You don't have to be a big literature buff to know who Victor Hugo is. His biography and work, however, are familiar to many of us only in general terms. And yet without which it is impossible to imagine French literature of the 19th century. Victor Hugo, whose brief biography and work are presented in this article, is one of the most prominent romantics in France, the theorist and leader of romanticism in his country. His work amazes with its diversity and versatility. And the poet, and the playwright, and the prose writer, and the literary critic, and the publicist - all this is Victor Hugo. An interesting biography of him is offered to your attention.
Origin and childhood of Victor
The years of life of the author we are interested in are 1802-1885. In Besançon, on February 26, 1802, Victor Hugo was born. His short biography, therefore, begins with this date. His father was a carpentry shop foreman. During Napoleon's reign he rose to the rank of general. The boy's mother, on the contrary, hated Bonaparte and was a zealous royalist. It is known that Hugo’s family often moved from place to place. Victor and his parents lived in Spain for some time. The family broke up in Madrid after the fall of Napoleon. In this city, Victor's father was the governor. After the divorce, the boy was raised by his mother.
First works
Victor's poetic talent woke up early. Even as a teenager, he began to write. His biography is marked by early recognition of the poems and odes he created. They were seen as early as 1815-16. During these years, Victor distinguished himself in competitions held by the Toulouse Academy. Later, his work received recognition from the royal government. In 1822, Victor Hugo's first collection of poetry, Odes and Miscellaneous Poems, appeared. It was created in the style of classicism.
The development of romanticism in the work of Hugo
It should be said that Victor Hugo abandoned classicism quite early. As soon as Hugo left the stage of apprenticeship, he began to gradually move to the position of the romantics, timidly at first, and after a while decisively. However, in prose genres, Hugo adhered to romanticism from the very beginning. "Gan the Icelander", his first novel, written in 1821-22, is proof of this. Victor Hugo created his second novel in 1826. The work is called "Byug Zhargal". It became evidence of the further establishment of such an author as Victor Hugo in the positions of romanticism. The biography of his subsequent years is marked by development in this direction. In the work "Byug Zhargal" Victor described the uprising of black slaves.
"Odes and Ballads"
Hugo's reform in the field of poetic style consisted of an attempt to replace the dominance of reason in the poems of classicism with the language of human feelings. Hugo decided to abandon jewelry that was borrowed from the mythology of antiquity. Around the same time, he turned to the ballad, which was considered a romantic genre, very popular in those years. Hugo's collection "Odes and Ballads" appeared in 1826. The very name of the book speaks of its transitional nature. The ode, which is an exemplary genre of classicism poetry, is combined in it with the ballad characteristic of the romantic tradition.
Hugo's first dramatic works
The Romantics at the end of the 1820s began to pay great attention to the theater, which at that time remained under the rule of the prevailing classicism. Victor Hugo wrote his first drama, Cromwell, in 1827 for this purpose. This romantic historical work is set in the 17th century. Cromwell, its leader, is shown to be a strong personality. However, he is characterized by moral contradictions, in contrast to the integral characters created within the framework of classicism. Cromwell, having overthrown the king, wants to change the revolution and become a monarch. Not only the work itself, but also the preface to this drama gained great fame. Victor Hugo tried to connect the development of world literature with the course of history in order to show that the triumph of romanticism is conditioned historically. He presented a whole program of a new direction.
"Orientals"
At this time, Victor’s multifaceted personality reaches unprecedented intensity. The collection of Orientals, which appeared in 1829, was a particularly significant event. This is the first completed collection of romantic poetry, which created Hugo's reputation as an outstanding lyricist.
It should be said that Hugo’s work as a whole is characterized by a rare variety of genres. Victor Hugo performed equally successfully in prose, poetry, and drama. His biography, however, indicates that he was primarily a poet.
New dramas
As for the drama of this author, its ideological content goes back to the battle of ideologies of the late 1820s, as well as to the July Revolution that took place in 1830. Victor's romantic drama resonated with socio-political issues. She defended the progressive aspirations and ideals of the author.
