I decided on a whim to look back over the ‘Corinth’ and ‘Darkness surrounds Grantaire’ bit of the brick (Penguin classics translation) to remind myself of his oddness. The following are some things I noticed about ‘good old Grantaire’ (please excuse my weak opinions):
– He seems to hates money and bankers despite the fact he doesn’t seem concerned with having a job or anything. He compares bankers who scoop up girls to eagles and girls preoccupied with money to cats. He also implies that money leads to ugliness, as is suggested in the Corinth chapter where he seems shocked that a woman he knew who had become involved with a banker was still beautiful despite this. Is that some vague anti-capitalist sentiment there, ‘taire?
-He seems to believe that Revolutions happen because God makes life vague and tragic due to tampering; he says that if he were God he wouldn’t string people about; he would make life straightforward so miracles and uncertainties wouldn’t need to happen. This could be argued to be that R doesn’t so much hate revolution as an action of man, but as a Godly reflex; he hates that it happens in the first place because God is so apparently shit at his job.
– He claims that drink is the only constant; whichever side of the divide you’re on, drink is the only truth in a fucked up world. Youch. Next up on Sick Sad World…
– He then goes on to complain that he isn’t rich and should have been born into luxury as a non-Parisian because he’s a big whiny baby. However, he mentions children and how those who ask don’t get and those who don’t, do. I think this is particularly striking: what’s a hedonistic drunk like R doing caring about the plight of needy children, especially in relation to himself? Does a certain Grantaire have a bit of childhood bitterness, or even… Sympathy for others!? Heaven forbid! (Also consider that he gives Bossuet 10 sous to give to Gavroche’s friend Navet and tells him to stay in and eat some breakfast as it’s dangerous and wet outside. He also seems to know about different kinds of Parisian urchins. I think R cares about kids, guys.)
– He then points out that he criticises as a means of venting rather than hurting anybody; he’s a self- absorbed lump, but it’s not out of badness or even playing Devil’s Advocate. He says the things he does because he feels he needs to, and his friends seem to be oddly cool with that. That being said, they don’t really pay attention to his whining. The point remains, though: R isn’t an asshole on purpose, apparently. He just kind of is one in certain respects.
– He mentions that he thinks it’s stupid that men should be sensely killing each other and playing out God’s illformed melodrama when they could go frollicking with a lady in a meadow. That’s pretty romantic there, R. Jehan would agree under different circumstances. He also states that he doesn’t hate the Government, but recognises it as being the same old royal shit as always while poking fun at Louis-Philippe. Now THERE’S some pathetic apathy right there.
– He then gets messed up drunk with Joly and Bossuet because he doesn’t have any hash or opium around to fog his mind. Oh R, drugs aren’t cool bro. Also, Joly is a fucking party animal.
– He then shouts about utter bollocks (and how he wishes good people were rich so they could make a difference) until Courfeyrac tells him to shut up. He then calls himself the olde schoole version of ‘MC Grand-R’ and sobers up when he gets told off by Enjolras only to fall asleep.
A+, 10/10 Grantaire. You sure know how to woo a man.
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Thinking about all this, I personally I get serious ‘jaded idealist’ vibes from R as opposed to middle class whining all on its own (although that is a factor). I don’t think he’s even half as apathetic as he claims to be considering how passionate he is about being dispassionate. If he was so apathetic, he wouldn’t hang around and argue with anybody other than Enjolras (or at all), but he pretty much talks to whoever will listen. I honestly think he WANTS them to prove him wrong. That and the guys make him the happiest he seems capable of being. He really seems to treasure them.Tl;dr: R is a self-centred, whiney little git on one hand but he’s also a fundamentally good person who has a genuine problem regarding substance abuse and depression on the other. It’s not right to demonise OR idolise him; he’s just terribly human. He seems to wish for change, but doesn’t trust himself to be the one to make it until the very end where he does it instinctively. He finally listens to his gut and finds out he’s a hero, too.
He made a great man smile in his last moments, and in that way he made all the difference in the world.