Les Misérables · Chapter
Napoleon in a Good Humor explained
The chapter describes Napoleon's unusually cheerful and confident mood on the morning of the Battle of Waterloo, June 18, 1815.
What happens
The chapter describes Napoleon's unusually cheerful and confident mood on the morning of the Battle of Waterloo, June 18, 1815. Despite physical discomfort and the previous night's rain, he jokes with his generals, dictates the order of battle, and expresses optimism about defeating Wellington. The narrative also details the terrain of the battlefield, including a hidden hollow road that would prove deadly.
Themes in this chapter
The Human Condition and Fate
Napoleon's misplaced confidence and the irony of his joy before disaster illustrate the theme of fate's unpredictability and human error.
Suffering and Sacrifice
The chapter foreshadows the immense suffering of the battle, with soldiers wet, hungry, and sleep-deprived, and the plain becoming a sepulchre for France.
Characters to notice
- Napoleon
Depicted in a rare jovial mood, jesting with generals and confident of victory before the Battle of Waterloo.
Key passages
“The Emperor, though ill and discommoded on horseback by a local trouble, had never been in a better humor than on that day.”
Despite being sick and uncomfortable riding due to a physical ailment, Napoleon was in an exceptionally good mood that day.
Highlights Napoleon's paradoxical cheerfulness before a catastrophic battle.
“He said: 'It is the rearguard of the English getting under way for the purpose of decamping. I will take prisoners the six thousand English who have just arrived at Ostend.'”
Napoleon mistakenly believed the English were retreating and boasted he would capture the newly arrived English troops.
Shows Napoleon's overconfidence and misjudgment of the enemy's movements.
“The Emperor jested with Ney, who said, 'Wellington will not be so simple as to wait for Your Majesty.'”
Napoleon joked with Marshal Ney, who commented that Wellington would not be foolish enough to face Napoleon in battle.
Illustrates the generals' underestimation of Wellington's resolve.