Hugo year. 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.

For a long time, Hugo's 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 works were published. poetic works and the first version of the melodramatic novel “Byug Zhar-gal”. He was accepted into the Royalist Society belles lettres. 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 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 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 motifs", which brought Hugo fame.

Period from 1829 to 1843 was extremely productive in Hugo's work. The plays “Marion Delorme” and “Ernani” appeared. Consolidated the success of “Cathedral” Notre Dame of Paris" “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 lyric poems 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 French Academy, which elects him as its member. Releases a book travel notes"Rhein", in which he sets out his program 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.

Well, it seems okay. The teacher gave it a 9, so I’m happy

Victor Hugo - French writer, whose works went down in history and became immortal monuments of literary heritage. A lover of Gothic art and a representative of romanticism, all his life he despised the laws of society and opposed human inequality. Hugo wrote his most popular book, Les Misérables, at the time creative crisis, but, nevertheless, this novel has become a favorite work of the author’s fans all over the world.

Childhood and youth

The beginning of the 19th century: passed in France great revolution, the Old Order and absolute monarchy were destroyed in the country, which were replaced by the First French Republic. The slogan “Freedom, equality, brotherhood” flourished in the country, and the young commander instilled hope for a bright future.

It was at a time when the ancient foundations were destroyed, and sprouts from the seeds of revolution were growing in France, that the captain of the Napoleonic army, Leopold Sigisbert Hugo, had a third son. This event took place on February 26, 1802 in the east of the country, in the city of Besançon. The boy, who was given the name Victor, was sickly and weak; according to the recollections of his mother Sophie Trebuchet, the baby was “no bigger than a table knife.”

The family was rich and lived in a large three-story house. Leopold came from a peasant family, but the Great French Revolution allowed the man to prove himself. The father of the future writer went from an officer in the Republican army to a supporter of Bonaparte and, finally, became a general. Hugo Sr. often traveled due to his duty, so the family moved to Italy, Spain, Marseille, as well as to the islands in the Mediterranean Sea and Tuscany. Travel left indelible impressions on little Victor, which will later find an echo in the writer’s works.

From the biography of Hugo’s mother, all that is known is that she was the daughter of a shipowner.

Sophie and Leopold tried to raise their three boys (Victor, Abel and Eugene) in love, but the spouses' worldviews differed, which is why they often quarreled. Trebuchet adhered to royalist and Voltairian views and in french revolution was a supporter of the Bourbon dynasty, while Hugo the elder was a devoted supporter of Napoleon. It was not only political strife that forced the parents of the future writer to disagree: Sophie had an affair with General Victor Lagorie.

Due to parental quarrels, the three brothers lived either with Sophie or with Leopold, and in 1813, Victor Hugo’s mother and father divorced, and the woman moved to the capital of France, taking her youngest son with her. In the future, Sophie more than once regretted and tried to reconcile with her husband, but he did not want to forget the old grievances.

The mother had a significant influence on Victor: she managed to instill in the child that the Bourbons were supporters of freedom, and the boy’s image of an ideal monarch was formed through the books he read.

Literature

Leopold dreamed that his youngest child would become familiar with the exact sciences; besides, the boy had a talent for mathematics, he could count perfectly and cope with complex equations. Perhaps the general’s son would have had the career of Michel Roll or, but Victor chose a different path and ended up from entering the Polytechnic University.

The future author of immortal novels preferred Latin poems and books to numbers, voraciously reading great works. However, Hugo began writing odes and poems as a child, studying at the Lyceum of Louis the Great, from 1812. The young man was often the author of plays at impromptu school performances: the tables moved together served theatrical stage, and stage costumes were cut out of colored paper and cardboard by inept children's hands.

When the boy was 14 years old, he was inspired by the first representative of romanticism, Francois Chateaubriand, and dreamed of being like French poet. In his autobiographical diary, the future author of “Notre Dame de Paris” covered 10 notebooks with translations of Virgil’s works: at that time the boy was on hospital treatment due to a wound in his leg.

