believes to be her one redeming quality, because she has nothing to live for. 2) I love how you said, oh, look, i'm an eponine' when you saw the play, because you said you were always pining after girls who didn't like you back? (or even the person who said in the cooment section that they had some unrequitted love stories but they would never die for some man especially if he wasn't hot) um, sorry, no. you are not an eponine, because if you are always falling for some girl, then you are crushing on some girls, then moving on to another. i know you guys are gonna hate on this comment, but Eponine was in love. This word gets banded around way to much by a load of people who think that liking someone a little bit means you're in love with them, it does not. Love is one of the most powerful emotions we feel, and if you are in love with someone, you would literally do anything for them. and you wouldn't then fall for another girl because you can't see anything else but them. Eponine really loved Marius, i'm talking true love, so if you don't know what you're talking about, then don't try to bad mouth a character you don't understand! if you were in love with someone you can't choose to stop loving them, it's impossible, it's like asking a mother to stop loving her child. and if you really love someone, even if it breaks you're heart that they don't love you, you still want to be happy, because they are so much more important than you. So, yeah, i guess i'm getting defensive, but that's because Eponine isn't annoying, (maybe only to the people who can't underatnd her) she's just someone who is unconditionally in love, who spends her life trying to make someone sho loves happy, and dying for them in the end. she is a beautiful person, and she's amazingly strong in her own way, because not telling marius means that he doesn't have to feel guilty or feel that he has to pretend to love her back, and she wouldn't want him to be unhappy. so, i'd rather be an eponine than a judgemental person who doesn't know what they are talking about
the comment above says it all. i Do agree :)
1.) Samantha BARKS.
2.) Suzanne is so right. Éponine is in love with Marius, and love is not something you can simply change.
3.) Éponine is actually a very strong woman. Some people call her an idiot for dying to save someone who doesn't return your feelings - God, that is the beauty of it all. It was a sacrifice, and sacrificing won't make you an idiot. Like, are you seriously going to die for a man you love just so he could be with the one HE loves? (I'm referring to the Éponine in the musical. In the novel, she wanted him to die.)
I know I'm being defensive but I'm just stating my opinion. Well, some facts, so that those people who don't understand the story but STILL judges the characters will have a deeper perception of this poor yet beloved "street rat" who sings, like, one of the most famous songs in the history of Broadway. Big fan here. Love Les Mis!