Answer:
Les Misérables is a musical based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo. The story is set in early 19th-century France and follows the life of a former prisoner named Jean Valjean, who has been released on parole after serving 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister's starving child.
The police inspector who pursues Valjean throughout the story is named Javert, and he sees Valjean as a criminal who will never be able to escape his past. Valjean breaks his parole and starts a new life, but Javert relentlessly pursues him.
After a bishop shows Valjean kindness and forgives him for stealing, Valjean has a spiritual awakening and vows to devote his life to God. He becomes a successful factory owner and mayor, but he continues to be haunted by his past and the fear of being caught by Javert.
Cosette is the daughter of Fantine, a struggling factory worker who is forced to sell her hair and her body to provide for her daughter. Valjean takes Cosette under his care after Fantine dies and raises her as his own daughter. Cosette and Valjean share a loving relationship throughout the story.
The plot follows Valjean's journey as he tries to escape his past, find redemption, and protect Cosette from the dangers of a society torn apart by poverty, corruption, and revolution. Along the way, he meets a cast of characters who are struggling to survive and fight for a better world, including the young revolutionary Marius, the streetwise orphan Gavroche, and the tragic Fantine.