What is the main conflict in 'Confrontation'?

It pits law versus mercy, with Javert's rigid adherence to justice clashing against Valjean’s newfound compassion.

Why does Valjean ask for three days from Javert?

Valjean begs for time to rescue Fantine's orphaned daughter, Cosette, before facing arrest, embodying his redemption arc.

Why is the number 24601 significant?

It’s Valjean’s prison number, symbolizing how Javert sees him not as a man but as a criminal statistic, never to be redeemed.

What musical techniques enhance the tension in the song?

Sharp, percussive orchestration, dueling vocal lines, and sudden key shifts all build a relentless sense of urgency.

How does 'Confrontation' foreshadow later events in Les Misérables?

It previews the final, tragic collision between Valjean’s mercy and Javert’s unyielding code, culminating in Javert’s own existential downfall.

Confrontation Lyrics — Les Miserables Musical

Song Overview

Confrontation Lyrics video by Roger Allam & Colm Wilkinson — Roger Allam & Colm Wilkinson are singing the 'Confrontation' lyrics in the music video.

Song Credits

Producers: Alain Boublil & Claude-Michel Schönberg
Composers: Claude-Michel Schönberg, Herbert Kretzmer & Alain Boublil
Release Date: 1985
Genre: Pop, West End Musical
Album: Les Misérables (Original 1985 London Cast Recording)
Language: English
Instruments: Orchestra, Vocals
Mood: Dramatic, Tense, Heroic
Music Style: Theatrical, Orchestral, Operatic
Hashtags: #LesMiserables #Confrontation #MusicalTheatre #Broadway

Lyrics Analysis and Meaning

Roger Allam & Colm Wilkinson performing song Confrontation — Performance of 'Confrontation' by Roger Allam & Colm Wilkinson in the music video.

In "Who Am I – The Trial," Valjean confesses to Javert and a court of law that he is the former prisoner 24601. After Fantine's death, Javert returns to the scene and confronts Valjean face-to-face. Javert has been influenced by Valjean's persona as the mayor since his arrival in "Fantine's Arrest." Javert's loyalty to authority figures makes him unable to trust his instincts about Valjean's strength in "The Runaway Cart." After a long time of pursuing Valjean, Javert finally confronts him without being fooled by his change in appearance and status. He sees Valjean as the "plain" prisoner he is, not the respectable, wealthy citizen he has pretended to be. In medieval Europe, government and religious officials often wore livery collars or chains of office to mark their status to the citizenry. In this case, Valjean's mayor of Montreuil, Javert promises that Valjean will wear prison chains again. Modern mayoral chains are primarily British, possibly an anachronism from British lyricist Herbert Kretzmer. In the second half of "chain," Javert's lowest note in the show, reaching an F2, requires a strong lower range from the performer. This is due to the lighter voice of a tenor generally being unsuitable for Javert, making him unable to reproduce notes above a whisper. After years of running from Javert, Valjean is cornered once again. His knowledge of Javert's character influences his way of speaking to the man, trying to head him off before he gets up a full head of steam. His bitterness over his experience with imprisonment also creeps into his choice of words. Les Misearables is a play that highlights the hypocrisy of institutions meant to protect and rehabilitate the poor, when they are divorced from the Christian/humanitarian practice of mercy and compassion. The play revolves around the character Javert, who is self-righteous, unfeeling, and misguided. He is the personification of the law every time Valjean is taken down or dehumanized, and his belief in the inability to change is evident throughout the show. In "Fantine's Death," Valjean receives explicit permission from Fantine to take guardianship of Cosette, a serious legal agreement. However, Javert knows that Fantine could have fabricated her sickly child and refuses to believe her in "Fantine's Arrest," leading him to believe that Cosette is suffering from abuse and neglect at the hands of her innkeeper guardians. This narrative ambiguity works both from the characters' present understanding of the situation and from the narrative perspective of the overall plot. Javert's morals differ from Valjean's, as he believes that once one sins or commits any type of felony, one remains a bad person and cannot be redeemed. This leads to crisis and death, as he cannot come to terms with the concept that someone he considered a criminal showed himself to be a good person, possibly better than Javert himself. The destruction of Javert's entire worldview and his suicide are examples of the difference in morals between the two characters. Javert's lines in this early portion of their counterpoint argument are extremely brief and repetitive, mirroring his character's belief over and over to the point of fanaticism. This dangerous lack of flexibility adds tension to the scene and signals that Valjean will not be able to talk his way around the obstacle Javert poses. This lack of flexibility also lays the foundations for later developments in Javert's character, hinting that this belief is a pillar of his identity and that if he was forced to question it, his entire worldview might start to crumble. The play's ending is a foreshadowing of the rest of the play, as if Valjean is captured here and now, the rest of the play would turn out very differently. In addition, the idea carries throughout the rest of the musical: Javert gets close to catching Valjean, but Valjean manages to escape.

Javert’s background is colored by hardship: his father was a galley slave, his mother a Roma fortune teller. Ashamed of his roots, Javert grows into a man consumed by a hatred for society’s outcasts and an unwavering devotion to authority. His loathing for crime and criminals seems rooted in the bitter disappointment that his parents never gave up their criminal ways.

Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables draws inspiration from Eugène François Vidocq, the French criminal who reinvented himself as a law enforcer. In the novel, the young Jean Valjean relies on cunning to outwit the law, while Javert, older and relentless, hunts criminals with dogged determination. Early in the story, Valjean’s fierce threats stand in stark contrast to his later choice at the barricade, when he holds Javert’s life in his hands — and spares it.

At first, Valjean is ready to kill to protect Fantine and Cosette, but when it comes to Javert, he holds back, even though it would bring him freedom. In some stage versions, Valjean moves toward a stunned Javert as if to strike, only to retreat and vanish in search of Cosette, suggesting his violent stance was a bluff meant to buy time.

Both men act out of a sense of duty — Valjean to Fantine’s dying wish, Javert to his unshakable oath to uphold the law. Each sees his mission as necessary, yet they chillingly mirror each other, both vowing: “I swear to you, I will be there.”

In some interpretations, Valjean pauses over Javert’s unconscious body before fleeing, hinting that he wrestles with the idea of ending it all, but ultimately, Fantine’s wish prevails. This moment sharpens the contrast between them: Javert’s world revolves around punishment, while Valjean is moved by loyalty and love.

The Collision of Duty and Redemption

Before you chain me up like a slave again / Listen to me, there is something I must do

When Roger Allam and Colm Wilkinson hurl their verses across the orchestra's tempest, it’s not merely a battle of voices. It’s a symphony of ideologies clashing like titans. "Confrontation" captures a pivotal moment in *Les Misérables* — a volcanic encounter where Inspector Javert’s cold, granite sense of law squares off against Jean Valjean’s newly discovered humanity. The production paints Javert with austere strings and stern brass, emphasizing his unyielding worldview: law above all, mercy be damned. Javert spits out,

Men like you can never change

— a mantra that echoes like a prison bell.

Language of Defiance and Desperation

Notice how the song text is laced with visceral imagery: chains, slavery, suffering children. It evokes the imagery of battlefields and martyrdom. When Valjean proclaims,

If I have to kill you here, I'll do what must be done

, the song’s temperature rises to a boiling, desperate crescendo — the musical equivalent of a man cornered, but undefeated.

Historical and Musical Context

Set against the roiling unrest of post-revolutionary France, "Confrontation" channels the ethos of a society still simmering in the ashes of its revolution. Musically, it fuses traditional theatrical motifs with the operatic grandiosity of 1980s London stages, making it a piece that’s both dated and immortal — much like the barricades it foreshadows.

Similar Songs

Thumbnail from Confrontation lyric video by Roger Allam & Colm Wilkinson — A screenshot from the 'Confrontation' music video.

"The Trial Before Pilate" – Andrew Lloyd Webber (from *Jesus Christ Superstar*)
This face-off between Jesus and Pontius Pilate mirrors "Confrontation" in its grandiosity and moral ambiguity. Like Valjean and Javert, Jesus and Pilate clash over duty and divine purpose, drenched in operatic strings and emotional crescendos.
"No Good Deed" – Idina Menzel (from *Wicked*)
Here, Elphaba wrestles with the futility of trying to be good — a solo battle that echoes Valjean’s desperation. Both songs unleash a torrent of vocal pyrotechnics, anguish, and existential questioning.
"Gethsemane (I Only Want to Say)" – Ted Neeley (from *Jesus Christ Superstar*)
Much like Valjean, Jesus pleads for understanding, grappling with an unstoppable destiny. The emotional stakes, the soaring vocals, the sheer exhaustion — all mark it as a spiritual cousin to "Confrontation."

Questions and Answers

Scene from Confrontation track by Roger Allam & Colm Wilkinson — Visual effects scene from 'Confrontation'.

What is the main conflict in "Confrontation"?: It pits law versus mercy, with Javert's rigid adherence to justice clashing against Valjean’s newfound compassion.
Why does Valjean ask for three days from Javert?: Valjean begs for time to rescue Fantine's orphaned daughter, Cosette, before facing arrest, embodying his redemption arc.
Why is the number 24601 significant?: It’s Valjean’s prison number, symbolizing how Javert sees him not as a man but as a criminal statistic, never to be redeemed.
What musical techniques enhance the tension in the song?: Sharp, percussive orchestration, dueling vocal lines, and sudden key shifts all build a relentless sense of urgency.
How does "Confrontation" foreshadow later events in Les Misérables?: It previews the final, tragic collision between Valjean’s mercy and Javert’s unyielding code, culminating in Javert’s own existential downfall.

Fan and Media Reactions

"Chills every time Valjean sings 'There is power in me yet!' Colm Wilkinson is untouchable." — MusicalMadness89

"The raw hatred Javert has is palpable. Roger Allam brings a terrifying dignity to it." — StageDoorFandom

"Best confrontation in musical theatre history. The orchestra punches you in the chest!" — BroadwayBeat

"You feel like you're witnessing a heavyweight boxing match with violins." — PlaybillObsessed

"No matter how many times I watch, that final vow from Valjean destroys me." — LesMizForever

Confrontation Lyrics - Les Miserables