Based on Hugo's dramas created in 1829-39. (except for “Lucrezia Borgia” of 1833), the clash between the common people and the monarchy and feudal aristocracy began (“Marion Delorme”, “Maria Todor”, “The King is Having Fun”, “Ruy Blas”, etc.).
"Notre Dame Cathedral" (Victor Hugo)
The biography of the subsequent years of the author of interest to us is marked by the appearance of many new works. The second half of the 1820s in the history of French literature is the time of dominance of such a genre as the historical novel. Victor's work, created in 1831, is one of the highest achievements of this genre. The novel reflects the history of France. The work also contains topical issues related to the situation in the country during the years the book was written.
Works of the late 1820-1840s
The late 1820s and early 1830s were a time of extraordinary creative activity, even for such a prolific author as Victor Hugo. A brief biography of him from this time, as well as the period of exile (from 1851 to 1870), is marked by the creation of many different works. Hugo developed romantic drama, writing in prose and poetry. In the 1830s and early 1840s, Hugo created 4 collections of poetry. “Autumn Leaves” appeared in 1836, “Songs of Twilight” in 1837, and “Rays and Shadow” and “Inner Voices” in 1841. And in 1856, a two-volume collection “Contemplations” was published, dating back to the period of exile.
Exile period
Victor Hugo decided to leave France after the February Revolution occurred in 1848, after which he became a dictator. Hugo went into exile. Victor settled on an island located in the English Channel. In order to expose the political adventurer Louis Bonaparte and his criminal regime before the whole world, already in the first year of exile he created the book “Napoleon the Small.” In 1877-78, the work “The History of a Crime” appeared, which is an incriminating chronicle of the coup d’etat that took place in 1851.
Victor Hugo's worldview was finally formed during the years of exile. Here, on the island of Jersey, he created in 1853 the collection "Maps", considered the best in Hugo's political poetry. At first glance, this is a kind of kaleidoscope of caricature portraits and scenes from life. However, the collection has its own semantic line, as well as a high level of emotional tension. They combine heterogeneous material into a complete and orderly work.
Victor Hugo also actively performed in prose genres during his stay on the island of Jersey. He created three novels. In 1862, "Les Miserables" appeared, in 1866 - "Toilers of the Sea", and in 1869 - The main theme of all these works is the theme of the people.
Social and political activities
It should be said that Victor became famous not only as a poet and writer, but also as a social and political figure. He actively sought to change the course of events in the life of his country. In 1872, Victor Hugo created a collection called "The Terrible Year". This is a kind of poetic chronicle of the tragic events of 1870-71, when France participated in the Franco-Prussian War.
Last years of life
Until the last years of his life, the activity of this author did not fade away. In the last period of his work, the following poetry collections and poems appeared: in 1877 - “The Art of Being a Grandfather”, in 1878 - “Dad”, in 1880 - “Donkey”, in 1888-83 - “All the Strings of the Lyre”, etc.
The writer died in 1885, on May 22. The French public perceived his death as a national tragedy. Seeing off Victor Hugo on his last journey became a grandiose manifestation. Thousands of people took part in it.
The works created by Victor Hugo have firmly entered French and world literature. Biography, a summary of his creations, interesting facts about this author - all this is known to many of our contemporaries. It is not surprising, since Victor Hugo is a recognized classic today.
In his literary works, the poet and writer reflected the social problems of French society. Victor Hugo, even during the years of his creative crisis, was able to write the most important work in his biography - the novel “Les Miserables”.
Victor Hugo short biography
The French writer was born on February 26, 1802 in the family of a soldier in Napoleon's army, Joseph Leopold Sigisbert Hugo, and the daughter of a ship owner, Sophie Trebuchet. Victor was the third son, the older brothers were named Abel and Eugene.
Due to his duties, the head of the family often changed his place of residence, moving with his wife and children to Marseille, Corsica, Elba and Italy, to Madrid. From trips the family invariably returned to Paris. Parents often argued due to differences in political views. The children lived alternately, sometimes with their father, sometimes with their mother. In 1813, the family finally broke up, the mother and her youngest son Victor chose the capital of France - Paris as their place of residence.
