The Artist Behind the Masterpieces

The Romantic era made way to several influential artists, whether they were painters or writers, French or English or other nationality. Most of these artists left their mark on the artistic world, one way or other. This is the case for French poet, novelist, playwright, essayist, visual artist, statesman and human rights campaigner, Victor Hugo. In the English-speaking world, this author is best known for his work of Les Misérables and Notre-Dame de Paris.

The well-known French author was born Victor-Marie Hugo, on February 26th, 1802, in Besançon, France. He was the third and the youngest son of Joseph Léopold Sigisbert Hugo and Sophie Trébuchet and the younger brother of Abel Joseph Hugo and Eugène Hugo. The author’s “early childhood was marked by great events.” (Wikipedia) The century prior to his birth caught sight of the overthrow of the Bourbon Dynasty during the French Revolution, the rise and fall of the First Republic, and then the rise of the First French Republic and dictatorship under Napoleon Bonaparte. These events could also be seen in the family. Hugo’s father regarded Napoleon as a hero, but his mother, being a Catholic Royalist, is thought to have taken as her lover General Victor Lahorie, who was put to death in 1812 for plotting against Napoleon.

Victor Hugo, like many other young authors of his generation, was extremely affected by François-Réné de Chateaubriand, who was the founder of Romanticism and “France’s preeminent literary figure during the early 1800s.” (Wikipedia) From then on, Hugo was determined to be “Chateaubriand or nothing”. (Wikipedia) The mature passion and expressiveness in his early work came hand in hand with success and fame at a young age for Hugo.

However, against his mother’s desire, Victor fell in love to his childhood friend Adèle Foucher. Secretly, they became engaged. Because Hugo had a close relationship with his mother, which was unusual for the time, Hugo and Adèle only married after his mother’s death in 1821.

Although his works received success, when he was fairly young, Hugo didn’t get early triumph with his theatrical work. His first play, Cromwell, which came out in 1827, was never staged. The reason for its success was mainly for the author’s preface. Hugo’s first play, which was accepted under his own name, was Marion de Lorme, which was published in 1831.

Hugo’s first mature piece of fiction came out in 1829. The novel Le Dernier jour d’un condamné, the french version of Last Days of a Condemned Man, had an influence on several writers, including Charles Dickens. His first full-length novel, however, would be the much successful Notre-Dame de Paris, the French title for The Hunchback of Notre Dame. This novel, whose main character is the famous Parisian Cathedral, came out the same year as his play Marion de Lorme. The famous novel of the cathedral was rapidly translated into other languages across Europe. As early as the 1830s, Hugo began to organize ideas for what would become his famous novel about social misery and injustice. But it took seventeen years for Hugo to complete it. It finally came out in 1862 and was known as Les Misérables.

After attempting three failed times, Hugo was eventually elected to the Académie française, in 1841. This position would solidify Hugo’s place in the world of French arts and letters. This position would enable the author to become more politically involved. It was because of his outspokenness and involvement that brought him into exile. When Louis Napoleon (Napoleon III) seized total power in 1851 and establishing an anti-parliamentary constitution, Hugo took this opportunity to speak out and proclaim the new ruler a traitor of France. Worried for his life, the author fled the country. He first went to Brussels, and then went Jersey and finally settling with his family on the channel island of Guernsey at Hauteville House. He would live at this latter house in exile until his return to Paris in 1870. On his return, the nation “hailed him as a national hero.” (Wikipedia)

After a long and troubled life, Hugo died on May 22nd, 1885. He was 85 years old. France mourned the author’s death.

It is difficult to discuss a famous literary artist without mentioning his or her literary artists. The first most famous and major novel by Hugo is The Hunchback of Notre Dame. As the title may lead the reader to suppose, the Parisian cathedral is the main setting of the novel. Many believe that Quasimodo is the main character and this is what the adaptations have led the viewers to believe. However, this wasn’t the author’s intention. Hugo felt that the main character was Notre Dame itself. The original title Notre-Dame de Paris, literally Our Lady of Paris, “shows that the cathedral (and not Quasimodo) is the subject of the story.” (Wikipedia) It may also be described as the story of several characters, who are all related to each other by one thing, the cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris.

Another of Hugo’s major works is the novel Les Misérables. The story examines several different themes that are as relevant to the time when it was written as it does today. It takes a closer look at “the nature of good, evil, and the law, in a sweeping story that expounds upon the history of France, architecture of Paris, politics, moral philosophy, law, justice, religion, and the types of nature of romantic and familial love.” (Wikipedia) Though it has various other themes, the story creates a discussion and comparison between grace and legalism. These themes may notably be seen in the protagonist, Jean Valjean, and the antagonist, Javert. But it is Valjean, who leads the story. An interesting aspect is that Hugo incorporated the population of Paris into the character of Gavroche, a yound child living in the street.

In today’s society, Hugo is still an author that is read worldwide. His novel Les Misérables has been turned into a musical, which “has also made a lasting impact on popular culture because of its immense popularity.” (Wikipedia) Hugo wanted to become François-Réné de Chateaubriand. Many may think that he has become much greater than Chateaubriand.