Comparing 'What Have I Done? And' Javert's Suicide

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Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats is championed as the first true megamusical, a subgenre of musical theatre known for its extravagant staging, numerous ensembles, and all-encompassing themes such as love, revenge, and the human condition. This essay seeks to explore how songs from megamusicals explore the psychology of their characters and how said psychology influences and advances the narrative of their respective musicals. Les Misérables is a 1980 pop-opera musical based on Victor Hugo’s novel of the same name, with music by Claude-Michel Schönberg. In this essay, however, the lyrics analysed will be Herbert Kretzmer’s English translation of ‘What Have I Done?’ and ‘Javert’s Suicide’, as these songs represent the moral crossroads the rivals find …show more content…

Both of these musicals explore themes in accordance with conventions of the megamusical and contain non-diegetic scores. (Neumeyer, 2009) This essay will focus on Wicked’s Act I’s closing number, ‘Defying Gravity’, as it is the most poignant turning point in the story. By referencing both music theory and the five stages of grief, this essay will discuss the ways in which the three songs chosen as case studies play a role in moving forward the action and narrative within their respective musicals. Jean Valjean and Javert’s dynamic in Les Misérables is not that of a traditional protagonist and antagonist, as rather than a simple cat-and-mouse game, there exists an undercurrent of kinship between the characters. Valjean is an ex-convict who is moved by hefty themes that characterize the megamusical genre— religion, redemption, love, and, most importantly, forgiveness. Javert, on the other hand, is an inspector unable to see the world for all its nuances. Both characters have a song in which they process the second chance at life they have been granted: For Valjean, it is his ‘What Have I Done?’ soliloquy and, for Javert, it is ‘Javert’s …show more content…

Therefore, Glinda’s complete lack of faith is a reflection of the deep indoctrination she suffered during Oz’s authoritarian regime. (Comstock, 2024) Additionally, this line is sung in a crotchet triple-based melody, which reflects Glinda’s frantic state and disrupts the resolute and serene tune Elphaba has established as the chorus (MusicHelpGuy, 2020). Thus, this line indicates that Glinda is still in the bargaining stage. The characters’ sarcastic repetition of the sentiment ‘I hope you’re happy’ back at the beginning of the song makes the line’s reprise in the penultimate section of the song bittersweet. This callback to the beginning of the song includes the same homophonic chordal music, only the chord stabs are replaced by a crescendo, as anger has left way to a melancholy and a fervent wish. Ibid. Such a stark change in tone serves to denote how poignant Elphaba and Glinda’s last words to each other are. The phrase ‘I hope you’re happy in the end, /My friend’, after all, is a layered

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