Prologue: What Have I Done? Lyrics – Les Miserables

Song Overview

Song Credits

• Featuring: Colm Wilkinson
• Producer: Alain Boublil; Claude-Michel Schönberg
• Composer & Lyricist: Claude-Michel Schönberg; Alain Boublil; Herbert Kretzmer
• Release Date: 1985
• Genre: Musical Theater; West End
• Language: English
• Track #: 3
• Album: Les Misérables (Original 1985 London Cast Recording)
• Label: First Night Records

Song Meaning and Annotations

In the opening prologue of Les Misérables, Jean Valjean’s inner monologue crackles in the darkness—“What have I done? Sweet Jesus, what have I done?”—as he confronts years spent as convict 24601. He recalls stealing a single loaf of bread to feed his starving family, an act that branded him a criminal and left him “murdered” by the system. The verses trace his journey from helpless thief to bitter misanthrope, forced to see the world as an unrelenting current dragging him nowhere.

Then the Bishop’s mercy appears like a shaft of light: by treating Valjean as “brother,” he offers forgiveness instead of the lash. That one gesture—one word from the priest—becomes the knife that cuts through Valjean’s shame, teaching him that grace can be stronger than vengeance. The song text even borrows the Old Testament’s “eye for an eye” law, only to upend it with New Testament compassion, illustrating how divine love can reshape a hardened heart.

The prologue’s melody is mirrored in Act II’s “Javert’s Suicide,” casting both men in a moral duet. Where Valjean’s plea swells with rebirth, Javert’s final soliloquy twists the same tune into despair. This symmetry underlines their ideological clash—mercy pitted against unbending law—while giving the listener a sense that both journeys orbit the same spiritual axis.

By the end, Valjean tears up his yellow ticket-of-leave, a vivid image of self-resurrection. He rejects the life of crime and the identity forced on him, declaring that “another story must begin.” It’s a powerful act of agency—he isn’t simply pardoned; he chooses to become a new man.

“They gave me a number and murdered Valjean”

This line equates depersonalization with execution—stripped of his name, Valjean becomes a ghost until mercy breathes life back into him.

“One word from him and I'd be back beneath the lash… Instead he offers me my freedom”

The bishop’s kindness stands in stark relief to the cruelty Valjean has known, showing that a single act of grace can shatter a lifetime of hate.

“I am reaching, but I fall and the night is closing in”

Valjean’s confession of weakness captures the tension between his desire to change and the weight of years spent in darkness.

Stealing to Survive

Valjean’s first crime—taking bread to feed his family—is not betrayal, but necessity. That moment in Hugo’s novel where he weeps, calling out “I was a tree-pruner at Faverolles,” reveals his ordinary roots and the injustice that transformed him into a fugitive.

Mercy as Catalyst

When the Bishop treats him as an equal—saying “you are called my brother”—he ignites Valjean’s soul. This condensed dialogue from the book shows how respect and compassion can awaken a conscience long buried under prison bars.

Biblical Resonance

References to Exodus (“eye for an eye”) and the New Testament (“turn the other cheek”) frame Valjean’s conversion as both legal and spiritual. He learns that forgiveness, not retribution, holds the power to rebuild a life.

Mirror with Javert

The prologue shares its tune with Javert’s suicide, highlighting their intertwined fates. Valjean finds redemption in the melody; Javert finds only despair—proof that mercy and law can clash catastrophically.

Rebirth through Ruin

Tearing up the yellow ticket is Valjean’s declaration of independence. It’s a literal and metaphorical shredding of his convict past, signaling the start of a new chapter.

Similar Songs

1. Bring Him Home by Colm Wilkinson
   Both songs showcase Wilkinson’s plaintive tenor against sparse accompaniment, building from solemn reflection to a sweeping orchestral climax. In “Bring Him Home,” Valjean prays for Marius’s safety; here he grapples with his own fate. Each number turns simple verses into profound confessions of faith and love.
2. Javert’s Suicide: Soliloquy by Philip Quast
   Sharing the same melody, these two soliloquies stand as emotional inverses. Valjean’s prologue finds hope in forgiveness, while Javert’s finale descends into self-destruction. Together they form a dramatic duet of mercy versus rigidity.
3. Who Am I? by Colm Wilkinson
   This later song continues Valjean’s journey, questioning how to use his freedom for good. Both pieces use soaring choruses and intimate verses to explore identity, destiny, and the power of a name reclaimed from obscurity.

Questions and Answers

Why does Valjean call himself a thief and a dog?

He’s haunted by years of harsh treatment in prison, forced into crime and stripped of his humanity.

What does the bishop’s mercy symbolize?

Compassion’s power to transform: one act of grace reignites Valjean’s faith in himself and others.

How is this song linked to Javert’s Suicide?

They share the same tune, creating a musical mirror between redemption and ruin.

What’s the significance of tearing the ticket-of-leave?

It marks Valjean’s rejection of his convict identity and his commitment to a new life.

Which biblical themes appear here?

Retributive justice (“eye for an eye”) and New Testament forgiveness (“turn the other cheek”) underlie his spiritual awakening.

Awards and Chart Positions

• 1985 Olivier Award for Best New Musical
• 1985 Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in a Musical
• 1987 Tony Award for Best Musical
• 1987 Tony Award for Best Original Score
• 1987 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical