Five favourite characters in French literature

French literature has given the world some of its most iconic fictional characters. The best heroes are not entirely virtuous. They need to struggle against obstacles for us to engage with them. Here are five of the most cherished male characters in French fiction, celebrated for their depth, humanity, and unforgettable stories.

1. Jean Valjean (Les Misérables, Victor Hugo). The protagonist of the great 19th century epic Les Misérables is a former convict who struggles to rebuild his life after spending 19 years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread. He is relentlessly pursued by the single-minded policeman, Javert, who is determined to bring him to justice. Valjean is a complex character who seeks redemption by adopting and protecting the orphaned Cosette. 

2. D’Artagnan (The Three Musketeers, Alexandre Dumas). Despite the title of the book, there always were not three of them but four. Athos, Porthos, and Arami are admirable and heroic enough but the hero of Dumas’ story is brave, loyal, and quick-witted – D’Artagnan, who starts out as a naive Gascon looking for adventure. The character is based on the real life Charles de Batz de Castelmore, born and raised in the Gers. The village of Artagnan in Hautes-Pyrénées department has only an indirect connection to him.

3. Arsène Lupin (Arsène Lupin series, Maurice Leblanc). The recent streaming series starring Omar Sy brought the world’s attention to this early 20th century gentleman thief and master of disguise. The character, created by Leblanc in 1905, was a contemporary of Britain’s most famous detective who appears in some of the stories under the name of Herlock Sholmès (possibly at the insistence of Conan Doyle). Lupin may outsmart the police, and fellow criminals, but he always preserves his own sense of justice. Leblanc’s house in beautiful Etretat on the coast of Normandy is now a museum to his most famous creation.

4. Cyrano de Bergerac (Cyrano de Bergerac, Edmond Rostand). No one would give a second thought to the life and character of the 17th century writer Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac if he hadn’t been immortalised in an 1897 play by Rostand. Cyrano on the stage is a swashbuckling poet with a wit as sharp as his sword. Despite his bravery, talent, and eloquence, Cyrano is insecure about his large nose and believes himself unworthy of love. His self-sacrificing devotion to Roxane, whom he woos on behalf of the handsome but inarticulate Christian, has made him a symbol of unfulfilled love and poetic nobility.

5. Julien Sorel (Le Rouge et le Noir, Stendhal). Born into a humble background, Julien aspires to rise in society through education, strategic alliances and his own intelligence. His story, punctuated by passion, manipulation, and the protagonist’s internal conflict, reflects the tensions of 19th century France. In his behaviour he defies conventional morality of the time and is unbowed when he faces execution at the end of the book.