Victor Hugo

Victor-Marie Hugo, also known as vicomte Hugo, was a famous French writer, poet, and activist. He 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.

Hugo was a leading figure in the Romantic literary movement. He wrote stories filled with strong feelings and dramatic events. Besides his novels, he wrote many poems and plays. He also used his voice to fight for fair treatment for everyone.

Over his life, Hugo's ideas about government changed. He started as someone who supported kings but later became a strong believer in republicanism. His writings often reflected the big political and social questions of his time. When he passed away, he was honored with a big funeral in Paris.

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 moved back to Paris with the children after separating from Victor's father. Victor loved books and writing. He wrote his first poem when he was fifteen and wanted to become 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 became famous 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. 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 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. 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 thoughts about religion changed a lot over his life. When he was young, he believed strongly in the Catholic Church. As he grew older, he began to question many of the Church's teachings. During his exile, he looked at other spiritual ideas and later believed in reason and a deeper sense of spirituality, similar to the ideas of Voltaire.

Even though Hugo disagreed with some religious institutions, he still believed in a life beyond this world and prayed often, feeling his prayers would reach the right place. His writings often showed his views on religion, including criticism of extreme beliefs and how power was used by religious leaders.

Relationship with music

Victor Hugo was not a great musician, 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 very beautiful.

Hugo was friends with famous musicians like Hector Berlioz and Franz Liszt. He wrote words for an opera by Louise Bertin based on a character from his book. Many musical pieces were inspired by Hugo’s writing, including operas by Donizetti and Verdi. Today, his works still inspire new music around the world.

Declining years and death

When Victor Hugo came back to Paris in 1870, people cheered for him. He wanted to help lead the country but was not chosen for an important job in 1872.

Even with sad times, Hugo kept working to make the world better. He joined the Senate in 1876 but did not do much there. In 1881, many people celebrated his 80th birthday. A big parade walked through Paris for six hours, and a street was named after him.

Hugo became ill and passed away on 22 May 1885. France felt very sad because he was a great writer and spoke up for freedom. Over two million people walked in his funeral to the Panthéon, where other famous French people are buried.

He left a message that he believed in God and wanted to help people in need.

Drawings

Victor Hugo made more than 4,000 drawings, and about 3,000 of them are still around today. He began drawing just for fun but spent more time on it when he stopped writing and got involved in politics. From 1848 to 1851, drawing became his main way of making art.

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

Personal life

Family

Victor Hugo married Adèle Foucher in 1822. They were married for almost 46 years until she passed away in 1868. They had several children. 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

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

Other relationships

Juliette Drouet

For many years, Juliette Drouet was very close to Victor Hugo. She stayed with him during his time away from France and supported him.

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.

Others

Hugo had relationships with many women during his life. He kept details of these private.

Nicknames

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

Memorials

Victor Hugo is remembered in many places around the world. His picture appears on French money. There are statues and streets named after him in cities such as Paris, Guernsey, Béziers, Besançon, Shawinigan, San Francisco, Avellino, Rome, Hugoton, Kansas, Hugo, MN, and Havana. Museums keep places where he lived, like his homes in Paris and Guernsey.

Memorials for Hugo are also found far from Earth. A crater on the planet Mercury is named after him. A mosaic in the Library of Congress remembers his life and work.

Works

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

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