From the age of 12, Victor Hugo, as his brief biography reports, went to study at the Lyceum of Louis the Great. And after 2 years he began to compose his first literary works in the genre of tragedy. He dedicated them to his mother. A year later, he was recognized at an academy competition for his poem. Victor Hugo, as his biography informs, was good at mathematics, but the future writer refused to enter the Polytechnic Institute, choosing literary creativity as his life’s work.
Died of pneumonia at the end of May 1885.
Literary creativity
At the age of 17, he was twice awarded for a poem and an ode. I tried to write literary works in a satirical style. The writer Victor Hugo, as his biography reports, personally published a supplement to a Catholic magazine praising the monarchical structure of the state.
“Odes and Miscellaneous Poems,” published by Hugo at the age of 20, pleased King Louis XVIII. The royal lady assigned an annual salary to the author of the poetry collection. At the age of 24, Victor published a second collection of poems.
“The Last Day of a Man Condemned to Death”, a novel, became the writer’s first mature work. Victor Hugo wrote in his biography works based on real events. So, let's say briefly, “Claude Gue”, published in 1834, became the harbinger of the most important work in his career - “Les Miserables”. The latter talked about the inequality of social strata in French society. The biography of Victor Hugo reports that an excerpt from the novel “Les Miserables” - “” is recognized as one of the best works for children.
The novel “Notre Dame de Paris” - “” - has been translated into many languages in Europe and the world. After its publication, more and more people began to visit abandoned buildings of the old world. The novel was filmed and a musical based on it was staged.
The whole world knows his works such as “Notre Dame Cathedral”, “The Man Who Laughs”, “Les Miserables”, but for some reason not everyone is interested in the biography of Victor Hugo. And it is no less interesting than his masterpieces. After all, you cannot fully penetrate and understand the creation of a great man if you do not know what was happening in his life at that moment. Of course, it is impossible to fit a complete biography of Victor Hugo into a couple of pages, because for this you need to include the memories of his contemporaries, personal letters, and various diary entries. Therefore, below will be presented the story of his life in a generalized version. The biography and work of Victor Hugo will be considered together, because important events that occurred in the writer’s life were reflected in his works.
The writer's childhood and youth
The biography of Victor Marie Hugo should begin with the date of his birth. It was February 26, 1802. The parents of the future writer held opposing political beliefs, which could not but affect family relationships. Victor's father received the rank of general during the reign of Napoleon. The boy's mother was a staunch royalist who vehemently hated Bonaparte and supported the Bourbon dynasty.
Hugo Sr. was appointed governor of Madrid, and in this city the writer's parents separated. The mother, taking the children with her, returned to Paris. Thanks to his mother's upbringing, Hugo grew up to be an equally convinced royalist. In his earliest poems he glorifies the Bourbons. In his youth, he was close to the classical direction and the influence of aristocratic romanticism.
The beginning of a creative path and reform in French poetry
An important place in the biography of the writer Victor Hugo is occupied by his participation in the transformation of poetry. By 1820, the young poet had already written a sufficient number of poems in his favorite direction of classicism. But he reads Lamartine's collection, and his works make a strong impression. Victor Hugo, admired by Chateaubriand and Lamartine, becomes an adherent of romanticism.
And in 1820 the writer tries to transform poetry. What is the essence of his reform? Now the hero of the works becomes an active hero who participates in the world where events take place, regardless of the person’s desires. Hugo loved to use bright, dynamic natural landscapes; the writer strives to find conflict in the natural phenomena themselves, and not just between the characters, as Lamartine used to do.
Victor Hugo called for abandoning the strict language of classicism and writing in the language of human feelings. He boldly introduced colloquial vocabulary, various terms, and outdated words, which significantly helped enrich the poems.
Theorizing Romanticism
The pinnacle of the era of French romanticism was his “Preface to Cromwell.” Shakespeare's drama “Cromwell” was innovative in that era, but still remained insufficiently suitable for the stage. But the “Preface” turned the tide in the struggle of two directions. In the work, Victor Hugo tells about his point of view of the development of literature. In his opinion, there are three eras: the time when a person creates odes, hymns, that is, epics appear in the ancient era;
It was in the last period, when the struggle between good and evil was shown, that the emergence of a new genre - drama - was natural. In our time, of course, such a view of literary development seems simplified and naive. But at that time it was of great importance. This theory argued that the emergence of romanticism is a natural phenomenon that can show all the contrasts of the New Age.
