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Enjolras is a young revolutionary, an eloquent speaker, and a leader who organizes the Friends of ABC. As "both thinker and man of action," Enjolras is a fierce "soldier of democracy," as well as a defender of the ideals of liberty and progress. He "had [the French Revolution] in his blood as though he had been there," and serves as a symbol of rebellion, dissent, and the unyielding pursuit of social justice.
Enjolras's background is key. He comes from an extremely wealthy family and could easily live a comfortable life, turning a blind eye to the struggles of the impoverished. He is different from friends like Bahorel or Bossuet, who come from poor, working-class backgrounds and face the harsh reality of systemic inequality in France. However, Enjolras's spirit is outraged by the corruption surrounding him and he vows to devote his life to the revolution. His devotion is absolute and as "a marble lover of Liberty," he maintains a one-track mind and is unconcerned with anything that does not directly relate to his ideals. One night, his comrades joke that he is the only one of their group without a mistress. Completely uninterested in love and women, Enolras mutters "Patria," signifying that his sole devotion is to France.
Enjolras's unswerving approach leads to a disconnect between him and fellow society-member Grantaire, who serves as Enjolras's foil. The two men are true opposites and yet Grantaire, the non-believer, is drawn to Enjolras, the most ardent of believers. Their juxtaposition emphasizes the contrast between things like doubt and faith, skepticism and belief, passion and indifference. Enjolras does not understand Grantaire's unwavering loyalty to him because he cannot fathom devoting one's life to a person rather than a cause.
The two men die side by side, Enjolras for the revolution and Grantaire for Enjolras, their fates intertwined in a final act of devotion. Enjolras faces his death bravely, refusing a blindfold and remaining fearless until his final moments. His role as a martyr ties into larger themes about the inevitable triumph of progress and liberty over injustice. There will always be those who rise up against tyranny and oppression. Though Enjolras and his comrades die, the values they believed in do not, just as the idea of progress did not die with Marius’s father’s generation. This continuation of revolutionary spirit implies that a new generation of dissenters will make their voices heard even after Enjolas and his contemporaries have given their lives for the cause.
