Les Misérables · Chapter
V: Monseigneur Bienvenu Made His Cassocks Last Too Long explained
This chapter describes the private life of M.
What happens
This chapter describes the private life of M. Myriel, the Bishop of Digne, emphasizing his voluntary poverty, his daily routine of prayer, work, and visiting the poor and rich alike. It details his frugal meals, his habit of wearing a wadded purple cloak to make his cassocks last, and his scholarly pursuits, including writing theological dissertations and meditative notes. The chapter paints a portrait of a humble, compassionate, and intellectually engaged bishop.
Themes in this chapter
Suffering and Sacrifice
The Bishop's voluntary poverty and frugal living, including making his cassocks last too long and eating simple meals, exemplify personal sacrifice for the sake of humility and service to others.
Love and Compassion
The Bishop's daily visits to the poor and afflicted, his blessing of children and the elderly, and his habit of visiting the rich when he has no money for the poor demonstrate his deep compassion and love for all people.
Characters to notice
- Monseigneur Bienvenu
The Bishop of Digne, depicted in his daily life of poverty, prayer, work, and charity. He meditates, writes, visits the needy, and maintains a frugal lifestyle.
- Mademoiselle Baptistine
The Bishop's sister, who dines with him and converses after supper before retiring for the night.
- Madame Magloire
The Bishop's servant, who serves meals and takes advantage of a curé's visit to prepare a better meal for the Bishop.
Key passages
“The voluntary poverty in which the Bishop of Digne lived, would have been a solemn and charming sight for anyone who could have viewed it close at hand.”
The Bishop of Digne's chosen poverty was both serious and beautiful to witness up close.
Highlights the Bishop's deliberate embrace of poverty as a virtuous and admirable lifestyle.
“He visited the poor so long as he had any money; when he no longer had any, he visited the rich.”
He would visit the poor while he still had money to give, and when his funds ran out, he would call on the wealthy.
Illustrates the Bishop's practical approach to charity and his reliance on the rich for support when his own resources were exhausted.
“Oh, you who are! Ecclesiastes calls you the All-powerful; the Maccabees call you the Creator; the Epistle to the Ephesians calls you liberty; Baruch calls you Immensity; the Psalms call you Wisdom and Truth; John calls you Light; the Books of Kings call you Lord; Exodus calls you Providence; Leviticus, Sanctity; Esdras, Justice; the creation calls you God; man calls you Father; but Solomon calls you Compassion, and that is the most beautiful of all your names.”
You who exist are called by many names in scripture—All-powerful, Creator, Liberty, Immensity, Wisdom, Truth, Light, Lord, Providence, Sanctity, Justice, God, Father—but the most beautiful name is Compassion, as Solomon says.
This note from the Bishop's marginalia reveals his theological reflection that compassion is the highest attribute of the divine.