Creating a grotesque
In contrast to classicism, which strived for everything sublime, the writer created a new direction - the grotesque. This is a special, excessive intensification of everything terrible and ugly on the one hand, and comic on the other. The new direction was as diverse as life itself, and its main task was to enhance beauty.
All the trends that were laid down by Hugo became the basic principles for French novelists in the late 20s and 30s. in the 19th century. The dramas written by him lay down all the basic positions of romanticism, which will be considered the standard for French drama.
"Notre Dame Cathedral"
1831 is an important date in the biography of Victor Hugo. This date is associated with his writing of the great work “Notre Dame Cathedral”. The novel raises the theme of a person’s transition from asceticism (refusal of all human joys) to humanism. Esmeralda is a reflection of a humane society that is not alien to the delights of earthly life. To create the image of a beautiful gypsy, the writer uses the grotesque, placing the heroine in a lower society, against which she stood out for her beauty and kindness.
The representative of asceticism in the novel was Claude Frollo. He despised all feelings, did not like people, nevertheless he could not control his passion for Esmeralda. But this passion was destructive and did not bring them happiness. To create the image of Quasimodo, the grotesque was used on a large scale. In the work he is described as a real freak, similar to the chimeras that decorate the cathedral.
Quasimodo is the soul of this place, and in the novel Notre-Dame de Paris he is a symbol of the people. The end of this story is quite predictable - Esmeralda and Quasimodo die. And with this denouement the writer wanted to show that despite all the resistance of asceticism, an era of humanism will come in its place.
Expulsion from France
In 1848, Victor Hugo participates in the February Revolution and refuses to support the coup d'état of Louis Bonaparte, who proclaimed himself Napoleon III. In connection with these events, Hugo was forced to leave France. Now in his works a political orientation is increasingly felt, and accusatory speeches are heard more and more often. Now he strives to reflect modern reality in his work, while remaining true to the direction of romanticism.
Exposing the new emperor in creativity
In Belgium, Hugo writes a pamphlet directed against Napoleon III. In the writer’s understanding, this is a person who has done nothing to deserve the social position that he occupies. The new emperor in Hugo's eyes was an empty, limited and even vulgar person. Of course, following all the canons of romanticism, Victor Hugo exaggerated the historical significance of Napoleon III. Which created the impression that the new ruler was remaking history as he pleased.
While on the island of Jersey, the novelist continues to expose Louis Bonaparte in his works in his collection "Retribution". Before this, Hugo was famous for his delightful poems about nature. But at that time everything irritated him, including nature, everyone seemed to him to be accomplices of Napoleon III. But at the same time, the poet gives quite accurate and apt characteristics of political figures of that time.
"Les Miserables"
Of great importance in the biography of Victor Hugo is the pinnacle of his work - the novel Les Misérables. This literary masterpiece was created over 20 years. The light of day saw him only in 1862. In his epic novel, Hugo tried to reflect the entire reality that surrounded him. Exploitation of man by man, unfair trials, political disasters, revolutions - all this is present in Les Misérables.
Every significant event is seen from the point of view of the common people, and it should be noted that the main characters are not noble people or prominent public figures. These are representatives of the lower strata of society, who are usually rejected and ignored. All images of the characters were taken by Hugo from real life, some had real prototypes.
In the novel, the author stands on the side of the social revolution. One of the important components of Les Misérables is the provision of the same rights to the lower members of society on an equal basis with wealthy citizens. But at the same time, the spiritual revolution was no less important. According to Hugo, one bright event, which becomes a revelation, can turn a villain into a good person. In "Les Miserables", as in "Notre Dame Cathedral", the struggle of man with fate is shown. In the fight against an unjust law, the moral law of goodness triumphs.
Return to France
On September 4, 1870, the day France was proclaimed a Republic, Victor Hugo returns. In the capital, society accepts him as a folk hero. During this period, he took an active part in resisting the Prussian invaders.
