Les Misérables · Chapter
Philosophy After Drinking explained
A senator, a clever but cynical man, debates philosophy with Bishop Myriel during a dinner.
What happens
A senator, a clever but cynical man, debates philosophy with Bishop Myriel during a dinner. The senator espouses a materialistic worldview, denying God, immortality, and moral absolutes, advocating for enjoyment and self-interest. The Bishop listens and then wryly praises materialism as a convenient philosophy for the rich, while noting that the poor are left with belief in God.
Themes in this chapter
The Human Condition and Fate
The senator argues that life is merely a choice between suffering and enjoyment, with death as final nothingness, contrasting with the Bishop's implicit belief in a higher purpose.
Social Injustice and Poverty
The Bishop critiques the senator's materialism as a philosophy for the rich, while the poor are left with religious consolation, highlighting class-based disparities in belief.
Characters to notice
- Monseigneur Bienvenu
The Bishop engages in a philosophical debate with the senator, listening patiently and then offering a pointed critique of materialism.
Key passages
“I have a philosophy of my own.”
The senator claims to have developed his own personal philosophical system.
This sets up the central debate of the chapter.
“As one makes one’s philosophy, so one lies on it. You are on the bed of purple, senator.”
The Bishop responds that one's philosophy reflects one's life, and the senator's philosophy suits his luxurious existence.
The Bishop subtly critiques the senator's self-serving worldview.
“The good God is good for the populace.”
The senator believes that religion is only suitable for the common people, not for the elite like himself.
This reveals the senator's cynical view of faith as a tool for social control.
“What an excellent and really marvellous thing is this materialism! ... You great lords have, so you say, a philosophy of your own, and for yourselves, which is exquisite, refined, accessible to the rich alone, good for all sauces, and which seasons the voluptuousness of life admirably.”
The Bishop ironically praises materialism as a convenient philosophy for the wealthy, allowing them to enjoy life without moral qualms.
The Bishop exposes the selfishness of the senator's philosophy.