Les Misérables, Book 1: A Few Pages of History, Chapter 2 summary
Book 1: A Few Pages of History, Chapter 2 of 365 · 5 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 2, the narrator argues that clever politicians and the satisfied bourgeoisie halt the Revolution of 1830 by seeking stability through a dynasty. Louis Philippe d’Orleans becomes king, but the settlement excludes absolute right, which protests and withdraws into darkness.
What happens
- The narrator distinguishes wisdom from political cleverness and accuses statesmen of restricting revolutionary gains.
- Politicians argue that a dynasty brings peace, linking a revolutionary king with a family rooted in history.
- The narrator describes how fear, compromise, and restraint weaken revolutionary enthusiasm.
- The bourgeoisie seeks an armed pause rather than complete inactivity, requiring someone who combines revolution with stability.
- The 221 makes Louis Philippe king, and Lafayette presents the arrangement as republican.
- The narrator declares that the settlement excludes absolute right, which protests and retreats into darkness.
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Who makes Louis Philippe king?
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