Sokolova Diana Alexeyevna – PhD student of the Department of Language Theory and German languages, Yaroslavl State Pedagogical University, ORCID: 0009-0005-8038-4327
This article examines the artistic representation of the phenomenon of social exclusion in Victor Hugo’s novel Les Misérables (1862) within the context of the French literary tradition of the “roman populaire” and contemporary sociological concepts of marginality. Employing an interdisciplinary approach that combines methods from Pierre Bourdieu’s sociology of literature, Serge Paugam’s theory of exclusion, and narrative analysis, the author identifies specific literary strategies for depicting the “outcasts” – ranging from individual psychological drama to collective social protest. Particular attention is given to the evolution of the concept of the “misérables” from a religious-moralistic interpretation to socio-political critique. The role of spatial metaphors (such as sewers, barricades, and the monastery) as symbolic topoi of exclusion and inclusion is analysed. The study demonstrates how Hugo anticipated contemporary discussions on the precariat and social exclusion by creating a literary model that remains relevant in the context of the migration crisis and the rise of social inequality in contemporary Europe.
Victor Hugo; Les Misérables; social exclusion; French social novel; “roman populaire”; marginality; sociology of liter-ature; representation of poverty; nineteenth century; literature and society