Les Misérables Volume 4, Chapter 5 Summary

Summary

A hastily constructed but cleverly arranged barricade occupies the Rue de la Chanvrerie; contrary to newspaper reports, it averages only six or seven feet high but is built so defenders can hide behind it or mount it easily. The front appears tangled and formidable, made of paving-stones, casks, beams and the wheels of Anceau’s dray and an overturned omnibus; a pole from the omnibus is set upright with a red flag. A concealed secondary barricade behind the wine-shop links with the main barrier to form a redoubt, while one exit toward the Halles is intentionally left open to preserve outside communication. Courfeyrac mounts a table and opens a square coffer filled with cartridges brought by Enjolras, provoking a momentary hush among the men.

The insurgents distribute cartridges—each man receives thirty—and several prepare additional ammunition from bullets they have. Powder is held in reserve on a nearby table. Enjolras posts three sentinels at key points: the Rue de la Chanvrerie, the Rue des Prêcheurs, and the corner of the Rue de la Petite Truanderie. With the barricades built, posts assigned, and weapons loaded, the small group waits alone in the silent, shadowed streets as evening falls. The scene closes on their isolation and resolve, a tranquil yet ominous calm punctuated by the distant, ebbing alarm of the city.

Key events

1. Barricade in Rue de la Chanvrerie is completed and shown to be lower than papers reported
2. Overturned omnibus pole hoisted with a red flag; two linked barricades form a redoubt
3. Courfeyrac opens a coffer of cartridges brought by Enjolras; cartridges distributed
4. Men prepare extra bullets and powder reserve stands by
5. Enjolras stations three sentinels at strategic exits
6. The group loads weapons calmly and waits in the twilight for what may come

Analysis

This chapter shifts the novel from movement and rumor to concentrated, tactical preparation; it compresses action into the measured, almost ritualistic work of building and arming. By correcting the newspapers’ exaggeration about the barricade’s height, the narrator emphasizes detail and the insurgents’ practical intelligence—appearance is martial and intimidating, but the real strength lies in organization, internal steps, and deliberate openings. The coffer of cartridges functions as a turning point: its reveal produces a communal shiver that highlights the gravity of the undertaking and the men’s acceptance of risk. Enjolras and Courfeyrac embody leadership and morale—Enjolras with strategic posts and Courfeyrac with buoyant distribution—showing complementary modes of command. The scene’s sensory economy—the bristling front, the reserved powder, the twilight and muffled city alarms—creates a mood of poised danger. Narrative technique here is descriptive, concentrated on material detail and spatial arrangement, preparing the reader for conflict while keeping the focus on the collective rather than individual backstory. Symbolically, the red flag, the coffer of cartridges, and the doorway left open gesture toward themes of sacrifice, preparedness, and the tension between entrenchment and communication with the outside world. The quiet, solemn loading of weapons underscores the insurgents’ calm resolve, turning the chapter into a meditation on readiness and the austere dignity of those about to risk everything.

Important quotes

“This coffer was filled with cartridges.”

NarratorThe discovery of the ammunition momentarily silences the men and marks the point of no return for the insurgents.

“They loaded the guns and carbines, all together, without haste, with solemn gravity.”

NarratorThis sentence captures the calm, communal determination of the insurgents as night approaches and they prepare for combat.

Characters in Volume 4, Chapter 5

• Enjolras
• Courfeyrac
• Anceau
• Folard