Les Misérables · Chapter
Blondeau’s Funeral Oration by Bossuet explained
Laigle de Meaux (Bossuet) spots Marius Pontmercy in a cabriolet and explains how he saved Marius from being erased from the law-school roll by answering for him, only to be erased himself.
What happens
Laigle de Meaux (Bossuet) spots Marius Pontmercy in a cabriolet and explains how he saved Marius from being erased from the law-school roll by answering for him, only to be erased himself. Courfeyrac then invites Marius to stay at his lodging.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Rising action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
Marius’s psychological peak occurs as he is overwhelmed by a “whirlwind” of confusion, realizing that his pers…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- The Human Condition and Fate
Bossuet's casual sacrifice of his own academic standing to save a stranger highlights the whims of fate and the absurdity of rigid systems.
Characters to notice
- Bossuet
Laigle de Meaux, who calls himself Bossuet; he spots Marius and recounts the roll-call incident.
- Marius Pontmercy
Just left his grandfather's; is in a cabriolet and learns of Bossuet's sacrifice.
- Courfeyrac
Emerges from the Café Musain and offers Marius a place to stay.
Key passages
“To lean one’s back against a thing is equivalent to lying down while standing erect, which attitude is not hated by thinkers.”
Leaning against something is like standing while lying down, a pose favored by contemplative people.
Describes Bossuet's relaxed posture at the café.
“I was close to the desk to reply, and close to the door for the purpose of flight.”
I sat near the desk to answer the roll and near the door to escape quickly.
Bossuet explains his strategic seating during the roll-call.
