Les Misérables · Chapter
V: Divers Claps of Thunder Fall on Ma’am Bougon explained
Marius, now wearing his new coat daily, returns to the Luxembourg garden for three consecutive days, sitting on his usual bench to watch a young girl in a white bonnet and black dress accompanied by M.
What happens
Marius, now wearing his new coat daily, returns to the Luxembourg garden for three consecutive days, sitting on his usual bench to watch a young girl in a white bonnet and black dress accompanied by M. Leblanc. Ma'am Bougon is astonished and frustrated by his new habit. Over a fortnight, Marius becomes fixated on the girl, noting her melancholy gaze and merry smile, though he never approaches her.
Themes in this chapter
The Human Condition and Fate
Marius's inexplicable compulsion to return to the same spot daily reflects the mysterious pull of fate and human longing.
Characters to notice
- Marius Pontmercy
Obsessively returns to the Luxembourg garden in his new coat to watch the young girl from a distance.
- Ma'am Bougon
Thunderstruck and furious at Marius's new habit of going out in his best coat three days in a row.
- M. Leblanc
Accompanies the young girl to the Luxembourg garden, observed by Marius.
- Ursule
The young girl in white bonnet and black dress, noted for her melancholy gaze and merry smile.
Key passages
“On the following day, Ma’am Bougon, as Courfeyrac styled the old portress-principal-tenant, housekeeper of the Gorbeau hovel, Ma’am Bougon, whose name was, in reality, Madame Burgon, as we have found out, but this iconoclast, Courfeyrac, respected nothing—Ma’am Bougon observed, with stupefaction, that M. Marius was going out again in his new coat.”
The next day, Ma'am Bougon—the old landlady of the Gorbeau tenement, whom Courfeyrac irreverently called Ma'am Bougon, though her real name was Madame Burgon—was astonished to see Marius leaving again in his new coat.
Introduces Ma'am Bougon's character and her reaction to Marius's changed behavior.
“She tried to follow him, but Marius walked briskly, and with immense strides; it was a hippopotamus undertaking the pursuit of a chamois.”
She attempted to follow him, but Marius walked so fast with long strides that it was like a hippopotamus chasing a mountain goat.
Humorous simile illustrating Ma'am Bougon's futile attempt to spy on Marius.
“The only remark approaching a criticism, that could be made, was, that the contradiction between her gaze, which was melancholy, and her smile, which was merry, gave a rather wild effect to her face, which sometimes caused this sweet countenance to become strange without ceasing to be charming.”
The only possible criticism was that the contrast between her sad eyes and cheerful smile gave her face a wild quality, making her sweet appearance seem strange yet still lovely.
Describes the young girl's paradoxical beauty that captivates Marius.