Victor Hugo

Victor-Marie Hugo, also known as vicomte Hugo, was a famous French writer, poet, and activist who lived from 1802 to 1885. He is best known for his two great novels, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame and Les Misérables. These books are still loved by many people today and have even inspired famous musicals and operas.

Hugo was a leading figure in the Romantic literary movement, which meant he wrote stories filled with strong feelings and dramatic events. Besides his novels, he wrote many poems and plays that explored important ideas and changes happening in his world. He also used his voice to fight for fair treatment for everyone, speaking out against harsh punishments and unfair treatment of others.

Over his life, Hugo's ideas about government changed. He started as someone who supported kings but later became a strong believer in republicanism, which means he wanted a government where leaders are chosen by the people. His writings often reflected the big political and social questions of his time, and because of his fame and strong beliefs, he became a hero to many in France. When he passed away, he was honored with a big funeral in Paris that drew millions of people, the largest such event in French history.

Early life

Victor-Marie Hugo was born on 26 February 1802 in Besançon, a city in Eastern France. He was the youngest son of Joseph Léopold Sigisbert Hugo, an officer in the Napoleonic army, and Sophie Trébuchet. His family moved often because of his father’s job, but they finally settled in Paris.

When Victor was young, his mother took care of him and his brothers. She later separated from Victor’s father and moved back to Paris with the children. Victor grew up loving books and writing. He wrote his first poem when he was just fifteen and dreamed of becoming a great writer like Chateaubriand. Later, he studied law and married his childhood friend Adèle Foucher.

Career

Victor Hugo published his first novel, Hans of Iceland, in 1823, the year after he got married. He wrote many poems and gained fame for his beautiful writing. His early poetry collections, such as Odes et poésies diverses, showed his talent when he was just 20 years old.

Hugo's most famous works are The Hunchback of Notre-Dame from 1831 and Les Misérables from 1862. The Hunchback of Notre-Dame helped save the famous Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris by making people care about it again. Les Misérables took him 17 years to write and became very popular, talking about important social issues. Hugo also wrote plays and other novels, sharing his ideas about justice and society through his stories.

Political life and self-exile

Victor Hugo became part of an important group of French writers and thinkers in 1841. He got involved in politics and spoke up for important ideas like fairness and freedom. In 1845, he joined a group that helped make laws in France. He talked about ending unfair treatments and supported the right to share ideas freely.

In 1848, Hugo was chosen to help make laws for France again. He gave speeches about ending poverty and making sure everyone could vote and get an education. When a new leader took control in 1851, Hugo spoke out against him and had to leave France. He moved to places like Brussels and Jersey before settling on the island of Guernsey, where he wrote some of his most famous books and poems.

While he was away from France, Hugo wrote strong messages against the new leader. He also wrote important books during this time. Hugo cared deeply about ending slavery and spoke out against it strongly. He believed that everyone should be free and worked to support those ideas.

Hugo also fought against the idea of punishing people by death. He wrote about this and spoke to leaders to change the laws. After a new government came to power in France, Hugo returned home in 1870. He was in Paris when the city was surrounded by another country’s army, and he wrote about the hard times people faced.

During a time of big changes in Paris in 1871, Hugo spoke out against the bad actions of leaders on all sides. He supported people who were being treated unfairly. Hugo also believed that countries in Europe should work together peacefully and spoke about this idea in speeches. He cared about protecting the work of artists and helped create rules to support them.

Religious views

Victor Hugo's ideas about religion changed a lot throughout his life. When he was young, he believed strongly in the Catholic Church and its leaders. But as he grew older, he began to question and even oppose many of the Church's teachings. During his time in exile, he explored other spiritual ideas and later developed a belief system focused on reason and a deeper sense of spirituality, similar to the ideas of a famous thinker named Voltaire.

Even though Hugo had strong opinions against certain religious institutions, he still believed in a life beyond this world and prayed regularly, feeling that his prayers would reach the right place. His writings often reflected his views on religion, including criticism of extreme beliefs and the way power was used by religious leaders.

