Les Misérables · Chapter
VI: Four O'Clock in the Afternoon explained
At four o'clock in the afternoon, the English army is in serious condition.
What happens
At four o'clock in the afternoon, the English army is in serious condition. The Prince of Orange commands the center, Hill the right wing, and Picton the left wing, but Picton is dead. Hougomont is on fire, La Haie-Sainte has been taken, and many flags and soldiers have been lost. Wellington reinforces the center, summoning Hill and Chassé, and positions his troops on the plateau of Mont-Saint-Jean. Despite the peril, Wellington remains impassive on horseback, and the English line begins to draw back, prompting Napoleon to declare the beginning of retreat.
Themes in this chapter
Suffering and Sacrifice
The chapter details the immense casualties and destruction, including the massacre of three thousand combatants in a barn and the deaths of numerous officers and soldiers.
The Human Condition and Fate
The battle's unfolding events highlight the uncertainty and fatalism of war, as Wellington remains impassive while his troops fall and the line retreats.
Characters to notice
- Jean Valjean
Not directly present in this chapter; the chapter focuses on the Battle of Waterloo.
Key passages
“Towards four o’clock the condition of the English army was serious.”
By four in the afternoon, the English army was in a critical state.
Sets the time and tone for the chapter's depiction of the battle's turning point.
“The battle had, for Wellington, two bases of action, Hougomont and La Haie-Sainte; Hougomont still held out, but was on fire; La Haie-Sainte was taken.”
Wellington's defense relied on Hougomont and La Haie-Sainte; Hougomont was burning but still held, while La Haie-Sainte had fallen.
Highlights the loss of key defensive positions.
“Wellington, uneasy but impassive, was on horseback, and there remained the whole day in the same attitude, a little in advance of the old mill of Mont-Saint-Jean.”
Wellington, though anxious, stayed calm and motionless on horseback all day near the old mill of Mont-Saint-Jean.
Illustrates Wellington's stoic leadership under pressure.
“Towards four o’clock, the English line drew back. Suddenly nothing was visible on the crest of the plateau except the artillery and the sharpshooters; the rest had disappeared.”
Around four o'clock, the English line retreated, leaving only artillery and sharpshooters visible on the plateau's crest.
Describes the moment of retreat that Napoleon interprets as the beginning of the end.