Thenardiers

The Thénardiers are fictional characters in Victor Hugo's 1862 novel Les Misérables. They are a cruel and avaricious innkeeper couple who run a tavern in a small village. Monsieur Thénardier is a former soldier, characterized by his boastfulness and deceit. Madame Thénardier is equally unpleasant, depicted as physically imposing and sadistic.

Their most significant role in the narrative is their mistreatment of Cosette, the daughter of Fantine. After Fantine is forced to abandon her child due to poverty, she entrusts Cosette to the Thénardiers, believing they will care for her in exchange for money. However, the Thénardiers exploit Cosette, treating her as a servant and making her endure harsh labor and neglect. They clothe her in rags, force her to perform menial tasks, and regularly beat her.

Jean Valjean, after being released from prison and experiencing a profound transformation, encounters the young Cosette and witnesses the Thénardiers' cruelty firsthand. Moved by pity and a sense of duty, he rescues Cosette from their clutches, paying the Thénardiers a substantial sum to take her away.

The Thénardiers reappear later in the novel, having fallen into further disrepute. They are involved in various criminal activities and become entangled with Éponine, their own daughter, and the revolutionary Marius Pontmercy. Their persistent greed and malevolence continue to drive their actions, making them antagonists throughout the story. They represent the worst aspects of human nature, embodying avarice, cruelty, and a complete lack of morality.