# VIII: The Emperor Puts a Question to the Guide Lacoste explained — Les Misérables

> Chapter companion for Les Misérables by Victor Hugo.

## What happens

Napoleon surveys the battlefield of Waterloo with confidence, observing the various engagements and setbacks, and ultimately decides to order Milhaud's cuirassiers to carry the tableland of Mont-Saint-Jean, believing victory is at hand.

## Themes in this chapter

### The Human Condition and Fate

Napoleon's contemplation of destiny and his belief in a connivance of events reflects the theme of fate and the human condition in the face of war.

### Suffering and Sacrifice

The chapter details the immense casualties and suffering of soldiers, such as the fifteen hundred men killed in the orchard of Hougomont and eighteen hundred men at La Haie-Sainte.

## Key lines

> Napoleon was accustomed to gaze steadily at war; he never added up the heartrending details, cipher by cipher; ciphers mattered little to him, provided that they furnished the total—victory

Napoleon focused only on the overall outcome of victory, ignoring the individual casualties and suffering.

_Highlights Napoleon's detached and strategic mindset during battle._

> He seemed to say to fate, Thou wilt not dare.

Napoleon challenged fate itself, confident that destiny would not oppose him.

_Illustrates Napoleon's hubris and sense of invincibility._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/les_miserables_se/chapters/viii-the-emperor-puts-a-question-to-the-guide-lacoste
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