Later, the self-critical young man found the manuscripts carefully collected by his mother and burned his works, believing that he was capable of a more elegant and literary style. On the last notebook, Victor writes that this is nonsense and draws a picture of an egg with a chick inside.

When Victor was 15 years old, he showed himself to be an outspoken supporter of royalism and an adherent of deep-rooted literary classicism.

In 1813, young Hugo took part in literary competition, where he presents to the jury members an ode about the benefits of science, “Les avantages des tudes,” for which he receives praise and rave reviews. Some judges did not believe that the author of the poem was 15, because in the work Victor reasoned as an adult with a mature worldview.

Young writer praised the Bourbon dynasty in his works: for his ode “For the restoration of the statue of Henry IV,” the young man received the attention and favor of the French authorities, who paid the young talent a salary. The financial incentive came in handy, since Leopold refused to help his son financially due to the latter’s refusal to enter the Polytechnic School.

When the boy was 17 years old, he and his brother Abel began publishing a magazine with the catchy name “Literary Conservative,” and the collection “Odes,” published in 1822, made Victor a recognized poet among the literary public.

Hugo's books personified the movement of romanticism, and the author's works often contained a social or political aspect, while Byron's English romanticism represented works in which the main character was the human personality.

Residents of France had to observe social inequality, dirty back streets, beggary, slavery, promiscuous behavior of women and other life phenomena, although Paris was considered the city of love. Hugo, like any writer, was an observant person who was concerned about the surrounding reality. Moreover, in his works, Victor did not delve into the essence of social strife, trying to prove to readers that social problems will be resolved only when a person learns to value morality and ethics.

Often works French author had political overtones, in the first serious novel “The Last Day of a Man Condemned to Death” (1829), the writer metaphorically explains his position on the abolition death penalty, recording the thoughts and torments of a literary hero doomed to death.

Also, the work of Victor Hugo “The Man Who Laughs” (Victor initially wanted to call the work “By the Order of the King”), written by the writer in mature age. The novel describes the horrors of social violence that was committed by the supreme nobility. The work tells the story of Lord Gwynplaine, whose face was disfigured as a child in order to deprive the heir to the throne and status. Due to his external inferiority, the boy was treated as a second-class person, without paying attention to his positive aspects.

"Les Miserables"

The novel “Les Misérables,” written by Hugo in 1862, is the pinnacle of the French writer’s work, based on which a film was later made. The concept of the literary plot contains acute problems of the surrounding life, such as hunger and poverty, the fall of girls into prostitution for the sake of a piece of bread, as well as the arbitrariness of the upper class, which was the government.

The protagonist of the work is Jean Valjean, who stole a loaf from a bakery for the sake of his starving family. Due to a minor crime, the man received a total of 19 years in prison, and after his release he became an outcast, deprived of the right to a quiet life.

Despite the deplorable situation in society, the hero of the novel has a goal - to make the homeless girl Cosette happy.

According to biographers of the French writer, the book is based on real events: in 1846, Hugo personally saw how a man was arrested because of a piece of loaf.

Victor also describes the life of a perky boy, the orphan Gavroche, who dies during the June uprising in 1831.

"Notre Dame Cathedral"

The idea for “Notre Dame de Paris” came to Victor Hugo in 1828, and the book itself was published in 1831. After the publication of the novel, Hugo became an innovator: the writer became the first Frenchman to write a work with historical overtones.

Victor relied on experience worldwide famous writer-historian. “Notre Dame Cathedral” had a political motive: during his lifetime, the author of the novel advocated the reconstruction of cultural monuments.

Therefore, the Gothic cathedral in Paris, which the authorities were going to demolish, became the main character of the work. The novel talks about human cruelty and the eternal confrontation between good and evil. This book is dramatic in nature and tells the story of the unfortunate, ugly Quasimodo, who is in love with the beautiful Esmeralda, the only resident of Paris who did not mock the poor temple servant. After Hugo’s death, the work was filmed: the famous “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1996) was based on it.

