--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Inspector Javert, conscience is a higher…" description: "\"“Inspector Javert, conscience is a higher law.”\" — Jean Valjean" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e4/jean-valjean-91869_ethics_inspector-javert-conscience-is-a-higher_1346281.jpg" --- # Inspector Javert, conscience is a higher law. ![“Inspector Javert, conscience is a higher law.” quote by Jean Valjean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e4/jean-valjean-91869_ethics_inspector-javert-conscience-is-a-higher_1346281.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e4/jean-valjean-91869_ethics_inspector-javert-conscience-is-a-higher_1346281.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e4/jean-valjean-91869_ethics_inspector-javert-conscience-is-a-higher_1346281.jpg) > ““Inspector Javert, conscience is a higher law.”” [Jean Valjean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-valjean/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Javert believes conscience is a higher moral authority than law, implying inner ethics should guide actions. **In simple terms:** Conscience outranks law for Javert. Key Takeaway Consider how personal ethics guide decisions. Themes morality law conscience justice inner conflict Mood thoughtful serious reflective Type literary philosophical ethical When to use this quote - courtroom - personal dilemma - social reform - education - activism Key Concepts philosophy ethics literature character study duty Questions to Reflect On - How do you resolve conflicts between law and conscience? What role should conscience play in society? A Different Perspective Law may conflict with personal morality, causing tension. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) [Conscience Higher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience-higher-2764005/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Higher law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher-law/) [Inspector Javert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspector-javert-4563393/) [Javert Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/javert-conscience-1536213/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) ## Related quotes > [“One can say that Javert is our conscience. The ever lurking presence of the law and our own condemnation. The tension between who we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiane-serruya/one-can-say-that-javert-is-our-conscience-the-ever-lurking-presence/) [Cristiane Serruya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiane-serruya/) > [“Right conscience and at the higher level conscientious deeds (spirituality) is the order of civilised and society-responsible men”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyavrat-thareja/right-conscience-and-at-the-higher-level-conscientious-deeds/) [Priyavrat Thareja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyavrat-thareja/) > [The only safe and honorable course for a self-respecting man is to do what I have decided to do, that is, to submit without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-only-safe-and-honorable-course-for-a-self-respecting-man-is-to-do/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Nonviolence is the law of our species as violence is the law of the brute. The spirit lies dormant in the brute, and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/nonviolence-is-the-law-of-our-species-as-violence-is-the-law-of-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [But the creative person is subject to a different, higher law than mere national law. Whoever has to create a work, whoever has tobring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/but-the-creative-person-is-subject-to-a-different-higher-law-than/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [To be risen with Christ means not only that one has a choice and that one may live by a higher law - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/to-be-risen-with-christ-means-not-only-that-one-has-a-choice-and-that/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [The constitution regulates our stewardship; the constitution devotes the domain to union, to justice, to defense, to welfare, and to liberty. But there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-seward/the-constitution-regulates-our-stewardship-the-constitution-devotes/) [William H. Seward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-seward/) > [The dignity of man requires obedience to a higher law, to the strength of the spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-dignity-of-man-requires-obedience-to-a-higher-law-to-the-strength/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Love is the higher law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/love-is-the-higher-law/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [Going around this country, I have found a great hunger in America for spiritual revival; for a belief that law must be based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/going-around-this-country-i-have-found-a-great-hunger-in-america-for/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [But there is a higher law than the Constitution, which regulates our authority over the domain, and devotes it to the same noble purposes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-seward/but-there-is-a-higher-law-than-the-constitution-which-regulates-our/) [William H. Seward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-seward/) > [Who would give a law to lovers? Love is unto itself a higher law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boethius/who-would-give-a-law-to-lovers-love-is-unto-itself-a-higher-law/) [Boethius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boethius/) > [There is a higher law than the law of government. That's the law of conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stokely-carmichael/there-is-a-higher-law-than-the-law-of-government-that-s-the-law-of/) [Stokely Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stokely-carmichael/) > [Morality is always higher than law and we cannot forget this ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/morality-is-always-higher-than-law-and-we-cannot-forget-this-ever/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [“I may wish to return to my home in England, and I stand in New York, but ever since I was born I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-ian-thomas/i-may-wish-to-return-to-my-home-in-england-and-i-stand-in-new-york/) [W. Ian Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-ian-thomas/) ## More by Jean Valjean > [Take my hand And lead me to salvation Take my love For love is everlasting And remember The truth that once was spoken To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-valjean/take-my-hand-and-lead-me-to-salvation-take-my-love-for-love-is/) [Jean Valjean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-valjean/) [Explore all 2 Jean Valjean quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-valjean/) ## More Conscience quotes > [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [“Knowledge without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabelaise/knowledge-without-conscience-is-but-the-ruin-of-the-soul/) [Rabelaise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabelaise/) > [Writing adds up to the conscience of our times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/writing-adds-up-to-the-conscience-of-our-times/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) > [Let us be thankful for health and competence, and, above all, for a quiet conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/let-us-be-thankful-for-health-and-competence-and-above-all-for-a/) [Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/) > [Making money doesn't oblige people to forfeit their honor or their conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-rothschild/making-money-doesn-t-oblige-people-to-forfeit-their-honor-or-their/) [Guy de Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-rothschild/) > [“If we cannot be happy and powerful and prey on others, we invent conscience and prey on ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/if-we-cannot-be-happy-and-powerful-and-prey-on-others-we-invent/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [The God in whose hands are all our days and ways, did cast into my hand one day a book of Martin Luthers; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/the-god-in-whose-hands-are-all-our-days-and-ways-did-cast-into-my/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [My morals are important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-parrish/my-morals-are-important-to-me/) [Hunter Parrish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-parrish/) > [Being tolerant does not mean that I share another ones belief. But it does mean that I acknowledge another ones right to believe, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-frankl/being-tolerant-does-not-mean-that-i-share-another-ones-belief-but-it/) [Viktor Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-frankl/) > [Never can true courage dwell with them, Who, playing tricks with conscience, dare not look At their own vices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/never-can-true-courage-dwell-with-them-who-playing-tricks-with/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [I've worked with people who are much further to the left than I am and much further to the right than I am. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/i-ve-worked-with-people-who-are-much-further-to-the-left-than-i-am/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [If all the world hated you and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved of you and absolved you from guilt, you would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/if-all-the-world-hated-you-and-believed-you-wicked-while-your-own/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [ \[D\]on't grow old. With age comes caution, which is another name for cowardice… Whatever else you do in life, don't cultivate a conscience. Without… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hesketh-pearson/d-on-t-grow-old-with-age-comes-caution-which-is-another-name-for/) [Hesketh Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hesketh-pearson/) [Browse all 3,490 Conscience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Inspector Javert, conscience is a higher law.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jean Valjean" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-valjean/inspector-javert-conscience-is-a-higher-law/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Conscience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-valjean/inspector-javert-conscience-is-a-higher-law/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e4/jean-valjean-91869_ethics_inspector-javert-conscience-is-a-higher_1346281.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e4/jean-valjean-91869_ethics_inspector-javert-conscience-is-a-higher_1346281.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e4/jean-valjean-91869_ethics_inspector-javert-conscience-is-a-higher_1346281.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Inspector Javert, conscience is a higher law.” — Jean Valjean", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jean Valjean", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-valjean/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Inspector Javert, conscience is a higher...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-valjean/inspector-javert-conscience-is-a-higher-law/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-valjean/inspector-javert-conscience-is-a-higher-law/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```