In 1872, Victor Hugo published a collection of poems, “The Terrible Year,” which is a diary written in verse. In it, in addition to works in which the emperor is exposed, lyrical poems also appear. In 1885, at the very zenith of his fame, the great French poet and writer Victor Hugo passed away.
The writer's contribution to literature
The writer's contribution to the development of literature was enormous - he created not only beautiful works, but also dealt with theoretical issues. He sought to bring French poetry and drama to a completely different level. The literary principles he created became canons for other writers for many years.
But why do we need a short biography of Victor Hugo for children? Of course, the political background in his work and a deeper study of social problems are not yet available to the children. But in his creations there are principles of man’s humane attitude towards all living things, there is a moral principle and the victory of good.
Victor Hugo is one of the greatest personalities who have appeared in French and world literature. He not only actively developed poetry and drama, but also participated in public life. And until the end, Hugo remained faithful to the principles that placed human freedom and the victory of goodness above all else.
Victor Marie Hugo (French: Victor Marie Hugo). Born February 26, 1802 in Besançon - died May 22, 1885 in Paris. French writer, poet, playwright, leader and theorist of French Romanticism. Member of the French Academy (1841).
Victor Hugo was the youngest of three brothers (the elders were Abel (1798-1865) and Eugene (1800-1837)). The writer's father, Joseph Leopold Sigisbert Hugo (1773-1828), became a general in the Napoleonic army, his mother Sophie Trebuchet (1772-1821), the daughter of a Nantes shipowner, was a Voltairian royalist.
Hugo's early childhood took place in Marseille, Corsica, Elba (1803-1805), Italy (1807), Madrid (1811), where his father worked, and from where the family returned to Paris each time. Traveling left a deep impression on the soul of the future poet and prepared his romantic worldview.
In 1813, Hugo's mother, Sophie Trebuchet, who had an affair with General Lagorie, separated from her husband and settled with her son in Paris.
From 1814 to 1818 he studied at the Lyceum of Louis the Great. At the age of 14 he began his creative activity. He writes his unpublished tragedies: “Yrtatine”, which he dedicates to his mother, and “Athelie ou les scandinaves”, the drama “Louis de Castro”, translates Virgil, at the age of 15 he already receives an honorable mention at the Academy competition for the poem “Les avantages des études” , in 1819 - two prizes at the “Jeux Floraux” competition for the poem “The Virgins of Verdun” (Vierges de Verdun) and the ode “For the restoration of the statue of Henry IV” (Rétablissement de la statue de Henri III), which laid the foundation for his “Legend of the Ages”; then publishes the ultra-royalist satire "Telegraph", which first attracted the attention of readers. In 1819-1821 he published Le Conservateur littéraire, a literary supplement to the royalist Catholic magazine Le Conservateur. Filling out his own publication under various pseudonyms, Hugo published there “Ode on the Death of the Duke of Berry,” which long established his reputation as a monarchist.
In October 1822, Hugo married Adele Foucher (1803-1868), and five children were born to this marriage:
Leopold (1823-1823)
Leopoldina, (1824-1843)
Charles, (1826-1871)
Francois-Victor, (1828-1873)
Adele (1830-1915).
In 1823, Victor Hugo's novel Han d'Islande was published to a muted reception. Well-reasoned criticism of Charles Nodier led to a meeting and further friendship between him and Victor Hugo. Soon after this, a meeting took place in the library of the Arsenal, the cradle of romanticism, which had a great influence on the development of the work of Victor Hugo. Their friendship would last from 1827 to 1830, when Charles Nodier became increasingly critical of the works of Victor Hugo. Around this period, Hugo resumed his relationship with his father and wrote the poems “Ode to My Father” (Odes à mon père, 1823), “Two Islands” (1825) and “After the Battle” (Après la bataille). His father died in 1828.
Hugo's play Cromwell, written specifically for the great French Revolutionary actor François-Joseph Talme and published in 1827, caused heated controversy. In the preface to the drama, the author rejects the conventions of classicism, especially the unity of place and time, and lays the foundations of romantic drama.
