Javert

Javert
Les Misérables character
Javert – illustration from original publication of Les Misérables, after a painting by Gustave Brion
Created by	Victor Hugo
In-universe information
Gender	Male
Occupation	Prison guard Police inspector Detective
Religion	Catholic
Nationality	French

Javert (French pronunciation: [ʒavɛʁ]), no first name given in the source novel, is a fictional character and a main antagonist of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel Les Misérables. He was presumably born in 1780 and died on June 7, 1832. First a prison guard, and then a police inspector, his character is defined by his legalist tendencies, authoritarian worldview, and lack of empathy for criminals of all forms. In the novel, he persecutes the protagonist Jean Valjean after his violation of parole and theft from the child Petit Gervais.