Brief biography of Victor Hugo. Victor Hugo - an outstanding French novelist Hugo wrote

On February 26, 1802, in the east of France, in the provincial town of Benzanos, the third child was born in the family of Joseph Hugo and Sophie Trebuchet. It was the future writer and the greatest man - Victor Hugo. His father was a captain in the Napoleonic army, but eventually rose to the rank of general, while his mother was a zealous royalist. From a very early age, the Hugo family moved a lot on duty as a paternal service: Corsica, Elba, Madrid - this is not a complete list of cities that Victor managed to see in early childhood. The boy grew up, and under the influence of constant travel, his character and romantic worldview were formed.

When the boy was only 12, his father and mother divorced, Sophie became the initiator, and the reason for this was her love affair with General Lagori. The breakup of the family occurred when the family lived in Madrid, after which Sophie finally moved to Paris, taking Victor with her.

Youth

The education of a boy up to 12 years of age was inconsistent, and only in 1814 was Victor able to become a student at the Cordier boarding house, and then enter the Lyceum of Louis the Great. The talent of the writer began to manifest itself in the boy at a fairly young age - at the age of 14 he wrote "Yrtatine", "Athelie ou les scandinaves", "Louis de Castro", at 15 he received his first honorary review of the Toulouse Academy, in whose competitions he regularly participated , and later even was marked by the royal government.

At the end of his studies, Hugo seriously engaged in the development of his work. His early works, including the initial version of the famous novel "Bug Jargal" (1821), were published in the "Conservative Letterer" - a popular publication of those times.

1822 was an outstanding year for young Victor - his first collection Odes and Various Poems was born, imbued with the spirit of classicism. Just a year later, the author's second novel, Gan the Icelander, was already published, which received rather restrained reviews. One of the critics of the novel was Charles Nodier, whose constructive remarks and weighty arguments could not leave Hugo indifferent. Later, the writers had the opportunity to meet in person, and this meeting was the beginning of friendship. However, it did not last long - from about 1827 to 1830, until Nodier began to criticize Hugo's works more and more harshly.

Formation of Hugo as a writer and the way forward

Approximately in the same period (1827-1830), the writer's friendly relations were established with many outstanding personalities of literature, with whom they founded their own Senecal group at the Muses Francaise magazine. The group's work had a pronounced romantic orientation.

The fame of the young poet grew day by day: the play "Cromwell" released in 1827, with its famous "Foreword", the story "The Last Day of the Condemned" (1829), the collection "Oriental Motifs" (1829) - these works were very warmly received.

The period from 1829 to 1843 was especially fruitful for Hugo. One after another, he releases scandalous plays, which are censored every now and then. But that doesn't stop him. Following "Marion Delorme", in which Louis XIII was not portrayed in the most favorable light, there are "Ernani", "The King is amused" and "Ruy Blas". The triumph of the author becomes the destruction of the "Bastille of Classicism" in dramaturgy, and romanticism finally comes to the fore.

A separate item in the biography of Victor Hugo is the historical novel Notre Dame Cathedral. In it, the author was able to demonstrate in all its glory his multifaceted talent in prose, while outlining the situation in France at that time, and incredibly accurately defining the current issues.

retreat

In 1843, Hugo experienced a terrible loss: during a shipwreck on the Seine, his very young daughter Leopoldina and her husband died. This was a real blow for him, and therefore for some time the writer decided to move away from society. Solitude prompted him to embark on a voluminous and complex work - a novel of a social nature, which the author himself called initially "Trouble." However, he failed to finish what he started - the revolution of 1848 pushed him to the beginning of an active socio-political activity, he became a member of the National Assembly.

The return of the writer was short-lived - in 1851, after the coup, Hugo again left France - first to Brussels, and later to the small island of Jersey, and from there to the island of Guernsey. During the period of seclusion, he wrote the book "Napoleon the Small", which exposed the entire dictatorial essence of Louis Bonaparte, and after "Retribution" - a subtle satire in verse, which also dealt with Napoleon III, his followers and fans of the regime. In the early 60s of the 19th century, Victor again returned to work on the novel Adversity. Today, this creation is familiar to the reader under the name "Les Misérables".

While on Granci Island, the writer published a number of books that today are rightfully considered classics of world literature: William Shakespeare, Toilers of the Sea, The Man Who Laughs, as well as a collection of poems, Songs of the Streets and Forests.

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 Nobles College in Madrid; in France, a former priest, Father de la Rivière, became his mentor. In 1814, he entered the Cordier boarding house, from where the most capable students went to the Lyceum of Louis the Great. This period includes his earliest poetic experiments - mostly translations from Virgil.