The Hugo family often holds receptions in their home and establishes friendly relations with Sainte-Beuve, Lamartine, Merimee, Musset, and Delacroix. From 1826 to 1837, the family often lived in the Chateau de Roche, in Bièvre, the estate of Bertien l'Enet, editor of the Journal des débats. There Hugo met with Berlioz, Liszt, Chateaubriand, Giacomo Meyerbeer; compiled collections of poems “Oriental Motifs” (Les Orientales , 1829) and “Autumn Leaves” (Les Feuilles d'automne, 1831). The theme of “Eastern Motives” is the Greek War of Independence, where Hugo speaks in support of Homer’s homeland. In 1829, “The Last Day of a Condemned to Death” (Dernier) was published. Jour d'un condamné), in 1834 - “Claude Gueux”. In these two short novels, Hugo expresses his negative attitude towards the death penalty. The novel “Notre Dame de Paris” was published in 1831.
From 1830 to 1843, Victor Hugo worked almost exclusively for the theater, however, during this time he published several collections of poetic works: “Autumn Leaves” (Les Feuilles d'automne, 1831), “Songs of Twilight” (Les Chants du crépuscule , 1835), “Inner Voices” (Les Voix intérieures, 1837), “Rays and Shadows” (Les Rayons et les Ombres, 1840). In Songs of Twilight, Victor Hugo exalts with great admiration the July Revolution of 1830.
Already in 1828 he staged his early play Amy Robsart. 1829 is the year of the creation of the play “Ernani” (first staged in 1830), which became the reason for literary battles between representatives of old and new art.
An ardent defender of everything new in dramaturgy was Théophile Gautier, who enthusiastically accepted this romantic work. These disputes remained in literary history under the name “Battle of Hernani.” Marion Delorme, banned in 1829, was staged at the Porte Saint-Martin theater; “The King is Amusing himself” - at the Comedy Française in 1832 (removed from the repertoire and banned immediately after the premiere, resumed only 50 years later); this play was also banned, prompting Victor Hugo to write the following preface to the original 1832 edition, which began: “The appearance of this drama on the stage of the theater gave rise to unprecedented actions on the part of the government.
The day after the first performance, the author received a note from Monsieur Juslin de la Salle, stage director at the Théâtre-France. Here is its exact content: “It is now ten o’clock and thirty minutes, and I have received orders to stop the performance of the play “The King Amuses himself.” Monsieur Taylor conveyed this order to me on behalf of the minister.” It was November 23rd. Three days later, on November 26, Victor Hugo sent a letter to the editor-in-chief of the newspaper Le National, which said: “Monsieur, I have been warned that some of the noble students and artists are going to come to the theater this evening or tomorrow and demand a showing of the drama.” The King is amusing himself,” and also to protest against the unheard-of act of arbitrariness, because of which the play was closed. I hope, monsieur, that there are other means to punish these illegal actions, and I will use them. Let me use your newspaper to support the friends of freedom, art and thought, and prevent violent demonstrations that could lead to the riot so desired by the government for a long time. With deep respect, Victor Hugo. November 26, 1832."
In 1841, Hugo was elected to the French Academy, and in 1845 he received the title of peer. In 1848 he was elected to the National Assembly. Hugo was an opponent of the coup d'état of 1851 and was in exile after Napoleon III was proclaimed emperor. In 1870 he returned to France, and in 1876 he was elected senator.
Like many young writers of his era, Hugo was greatly influenced by the famous figure in the literary movement of Romanticism and a prominent figure in France at the beginning of the 19th century. As a young man, Hugo decided to be "Châteaubriand or nothing", and that his life should correspond to that of his predecessor. Like Chateaubriand, Hugo would contribute to the development of romanticism, would have a significant place in politics as the leader of republicanism, and would be exiled due to his political positions.
The early passion and eloquence of Hugo's early works brought him success and fame in the early years of his life. His first collection of poetry, Odes et poésies diverses, was published in 1822, when Hugo was only 20 years old. King Louis XVIII granted an annual allowance for the writer. Although Hugo's poems were admired for their spontaneous ardor and fluency, this collection of works was followed by Odes et Ballades, written in 1826, four years after the first triumph. Odes et Ballades presented Hugo as a magnificent poet, a true master of lyricism and song.
