Yesterday, I wrote
about BBC TV Series ‘Les Misérables’ and the story of Fantine Thibault. One
more touching character is of Colonel Georges Pontmercy.
Colonel Georges Pontmercy is an
officer of Napoleon's Army and has a great military record. He takes part in the
Battle of Waterloo where Napoleon’s army was finally defeated. He was lying in a pile of dead soldiers but he somehow survived. His wounds are yet to heal,
but he returns to the city.
A tragedy in the life of Colonel
Pontmercy is that his wife had died, and his very "rich" father-in-law hated him,
and repented why he allowed his daughter to marry him. One reason could be that he hated Napoleon and hence
he also hated his son-in-law who was part of Napoleon’s army. Another reason could be due to jealousy, since his daughter loved him. Perhaps all father-in-laws are jealous of their son-in-laws; and some may even hate them for it.
Colonel Pontmercy had a young son who
was under care of his wife’s father when he went to war. After he returned from
the war with injury, he goes to meet him. But his father-in-law insults him, does not allow him to meet the boy and
asks him to get out of his house.
Later, the old man tells bad things about Colonel
Pontmercy in front of his young son and asks the young son to insult him too. Scared
of the old man’s ruthless mannerism, the young boy also starts hating his
father. In one scene, the old man teaches a speech to the young boy and in
front of a group of guests asks the boy to recite it. The boy gives the speech
in which he denounces Napoleon and also his own father. It was sad.
The rich father-in-law does not allow
Colonel Pontmercy to meet his son and threatens him of dire consequences
including confiscating his family property if he tries to meet the boy. But sometimes
Pontmercy goes to the Church where the young boy goes on Sundays, hides behind
a wall, and sees him.
Denied access to his son and family, Colonel
Pontmercy lives a neglected life, alone. After a few years he becomes sick and from
his deathbed he sends a message to his father-in-law asking his son to be sent to
meet him for the last time. The old man asks his grand-son as to what he thinks
about his father on deathbed. The young son replies, “Good.” It was too sad to
see the extent to which people can be evil and play with the minds of children.
The old man declines to send the boy
to meet his father, but the lady servant of the house convinces him to send him
since that would be the last time the boy would see his father. The old man
agrees. The boy goes to see his father on deathbed. Colonel Pontmercy blesses
him after seeing him and takes his last breath. Thus ends the unfortunate story
of a brave man who fought and won many wars with Napoleon.
After many years when the boy is
adult, he meets an old man who knew his father. The old man tells the truth
about his father and shows him newspaper cuttings from the time of the war. The
boy realizes that his father was a good man and not a coward like his maternal grandfather
had taught him. He goes to his home, picks up a fight with the evil old man and
leaves his house. He goes on to live in a shoddy slum, since he could afford
only that with his money. His old material grandfather is heartbroken seeing
him go away.
- Rahul Tiwary
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