Fantine

"Fantine was one of those beings who blossom, so to speak, from the dregs of the people. Though she had emerged from the most unfathomable depths of social shadow, she bore on her brow the sign of the anonymous and the unknown. She was born at M. sur M. Of what parents? Who can say? She had never known father or mother. She was called Fantine. Why Fantine? She had never borne any other name. At the epoch of her birth the Directory still existed. She had no family name; she had no family; no baptismal name; the Church no longer existed. She bore the name which pleased the first random passer-by, who had encountered her, when a very small child, running bare-legged in the street. She received the name as she received the water from the clouds upon her brow when it rained. She was called little Fantine. No one knew more than that. This human creature had entered life in just this way. At the age of ten, Fantine quitted the town and went to service with some farmers in the neighborhood. At fifteen she came to Paris "to seek her fortune." Fantine was beautiful, and remained pure as long as she could. She was a lovely blonde, with fine teeth. She had gold and pearls for her dowry; but her gold was on her head, and her pearls were in her mouth.
"She worked for her living; then, still for the sake of her living,—for the heart, also, has its hunger,—she loved."

She is eventually abandoned by her first love--Tholoymes. Soon afterwards, she has Cosette. Unable to care for her, she leaves Paris to return to where she was born: M. sur M. or Montreuil-sur-mer. On the way she leaves Cosette in the care of the Thenardiers at their tavern in Montfermeil, being led to believe that they are good people.
Fantine finds good work in Jean Valjean's factory, but through misunderstandings and deception she is fired. After trying many other forms of work, but with little success and the Thenardiers demanding more money to help Cosette, she finally feels forced to turn to prostitution.
One day, a drunk dandy throws a snowball at her as she's walking by and she turns in a rage and attacks him. Javert arrives and arrests her.
Jean Valjean also witnesses the incident and asks others what happened, then follows Javert and Fantine to the jail where he hears Fantine pleading for her freedom on behalf of her child. Jean Valjean, as mayor, overrides Javert's authority and takes Fantine to the hospital.
Fantine (who became ill before her fall) is dying, but lives in hope of seeing Cosette again. Unfortunately, at the shock of finding out who Jean Valjean is through Javert, she dies before that day.