Victor Hugo's first mature work in the genre of fiction, The Last Day of a Man Condemned to Death, was written in 1829 and reflected the writer's keen social consciousness, which continued in his subsequent works. The story Le Dernier jour d'un condamné (The Last Day of the Condemned to Death) had a great influence on such writers as, and. Claude Gueux, a short documentary story about a real-life murderer executed in France, was published in 1834 and was subsequently regarded by Hugo himself as a precursor to his magnificent work on social injustice, Les Misérables. But Hugo's first full-length novel would be the incredibly successful Notre-Dame de Paris (Notre-Dame Cathedral), which was published in 1831 and quickly translated into many languages throughout Europe. One of the novel's effects was to draw attention to the desolate Notre Dame Cathedral, which began to attract thousands of tourists who read the popular novel. The book also contributed to a renewed respect for old buildings, which were immediately actively preserved.
Hugo died on May 22, 1885 at the age of 83 from pneumonia. The funeral ceremony lasted ten days. About a million people attended his funeral. After a magnificent national funeral, his ashes were placed in the Pantheon.
Poetry of Victor Hugo:
Odes and poetic experiments (Odes et poésies diverses, 1822)
Odes (Odes, 1823)
New Odes (Nouvelles Odes, 1824)
Odes and Ballads (Odes et Ballades, 1826)
Oriental motifs (Les Orientales, 1829)
Autumn Leaves (Les Feuilles d'automne, 1831)
Songs of Twilight (Les Chants du crépuscule, 1835)
Inner Voices (Les Voix interiores, 1837)
Rays and Shadows (Les Rayons et les ombres, 1840)
Retribution (Les Châtiments, 1853)
Contemplations (Les Contemplations, 1856)
Songs of streets and forests (Les Chansons des rues et des bois, 1865)
The Terrible Year (L’Année terrible, 1872)
The Art of Being a Grandfather (L'Art d'être grand-père, 1877)
The Pope (Le Pape, 1878)
Revolution (L"Âne, 1880)
The Four Winds of the Spirit (Les Quatres vents de l’esprit, 1881)
Legend of the Ages (La Légende des siècles, 1859, 1877, 1883)
The End of Satan (La fin de Satan, 1886)
God (Dieu, 1891)
All the strings of the lyre (Toute la lyre, 1888, 1893)
The Dark Years (Les années funestes, 1898)
The Last Sheaf (Dernière Gerbe, 1902, 1941)
Ocean (Océan. Tas de pierres, 1942)
Dramaturgy of Victor Hugo:
Inez de Castro (1819/1820)
Cromwell (1827)
Amy Robsart (1828, published 1889)
Marion de Lorme (1829)
Hernani (1829)
The King Amuses himself (Le roi s'amuse, 1832)
Lucrece Borgia (1833)
Marie Tudor (1833)
Angelo, tyrant of Padua (1835)
Ruy Blas (1838)
The Burgraves (Les Burgraves, 1843)
Torquemada (1882)
Free Theatre. Small plays and fragments (Théâtre en liberté, 1886).
Novels of Victor Hugo:
Han Icelander (Han d’Islande, 1823)
Byug-Jargal (Bug-Jargal, 1826)
The last day of a man condemned to death (Le Dernier jour d’un condamné, 1829)
Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral (Notre-Dame de Paris, 1831)
Claude Gueux (1834)
Les Misérables, 1862
Toilers of the Sea (Les Travailleurs de la Mer, 1866)
The Man Who Laughs (L'Homme qui rit, 1869)
Ninety-third year (Quatrevingt-treize, 1874).
Journalism and essays by Victor Hugo:
Hugo Victor Marie (1802-1885)
Great French poet, novelist, playwright; leader of the romantic movement in France. Born in Besançon. He was the third son of captain (later general) J.L.S. Hugo (originally from Lorraine) and Sophie Trebuchet (originally from Brittany). The boy was brought up under the strong influence of his mother, a strong-willed woman who shared royalist and Voltairian views.
Hugo's long education was unsystematic. He spent several months at the Nobles College in Madrid; in France, the former priest Father de la Rivière became his mentor. In 1814, he entered the Cordier boarding school, from where the most capable students moved to the Lyceum of Louis the Great. His earliest poetic experiments date back to this period - mostly translations from Virgil.