Together with his brothers, he undertook the publication of the Literary Conservative magazine, 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 Belles Letters. From his teenage years, he fell head over heels in love with the neighbor's girl Adele Fouche - 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 royalist odes.

The mature poet was given an annual pension of 1,200 francs beyond his years, 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 - the victim of her brilliant husband. Starting to earn money with a pen, Hugo got out of material dependence on his father, 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 gothic narrative. The publication "Od and Ballads" was published, the vivid imagery of ballads testified to the strengthening of romantic tendencies in his work.

Among the friends and acquaintances of Hugo were such writers as A. de Vigny, A. de Saint-Valry, C. Nodier, E. Deschamps and A. de Lamartine. Having formed the Se-nacle group (French for “community”, “commonwealth”) under the French Muse magazine, they often met in the salon of Nodier, curator of the Arsenal library. Hugo and Ch. 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 the work of Hugo. The plays "Marion Delorme", "Ernani" appeared. Consolidated the success of "Notre Dame Cathedral". “Marion Delorme” was staged, behind it “The King Amuses”, “Lucrezia Borgia”, “Mary Tudor”, “Angelo”, “Ruy Blas” and “Burggraves” saw the light of the ramp. Important events took place in Hugo's personal life. Sainte-Beuve fell in love with his wife, and the former friends went their separate ways. Hugo himself fell in love with 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 personal experiences of the poet: "Autumn Leaves", "Songs of Twilight", "Inner Voices". A collection of critical essays "Literary-Philosophical Mixture" has been published.

In 1841, Hugo's merits are recognized by the French Academy, which elects him as a member. He publishes a book of travel notes "The Rhine", in which he sets out his program of international relations between France and Germany.

In 1843, the poet experienced a tragedy: his beloved daughter Leopoldina and her husband Charles Vacri drowned in the Seine. Retiring for a while from society, Hugo went to work on the great novel "Troubles", interrupted by the revolution of 1848. Hugo went into politics, was elected to the National Assembly; fled after the coup d'etat in 1851.

During the long exile, Hugo created his greatest works: there were "Retributions" - a poetic satire criticizing Napoleon III; collection of lyrical and philosophical poetry "Contemplation"; the first two volumes of Legends of the Ages were published, which established him as an epic poet. In 1860-1861. Hugo returned to the novel The Troubles he had begun.

The book was published in 1862 under the now famous title Les Misérables. He published the treatise "William Shakespeare", a collection of poems "Songs of the 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. Evidence of his patriotism and the loss of illusions about Germany was the collection "Terrible Year".

He again turned 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. The remains of Hugo were placed in the Pantheon, next to Voltaire and J.-J. Rousseau.

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

Childhood and youth

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

It was at the time when the ancient foundations were destroyed, and sprouts from the seeds of the revolution grew in France, that the third son was born to the captain of the Napoleonic army, Leopold Sizhisber Hugo. This event took place on February 26, 1802 in the east of the country, in the city of Besancon. 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 French Revolution allowed the man to prove himself. The father of the future writer went from an officer of the Republican army to a supporter of Bonaparte and, finally, became a general. Hugo Sr. often traveled due to duty, so the family moved to Italy, Spain, Marseille, as well as to the islands in the Mediterranean and Tuscany. Travels left indelible impressions on little Victor, which would later find an echo in the writer's works.

From the biography of Hugo's mother, it is only known that she was the daughter of a shipowner.

Sophie and Leopold tried to raise three boys (Victor, Abel and Eugene) in love, but the worldviews of the spouses diverged, which is why they often quarreled. Trebuchet adhered to royalist and Voltairian views and during the French Revolution was a supporter of the Bourbon dynasty, while Hugo the elder was a devoted supporter of Napoleon. Not only political strife forced the parents of the future writer to disperse: Sophie had love on the side with General Victor Lagori.

Because of 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 regretted more than once and tried to reconcile with her husband, but he did not want to forget old grievances.

The mother had a significant influence on Victor: she managed to instill in the child that the Bourbons are adherents of freedom, and the image of the ideal monarch was formed by the boy due to the books he read.

Literature

Leopold dreamed that the youngest child would join the exact sciences, besides, the boy had a talent for mathematics, he perfectly counted and coped with complex equations. Perhaps the general's son would have developed 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 verses and books to figures, reading great works with avidity. However, Hugo began to write 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: shifted tables served as theatrical stages, and stage costumes were cut out of colored paper and cardboard by clumsy 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 a French poet. In his autobiographical diary, the future author of Notre Dame Cathedral wrote 10 notebooks with translations of Virgil's works: then the boy was in hospital due to a wound in his leg.

