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Les Misérables, Chapter 8 summary

Chapter 8 of 365 · Book 1: A Just Man · 6 min to read the chapter

In Chapter 8, a senator dining with M. Myriel defends pleasure and self-interest by denying God, moral obligations, and existence after death, while treating religion as useful for the poor. The Bishop answers with ironic praise, exposing how this philosophy excuses dishonesty and protects the comforts of the rich.

What happens

  1. The narrator presents the senator as a successful former attorney who pursues advancement without letting conscience or duty interfere.
  2. At the prefect’s dinner, the slightly drunken senator invites M. Myriel to discuss philosophy.
  3. The senator denies divine judgment and an afterlife, arguing that personal enjoyment is the only sensible goal.
  4. He reserves his skepticism for the privileged while accepting religious belief as consolation for poor people.
  5. The Bishop ironically praises materialism as a convenient excuse for corruption, betrayal, and freedom from moral responsibility.

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What to notice

The senator treats religion as suitable for people beneath him, not as a belief he shares. The Bishop’s reply exposes the class privilege behind that distinction.

Quick check

Why does the senator accept religion for poor people?

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