Together with his brothers, he undertook the publication of the magazine “Literary Conservative”, where his early poetic works and the first version of the melodramatic novel “Byug Zhar-gal” were published. He was accepted into the royalist Society of Fine Letters. From his teenage years, he fell head over heels in love with the neighbor's girl, Adele Fouché, who was as bourgeois and decent as himself, from a very wealthy family. The novel was reflected in “Letters to the Bride.” Hugo's first book of poetry, Odes and Miscellaneous Poems, was noticed by King Louis XVIII, who liked the odes in the royalist spirit.
The mature poet, who was too mature for his years, was given an annual pension of 1,200 francs, which allowed Victor and Adele to get married. Adele Hugo-Fouche became the first and last, the only legal wife of the future great poet, the reliable mother of his children. And - a victim of her brilliant husband. Having begun to earn money as a pen, Hugo left his financial dependence on his father and began to visit the world. Almost immediately he received the nickname “Faun” from his contemporaries.
In 1823 he published his second novel, Gan the Icelander, a narrative in the Gothic style. The publication “Odes and Ballads” was published; the vivid imagery of the ballads testified to the strengthening of romantic tendencies in his work.
Among Hugo's friends and acquaintances were such writers as A. de Vigny, A. de Saint-Valry, C. Nodier, E. Deschamps and A. de Lamartine. Having formed the Sénacle group (French “community”, “commonwealth”) at the magazine “French Muse”, they often met in the salon of Nodier, the keeper of the Arsenal library. Hugo and C. Sainte-Beuve had a particularly close relationship. In 1827, Hugo published the play “Cromwell”, the story “The Last Day of the Condemned to Death” and the poetry collection “Oriental Motives”, which brought Hugo fame.
Period from 1829 to 1843 was extremely productive in Hugo's work. The plays “Marion Delorme” and “Ernani” appeared. “Notre Dame Cathedral” consolidated its success. “Marion Delorme” was staged, followed by “The King Amuses himself”, “Lucretia Borgia”, “Mary Tudor”, “Angelo”, “Ruy Blas” and “The Burgraves”. Important events occurred in Hugo's personal life. Sainte-Beuve fell in love with his wife, and the former friends went their separate ways. Hugo himself developed a passion for the actress Juliette Drouet. Their relationship continued until her death in 1883. Published from 1831 to 1840. collections of lyrical poems are largely inspired by the poet’s personal experiences: “Autumn Leaves”, “Songs of Twilight”, “Inner Voices”. A collection of critical essays, “Literary and Philosophical Mixture,” has been published.
In 1841, Hugo's merits were recognized by the French Academy, which elected him as a member. He publishes a book of travelogues, “Rhine,” in which he outlines his program of international relations between France and Germany.
In 1843, the poet experienced a tragedy: his beloved daughter Leopoldine and her husband Charles Vacry drowned in the Seine. Having retired from society for a while, Hugo went to work on the great novel “Adversity,” which was interrupted by the revolution of 1848. Hugo entered politics and was elected to the National Assembly; after the coup d'etat of 1851 he fled.
During his long exile, Hugo created his greatest works: “Retribution” appeared, a poetic satire criticizing Napoleon III; a collection of lyrical and philosophical poetry “Contemplations”; The first two volumes of “Legends of Ages” were published, establishing his fame as an epic poet. In 1860-1861 Hugo returned to the novel “Adversity” he had begun.
The book was published in 1862 under the now famous title “Les Miserables.” He published the treatise "William Shakespeare", a collection of poems "Songs of Streets and Forests", as well as two novels - "Toilers of the Sea" and "The Man Who Laughs".
Elected to the National Assembly in 1871, Hugo soon resigned as a deputy. The collection “The Terrible Year” became evidence of his patriotism and loss of illusions regarding Germany.
He turned again to the historical novel, writing the novel “The Ninety-Third Year.” At the age of 75, he published the collection “The Art of Being a Grandfather.”
In May 1885, Hugo fell ill and died at home on May 22. Hugo's remains were placed in the Pantheon, next to Voltaire and J.-J. Rousseau.