Relationship with music

Victor Hugo was not a great musician himself, but his stories and poems inspired many composers. He loved the music of Gluck, Mozart, Weber, and Meyerbeer. He especially liked a piece from Weber’s opera Euryanthe, calling it perhaps the most beautiful music ever written. He also admired Beethoven and enjoyed older music by Palestrina and Monteverdi.

Hugo was friends with famous musicians like Hector Berlioz and Franz Liszt. He even wrote words for an opera by composer Louise Bertin based on a character from his book The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. Over a thousand musical pieces have been inspired by Hugo’s writing, including famous operas like Donizetti’s Lucrezia Borgia and Verdi’s Rigoletto. Today, his works still inspire new music, such as operas and songs created for festivals around the world.

Declining years and death

When Victor Hugo returned to Paris in 1870, people celebrated him as a hero. He hoped to lead the country but wasn’t chosen for a top job in 1872.

Even with sadness in his life, Hugo kept working for change. He joined the Senate in 1876 but didn’t achieve much there. In 1881, huge celebrations honoured him as he turned 80. A big parade marched through Paris for six hours, and a street was named after him.

Hugo passed away from illness on 22 May 1885. France mourned deeply because he was a great writer and a voice for freedom. Over two million people walked in his funeral procession to the Panthéon, where he was buried with other famous French people.

He left a message saying he believed in God and wanted to help the poor.

Drawings

Victor Hugo created more than 4,000 drawings, and about 3,000 of them still exist today. He started drawing as a fun hobby but began focusing on it more when he stopped writing to get involved in politics. Between 1848 and 1851, drawing became his main way of creating art.

Hugo drew only on paper, usually using a small scale and dark brown or black pen-and-ink wash, sometimes adding a few white touches. He rarely used color in his drawings.

Personal life

Family

Victor Hugo married Adèle Foucher in 1822. They lived together for almost 46 years until she passed away in 1868. They had several children, but sadly, their first son, Léopold, died when he was very young. Their daughter Léopoldine, whom Hugo loved very much, also passed away at the age of 19 after a boat accident.

Exile

After political changes in 1851, Hugo chose to live far away from France. He first stayed in Belgium and later on the Channel Islands, specifically in Jersey and then Guernsey. He only returned to France after many years when the government changed in 1870.

Other relationships

Juliette Drouet

For many years, Juliette Drouet was very close to Victor Hugo. She followed him during his time away from France and supported him through thick and thin.

Léonie d'Aunet

Hugo also had a relationship with Léonie d'Aunet, who was already married. Their relationship ended with some difficulties, but Hugo later helped her in various ways.

Others

Hugo had many relationships with different women throughout his life. He kept details of these private, using special ways to write about them so others would not understand.

Nicknames

Victor Hugo had several nicknames. One nickname came from his own description of Shakespeare. In an essay about Shakespeare, Hugo called him an "Ocean Man," comparing great minds to the vast ocean. This nickname became popular during Hugo's life and was used by many writers and critics. Another nickname was "Horizon Man," and some even called him "Century Man" because of his lasting influence.

Memorials

Victor Hugo's memory is celebrated in many places around the world. His picture appears on French money, and statues and streets bear his name in cities such as Paris, Guernsey, Béziers, Besançon, Shawinigan, San Francisco, Avellino, Rome, Hugoton, Kansas, Hugo, MN, and Havana. Museums preserve places where he lived, like his homes in Paris and Guernsey.

Memorials to Hugo can also be found far beyond Earth. A crater on the planet Mercury is named after him, and a mosaic in the Library of Congress remembers his life and work.

Works

Victor Hugo wrote many famous books and poems. Some of his best-known stories are The Hunchback of Notre-Dame from 1831 and Les Misérables from 1862. He also wrote many poems, like Les Contemplations and La Légende des siècles.

He created other stories such as Hans of Iceland, Bug-Jargal, and The Man Who Laughs. Hugo also wrote plays like Hernani and Ruy Blas, as well as many collections of poems and essays.