Thenardier

The Thenardiers are fictional characters in Victor Hugo's 1862 novel Les Misérables. They are a greedy and unscrupulous couple, innkeepers by trade, who live in Montfermeil. Monsieur Thénardier is a former soldier who, despite his supposed heroic past, is a cruel and manipulative man. Madame Thénardier is equally villainous, characterized by her ugliness, harshness, and a particularly cruel nature towards the orphan Cosette.

The Thénardiers are introduced when Jean Valjean, seeking to hide his identity, leaves the young Cosette in their care. They accept responsibility for her, but instead of caring for her, they exploit her, forcing her to work as a virtual slave and keeping the money Valjean sends for her upkeep. Their primary motivation is greed, and they are willing to mistreat and deceive anyone to enrich themselves.

Throughout the novel, the Thénardiers reappear, always seeking to profit from others. They encounter Valjean and Cosette multiple times, attempting to blackmail Valjean or exploit their knowledge of his past. Their characters represent the lowest depths of human depravity and serve as a stark contrast to the more noble characters in the novel, highlighting themes of social injustice and moral corruption. Their actions contribute significantly to the suffering endured by many characters in Les Misérables, particularly Cosette.