Later, the self-critical young man found 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 as a clear supporter of royalism and an adherent of an entrenched literary classicism.

In 1813, young Hugo participates in a literary competition, where he presents an ode to the benefits of science, Les avantages des tudes, to the jury, 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 spoke like an adult with a formed worldview.

The young writer praised the Bourbon dynasty in his works: for the ode “On the restoration of the statue of Henry IV”, the young man received the attention and favor of the French authorities, who paid a salary to the young talent. The encouragement with money came in handy, since Leopold refused to help his son financially because of the latter's disagreement to enter the Polytechnic School.

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

Hugo's books embodied the current of romanticism, and the author's writings often hid a social or political aspect, while Byron's English romanticism was a work in which the main character was a human person.

The inhabitants of France had to observe social inequality, dirty nooks and crannies, begging, slavery, dissolute behavior of women and other life phenomena, although Paris was considered a city of love. Hugo, like any writer, was an observant person who was worried 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 solved only when a person learns to appreciate morality and morality.

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

Also, the philosophical concept is carried by the work of Victor Hugo "The Man Who Laughs" (previously Victor wanted to call the work "By the Order of the King"), written by the writer in adulthood. The novel describes the horrors of social violence, which was committed by the supreme nobility. The work tells about Lord Gwynplaine, whose face was mutilated in childhood in order to deprive the heir to the throne and status. Due to external inferiority, the boy was treated as a second-rate person, not paying attention to his positive aspects.

"Les Misérables"

The novel Les Miserables, 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 a piece of bread, as well as the arbitrariness of the upper class, which was power.

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

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

According to the 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 fervent boy - the orphan Gavroche, who dies during the June uprising, which took place in 1831.

"Notre Dame Cathedral"

The idea of ​​"Notre Dame Cathedral" arises from Victor Hugo in 1828, and the book itself is published in 1831. After the publication of the novel, Hugo becomes an innovator: the writer became the first Frenchman who wrote a work with historical overtones.

Victor relied on the experience of the world 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 tells about human cruelty and the eternal confrontation between good and evil. This book is dramatic and tells about the unfortunate ugly Quasimodo, in love with the beautiful Esmeralda - the only inhabitant of Paris who did not mock the poor servant of the temple. After Hugo's death, the work was filmed: the famous "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1996) was filmed on its basis.

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 Fouche, a typical representative of the bourgeoisie. In 1822, the lovers get 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-Beva, denying Victor carnal pleasure, any touch of the writer irritated the obstinate girl, but she preferred to remain silent about betrayals.

Later, Hugo falls in love with the beautiful courtesan Juliet, who was kept 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 relations, Hugo turned out to be extremely stingy: from an elegantly dressed young lady, Victor's new bride turned into a lady who wore rags: the author of the novels gave Juliet a small amount for expenses and controlled every coin spent.

Victor's new lover had a dream of becoming an actress, but the writer made no effort to get the girl a theatrical role.

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

Death

The great writer died 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 years and revealed himself as a poet.

Bibliography

• "Les Misérables"
• "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 abyss of ignorance, and you will destroy the den of crimes";
• "Great people rarely appear alone";
• “Ideas are a 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 which side the power is on; what matters is which side is right”;
• “A man is enslaved not only by the soul of a woman, but also by her body, and more often the body than the soul. The soul is the beloved, the body is the mistress.

Victor Marie Hugo is one of the most famous French writers who influenced the development of the literary movement - romanticism. His works became the property of French culture. The writer himself opposed social inequality, so he is also known as a public figure.

Childhood years of the writer

The parents of the future writer were Joseph Hugo, who became a general in the Napoleonic army, and Sophie Trebuchet, the daughter of a wealthy shipowner and royalist. Victor Marie Hugo had two older brothers. He was born in 1802 in Besancon, and all his childhood years were spent on the move with his parents. They tried to raise their children in an atmosphere of love, but the parents held different political views. It was thanks to the views of his mother that Hugo adhered to monarchist ideas in his youth.

The Hugo family visited Marseille, Kortik, Elba, Italy, Madrid - such frequent moves were associated with the work of the writer's father. After each move, they returned to Paris. It was these travels that impressed little Victor and prepared the basis for his romantic views. In 1813 his parents separated, and Victor Marie Hugo stayed with his mother in Paris.