Personal life

The personal life of Victor Hugo was distinguished by the fact that he had a peculiar relationship with the opposite sex. In his youth, the writer falls in love with Adele Fouché, a typical representative of the bourgeoisie. In 1822, the lovers got married. The couple had five children (the first child died in infancy), but the beautiful Adele began to disdain Hugo: she did not consider her husband a talented writer and did not read a single line from his works. But the woman cheated on her husband with his friend Sainte-Beuve, denying Victor carnal pleasure; any touch from the writer irritated the obstinate girl, but she preferred to remain silent about the betrayal.

Later, Hugo falls in love with the secular courtesan beauty Juliet, who was supported by Prince Anatoly Demidov, without denying the girl luxury. The new passion fell passionately in love with the writer, who demanded to end the affair with a rich man. But in relationships, Hugo turned out to be extremely stingy: from an elegantly dressed young lady new bride Victora turned into a lady who wore rags: the author of the novels gave Juliette a small amount for expenses and controlled every coin spent.

U new lover Victor's dream was to become an actress, but the writer did not make any effort to ensure that the girl received a theatrical role.

Later, the writer’s passion for the aged Zhultte cooled down, and he was not against entertainment with girls for one night, for whom he organized a separate office in his house.

Death

Died great writer in the spring of 1885 from pneumonia. The news of the death of Victor Hugo instantly spread throughout France, millions of people mourned and participated in the funeral of the author of immortal novels.

One of the favorite places of Hugo's fans was the island of Jersey, where Victor spent 3 happy year and revealed himself as a poet.

Bibliography

• "Les Miserables"
• "Notre Dame Cathedral"
• "The Man Who Laughs"
• "The Last Day of the Condemned to Death"
• "Ninety-third year"
• "Cosette"
• "Toilers of the Sea"
• "Gavroche"
• "Claude Gue"
• "Ernani"

Quotes

• “Fill up the chasm of ignorance and you will destroy the den of crime”;
• “Great men rarely appear alone”;
• “Ideas are rare game in the forest of words”;
• “A donkey who knows the way is worth more than a soothsayer who guesses at random”;
• “It doesn’t matter to me whose side is strong; what matters is whose side is right”;
• “A man enslaves not only the soul of a woman, but also her body, and more often the body than the soul. The soul is the beloved, the body is the mistress.”

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, you can’t fit it into a couple of pages. full biography Victor Hugo, because for this you need to place the memories of his contemporaries, personal letters, 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 adhered to the opposite 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 teenage years close to him 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 produce 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 seeks to find conflict in themselves natural phenomena, and not just between heroes, as was the case before with Lamartine.

Victor Hugo called for abandoning the strict language of classicism and writing in the language human feelings. He boldly introduced colloquial vocabulary, various terms, outdated words, which greatly helped to enrich the poems.

Theorizing Romanticism

The pinnacle of an era French romanticism became his "Preface to Cromwell." Shakespeare's drama "Cromwell" in that era was innovative character, but still remained insufficiently suitable for the stage. But the “Preface” turned the tide in the struggle between the two directions. In the work, Victor Hugo talks 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, lyrics; in ancient times epics appeared; the third period is the formation of Christianity.

Exactly at last period When the struggle between good and evil is shown, the emergence of a new genre - drama - is 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. In the dramas written by him, all the basic positions of romanticism are laid down, which will be considered the standard for French drama.

"Notre Dame Cathedral"

1831 is 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 in his work modern reality, 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 historical meaning 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 considered from the point of view 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 character images are taken from Hugo 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 wonderful works, but also worked theoretical issues. He sought to bring French poetry and drama to a completely different level. Literary principles created by him, on long years became canons for other writers.

But why is it needed? short biography 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 there are principles in his creations humane treatment man to all living things, there is moral principle and victory of good.

Victor Hugo is one of greatest personalities, which were 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.

