Les Misérables, Book 14: The Grandeurs of Despair, Chapter 4 summary
Book 14: The Grandeurs of Despair, Chapter 4 of 365 · 4 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 4, Marius joins the fighting, saves Gavroche and Courfeyrac, and escapes a soldier’s shot when a young workman blocks the muzzle with his hand. As the attackers hold the barricade, Marius threatens to ignite a powder barrel even at the cost of his own life, forcing them to flee.
What happens
- Marius leaves his hiding place and fires his two pistols, saving Gavroche and freeing Courfeyrac.
- The attackers occupy most of the barricade, while a young workman intercepts a shot aimed at Marius and falls.
- The insurgents take positions, and Enjolras orders them to fire after an officer demands their surrender.
- During the smoke, Marius moves a powder barrel beneath the torch and threatens to ignite it.
- Marius accepts that the explosion would kill him too, and the attackers flee, leaving the barricade clear.
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In this chapter
What to notice
Marius makes his own possible death part of a threat that reverses the fight. The attackers abandon their positions rather than risk the explosion.
Quick check
What makes the attackers abandon the barricade?
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