Youth years

In a brief biography of Victor Marie Hugo, it is noted that from 1814 to 1818 he studied at the Lyceum Louis the Great. At the age of 14, he began to write his first works, which he does not publish. The boy dedicates one of the tragedies he wrote to his mother, in addition, he writes a drama and translates Virgil. In his first works, Victor Hugo appears as a supporter of classicism. Later, when he became a royalist, he would develop romanticism.

At the age of 15, young Hugo receives a good review at the Academy competition for his poem, and for an ode - a medal. Even in his youth, those around him saw the talent of the future writer. But in addition, the boy had a penchant for the exact sciences. And his father really wanted his youngest son to enter the Polytechnic. But young Victor chose literature, thanks to which he became famous throughout the world.

The beginning of literary activity

When the writer reread his manuscripts, he was dissatisfied with their quality: he was sure that he could write more beautifully and gracefully. Victor Hugo begins publishing in 1819. From 1819 to 1821 he published a supplement to a royalist Catholic magazine. In 1819, Hugo wrote a very royalist satire, The Telegraph, which drew readers' attention to him.

In the supplement to the magazine he published, the young man wrote under various pseudonyms. It was thanks to his publishing activities that he gained a reputation as a monarchist.

Publication of the first novel and the beginning of romanticism

In 1822, the writer married Adele Fouche. The couple had five children in this marriage. In 1923, Victor Hugo published his novel The Icelander, which received a rather lukewarm reception from the public.

The piece received a good review from Charles Nodier. Thanks to this, an acquaintance took place between them, which grew into friendship. The writer was not very upset by the criticism of his work - he simply decided to work even more carefully. Soon after the publication, a meeting was held in the library of the Arsenal - it was she who was the cradle of romanticism. After this meeting, Hugo began to form the foundations of romanticism.

Friendly communication between Victor Hugo and Charles Nodier lasted from 1827 to 1830, because Nodier was increasingly critical of the writer's works. Prior to this, Hugo managed to resume communication with his father and dedicate a poem to him. In 1828, Joseph Hugo died. Victor Marie writes the play "Cromwell" especially for the famous actor François-Joseph Talma and publishes it in 1827. She caused controversy among readers, and in the preface to the play, Hugo wrote that he did not accept the foundations of classicism and decided to write in the direction of romanticism.

Despite the fact that Hugo's works were coolly received by critics, he was a well-known figure in the literary environment. The Hugo couple often held receptions in their house, to which famous personalities were invited. The writer makes acquaintance with Chateaubriand, Liszt, Berlioz and other artists.

In addition to novels, Hugo writes poetry, and in 1829 and 1834 he publishes short novels - "The Last Day of the Condemned to Death" and "Claude Gay". In them, the writer expresses his negative attitude towards the death penalty. During the period of creativity from 1826 to 1837, Victor Marie Hugo becomes the founder of French romanticism.

"Les Misérables"

This is one of the most famous works of the writer. It is the property of French literature and the pinnacle of his work. Les Misérables by Victor Marie Hugo was published in 1862. In it, the writer touches on topics that are important to him, such as the force of law, love, the problem of cruelty and humanity. One of Victor Marie Hugo's most famous characters is Gavroche. He symbolized the hopes of the rebels, the younger generation. In the stories about the children of Victor Marie Hugo, Gavroche occupied a special place and was perceived by readers as a little hero and fighter for ideals.

The action of the novel in Les Misérables covers a wide time frame, so this work is a historical drama. The plot constantly refers the reader to important events of that era. In this book, Victor Hugo criticizes the Restoration era and the large number of poor people. Therefore, his novel is filled with revolutionary and anti-monarchist sentiments.

One of Victor Hugo's most famous books is Notre Dame de Paris. This is the first historical novel to be written in French and published in March 1831. The main goal of the writer was to draw attention to the Notre Dame Cathedral, and it was he who wanted to make the main character.

The cathedral in that era was either demolished or made more modern. After the release of the novel, not only in France, but throughout the world, a movement began for the preservation and restoration of Gothic monuments. This work has been filmed many times and staged musicals, the most popular of which is Notre Dame de Paris, staged in France.

"The Man Who Laughs"

Another famous historical novel by Victor Hugo, written by him in the 60s of the 19th century. The plot revolves around a boy, in infancy, who was mutilated for the amusement of a wealthy public. A boy picks up a blind girl and together they find shelter with a traveling actor.

The boy and the girl fell in love with each other and that was a pure bright feeling. But it turns out that he has a title and wealth. In his speech addressed to the nobility, this young man talks about the plight of ordinary people, about inequality in the country. And this novel caused controversy between literary critics - whether it belongs to romanticism or realism.

