Who Javert is
Javert is a police inspector whose life rests on an unbending belief in the law. He is born in a prison and later works as a guard at Toulon, where he knows Jean Valjean. He is honest and tireless, but his understanding of justice leaves no room for mercy.
What Javert wants
Javert wants to enforce the law, and he regards Valjean's past as a permanent mark against him. When he encounters the mayor known as Monsieur Madeleine, he suspects a connection with the former prisoner. His pursuit grows from sincere duty rather than corruption, which makes his certainty especially troubling.
Javert and the others in the story
Valjean and Javert stand for different ideas about what justice should do. Valjean's experience of the bishop's kindness opens a path toward change, while Javert trusts punishment and fixed rules.
Their disagreement becomes open when Madeleine intervenes after Javert arrests Fantine following a confrontation in the street. Javert cannot accept the mayor's interference, and his determination to uncover the man's identity deepens.
Questions
Who is Javert in Les Misérables?
Javert is the police inspector who hunts Jean Valjean and treats obedience to the law as an absolute duty.
Why does Javert pursue Jean Valjean?
He believes Valjean's criminal past defines him permanently, regardless of the good he does under a new name.
Is Javert a villain?
Hugo does not present him simply as a villain. He is sincere and incorruptible, but his refusal to allow mercy brings him into conflict with Valjean.