Les Misérables, Book 3: In 1817, Chapter 1 summary
Book 3: In 1817, Chapter 1 of 365 · 9 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 1, the narrator surveys France in 1817 through royal politics, public fashions, artistic reputations, and everyday details that reveal a society divided over its recent past. He argues that such details matter to history, then introduces four young Parisians who plan a prank.
What happens
- Louis XVIII’s restored monarchy promotes royal symbols, while traces of Napoleon’s rule remain visible.
- The narrator surveys entertainment, literature, institutions, and fashions alongside political rewards and punishments.
- Royalist newspapers mock exiles, while political language and rival cafés expose sharp divisions in loyalty.
- Unrecognized thinkers and an ignored steamboat contrast with celebrated figures and official judgments.
- The narrator defends small historical details and closes with four young Parisians planning a prank.
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How do Parisians respond to the steamboat on the Seine?
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