Hugo Victor Marie - French writer, poet, bright representative romantic literary direction- was born in Besançon on February 26, 1802. His father was a high-ranking military man, therefore, as a child, Hugo managed to visit Corsica, Elba, Marseille, and Madrid, which later played a certain role in his formation as a romantic writer. His mother’s monarchist and Voltairean views had a noticeable impact on the formation of his personality. After the divorce, she took Victor, and in 1813 they settled in Paris. His education continued in the capital: in 1814, Hugo became a student at the private boarding school Cordier, and from 1814 to 1818 he was a student at the Lyceum of Louis the Great.

Hugo began writing at the age of 14. His first publications - debut poems and the novel "Byug Zhargal" - date back to 1821. Victor was 19 when the death of his mother forced him to look for a source of livelihood, and he chose the craft of a writer. The collection of poems “Odes and Miscellaneous Poems” (1822) attracted the attention of Louis XVIII and brought the author an annual annuity. In the same year, Hugo married Adele Fouché, with whom he became the father of five children.

The preface to the drama "Cromwell", written in 1827, attracted everyone's attention to Hugo, since it became a real manifesto of a new - romantic - direction in French drama. Thanks to him, as well as the story “The Last Day of the Convict” (1829) and the collection of poems “Oriental Motifs” (1829), the author gained enormous fame. 1829 marked the beginning of extreme fruitful period in his creative biography, which lasted until 1843.

In 1829, Hugo wrote another work that became resonant - the drama "Ernani", which put an end to literary disputes, marking the final victory of democratic romanticism. Dramatic experiments made Hugo not only a famous but also a wealthy author. In addition, active cooperation with theaters brought another acquisition: the actress Juliette Drouet appeared in his life, who was his muse and mistress for more than three decades. In 1831, one of Hugo's most popular novels, Notre Dame de Paris, was published.

In 1841, the writer became a member of the French Academy, which meant official recognition of his merits in the field of literature. Tragic death daughter and son-in-law in 1843 forced her to abandon active social life in favor of creative pursuits: it was at that time that the idea of ​​a large-scale social novel, which Hugo tentatively called “Adversity.” However, the revolution of 1848 returned the writer to the fold of social and political activity; in the same year he was elected to the National Assembly.

In December 1851, after a coup d'etat, Victor Hugo, who opposed the self-proclaimed Emperor Louis Napoleon III Bonaparte, was forced to flee the country. He spent almost two decades in a foreign land, living in the British Isles, where he wrote works that became extremely famous, in particular, the lyrical collection “Contemplations” (1856), the novels “Les Miserables” (1862, revised “Adversity”), “Toilers” sea" (1866), "The Man Who Laughs" (1869).

In 1870, after the overthrow of Napoleon III, Hugo's triumphant return took place, during for long years who served as the personification of the opposition, to Paris. In 1871 he was elected to the National Assembly, but the conservative policies of the majority led the writer to refuse his deputy post. During this period Hugo continued literary activity, however, he did not create anything that would increase his glory. He experienced the death of Juliette Drouet in 1883 as a severe loss, and two years later, on May 22, 1885, the 83-year-old Victor Hugo himself passed away. His funeral became a national event; the ashes of the great writer rest in the Pantheon - in the same place where the remains are buried

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 outline. And yet without which it is impossible to imagine French literature 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 a poet, and a playwright, and a prose writer, and literary critic, and the publicist - all this is Victor Hugo. Interesting biography it 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. Also in adolescence 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 works 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 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

Romantics in the late 1820s began to focus on great attention 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 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. In it, 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 this author's drama, her ideological content dates back to the battle of ideologies of the late 1820s, as well as the July Revolution of 1830. Romantic drama Victor's work 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 historical novel. Victor's work, created in 1831, is one of highest achievements 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 end of the 1820s and the beginning of the 1830s was 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 1848 February Revolution, 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 Misérables appeared, in 1866 - Sea Toilers, and in 1869 - The main topic All these works are 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 appeared: poetry collections and poems: 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 in last way became a grandiose manifestation. Thousands of people took part in it.

Firmly entered into French and world literature works created by Victor Hugo. Biography, summary 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.