Victor Hugo continues to be popular today not because of his multivolume works, which people may never have time or patience to read, but rather because of his unique experiences, his political activities and his immense influence on French history.
22rd May 2023 marks the 138th anniversary of Victor Hugo’s death. On May 22, 1885, French poet and playwright William Hugo died in Paris, a city he had returned to following an exile of nearly 20 years. He was a brilliant poet, playwright and romantic novelist, but also an influential politician, journalist and intellectual.
Today, 138 years after his death, Victor Hugo is still alive in the collective imagination and his works are still read, studied and played in theatres around the world. So what made Hugo great? And why is he still relevant and special 138 years since his death?
A man of letters
Victor Hugo started writing very young, and his first collection of poetry (Odes et poésies diverses) was published in 1822 when he was only 20 years old. Today, even though he is renown in the world for his novels in particular Les Misérables, 1862, and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (French: Notre-Dame de Paris), 1831, in France, he is known primarily for his poetry, such as Les Contemplations (The Contemplations) and La Légende des siècles (The Legend of the Ages). Part of his poetry is reality based, inspired by true events, such as the poems he wrote about his eldest and favorite daughter Léopoldine who died tragically aged 19 in 1843 when a boat on which she was travelling with her husband overturned. He was devastated by her loss and he never fully recovered from shock and sadness. His most famous poem about her is probably Demain, dès l’aube (Tomorrow, At Dawn), in which he describes visiting her grave.
His famous novel Les Misérables is one of the longest novels in world literature. It has 1,900 pages in French versions, and 1,500 pages in English editions. It consists of five volumes, each of which is divided into several books. Les Misérables is also among the books that took longest to wrote - 12 years.
A voice of the people
Hugo, who was a poet, artist and romantic novelist by the age of 30, initially emerged as a true romantic. Soon afterwards, he moved towards liberalism, focusing his attention on social issues and politics. He quickly progressed to become ‘a champion of Republicanism’. His concerns about social injustice, caused by both society and the legal system, brought him into contact with a liberal group of writers on the newspaper Le Globe and hastened his move towards liberalism. He gained wider popularity among the people as he stood by the oppressed and disenfranchised in the French society.
Hugo also rose in popularity as he stood firmly against the death penalty - the horrors of which he had witnessed in Paris where people used to gather at the Place de Grève to witness horrifying and sickening public executions. His opposition to capital punishment is evidenced by Le dernier jour d’un condamné (The Last Day of a Condemned Man), one of his first novels, which was initially published anonymously, in 1829.
He saved Notre Dame
Hugo also gained wider fame in France and beyond as he rose against the destruction of the old France and historical heritage. He achieved an enormous success when he published Notre-Dame de Paris (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) in 1831. He strongly criticized all parties involved in demolishing historical monuments or modifying them in ways that he disapproved of. And he urged the City of Paris to undertake a restoration plan for the much-neglected Cathedral of Notre Dame. His book had a tremendous effect, raising awareness and mobilising action to restore the cathedral, which was now attracting scores of visitors who had read the popular novel. It also inspired a renewed appreciation for historic sites and buildings, and thereafter renewed efforts to save them from destruction.
A man of music and art
Hugo loved music. For him, “Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.” as he put it. He loved, in particular, the music of Carl Maria von Weber whose operas profoundly influenced the development of the Romantic Opera in Germany.
His influence went from the realm of literature to impact the world of music. His literary works have inspired music, both during his lifetime and after his death. Up to 50 operas have been adapted from his works, including the musicals Notre-Dame de Paris and Les Misérables. Alain Boublil adapted Hugo’s epic novel into a world-class musical, It was initially launched in the original language, French, in September of 1980 at the Palais des Sports in Paris. The English version was opened on October 8, 1985, at the Barbican Arts Centre in London, and it is today one of the longest running shows in Britain.
A Voice of opposition
In 1849. Hugo became one of the loudest and most prominent voices of opposition to Louis Napoleon. In a provocative statement, he wrote: “Just because we had Napoleon le Grand (Napoleon the Great), do we have to have Napoleon le petit (Napoleon the small)?” His opposition angered Bonaparte who retaliated by shutting down Hugo’s newspaper and arresting both his sons.
Amid horrific scenes of violence in Paris following Bonaparte seizure of power, declaring himself Napoleon III, Hugo was forced to leave Paris and go into exile spending many years of his life on the island of Guernsey where he wrote major parts of his most touching masterpiece Les Misérables, depicting the suffering of the French people. Whilst in exile, Hugo also wrote Les châtiments (Castigation), fiercely criticizing the rule of Napoleon III and the Second French Empire. Despite being granted amnesty by Napoleon III in 1859, Hugo chose to remain in exile. His response to Napoleon III was: “Faithful to the undertaking I have given my conscience, I shall share the exile of freedom to the end. When freedom returns, so shall I.” Hugo was faithful to his promise, remaining in exile until Napoleon III’s fall from power in 1870.
immense influence on French history
Hugo rose to fame and his fame extended beyond his country. In France, he deservingly held a high literary position and acquired the title “Prince of French Literature. Hugo’s popularity today is not due to his multivolume works, which people may never have time or patience to read. It is rather due to his political activities and his immense influence on French history. He stood against the demolition of historical sites, saved Notre Dame, spoke out against capital punishment, denounced social injustice and defended the poor and maltreated.