In his novel, Victor Hugo reflected the questions that worried him about lost children and the position of the nobility in society. Before creating the novel, the writer collected historical information about the period he described in England.

retreat

In 1843, a tragedy occurred in the life of Victor Hugo: his daughter Leopoldina and her husband died during a shipwreck. After that, for some time he completely ceased to maintain contact with society. Being in such seclusion, Victor Hugo began to work on a voluminous novel.

But he did not have time to finish the work: in 1848 there was a revolution and the writer began to take an active part in social and political life. But in 1851 Hugo left France and went to Brussels, then to the Isle of Jersey and Henry Island. During this difficult period, he wrote the book "Napoleon the Small", in which he exposed the dictatorship of the new ruler, Louis Bonaparte, and satire in verse - "Retribution", which became popular with opponents of Napoleon III. In the early 60s of the 19th century, Hugo returned to writing his voluminous novel, which became known to the world as Les Misérables.

Work in the theater

Between 1830 and 1843 he worked almost exclusively for the theatre. Also during this period, most of the poems of Victor Marie Hugo were written. His play, which he staged back in 1829, caused controversy between representatives of the old and the new in art.

In all his plays, Hugo described the conflicts between the nobility and the common people. Sometimes this conflict was deliberately exaggerated in order to attract the attention of readers. Some of his plays were even removed from the screenings, but then they were returned to the repertoire again.

The artistic talent of the writer and his friendship with painters

Victor Hugo also painted. He started drawing at the age of 8. Now his works are in private collections and are still highly valued at auctions. Most of his writings were written between 1848 and 1851 in ink and pencil.

Delacroix told Victor Hugo that he would become a famous artist and surpass many contemporary painters. The writer kept in touch with many famous artists and illustrators. Boulanger admired Hugo so much that he created a large number of portraits with people who gathered around him.

Boulanger liked to paint on fantastic themes inspired by reading Hugo's poems. The most famous illustrator of the writer's works is the artist Emile Bayard.

Political career and the last years of the writer's life

Victor Hugo was not only a famous writer, but also a public figure. He was against social inequality and adhered to royalist views. In 1841 Hugo became a member of the French Academy.

In 1845 the writer began his political career and in that year he became a peer of France. In 1848 he became a member of the National Assembly, in whose meetings he took part until 1851. Victor Hugo did not support the new revolution and the election of Napoleon III as the new ruler. Because of this, the writer was expelled from France. He returned only in 1870, and in 1876 he became a senator.

His return was due to the collapse of Napoleon's regime. At that time, the Franco-Prussian War began, and Hugo supported the opposition. In 1971, he ceased to engage in political activities and took up creativity.

The great French writer, the founder of the current of romanticism in France, died on May 22, 1885, the cause of death was pneumonia. The country was declared mourning for 10 days: about a million people came to say goodbye to Victor Hugo. The ashes of the great writer were placed in the Pantheon.

sayings

Victor Marie Hugo's quotes have become winged and known all over the world.

Music expresses that which cannot be said, but about which it is impossible to remain silent.

Sometimes a person cannot express his feelings and thoughts - he cannot find the right words. And music allows a person to communicate and share their emotions with others.

The future belongs to two types of people: the man of thought and the man of labor. In essence, both of them are one whole: for to think is to work.

Victor Hugo has always worked: it was both writing and socio-political. If a person is engaged in any work, then he is improved. Even if he is engaged not in physical, but in mental labor, he trains his mind. Thanks to this, he develops and the person becomes better.

Every civilization begins with a theocracy and ends with a democracy.

Victor Hugo sought to fight social inequality, he called on people to fight the dictatorial regime, because he believed that power should be in the hands of the people. Therefore, he did not accept the new government in France and protested in his works.

fr. Victor Marie Hugo

French writer (poet, prose writer and playwright), one of the main figures of French romanticism

Victor Hugo

short biography

Hugo Victor Marie- French writer, poet, a prominent representative of the romantic literary trend - was born in Besançon on February 26, 1802. His father was a high-ranking soldier, therefore, as a child, Hugo managed to visit Corsica, Elba, Marseille, Madrid, which later played a role in his formation as a romantic writer. A noticeable imprint on the formation of his personality was played by the monarchist and Voltaire views of his mother. After the divorce, she took Victor away, and in 1813 they settled in Paris. His education continued in the capital: in 1814, Hugo became a pupil of the private boarding school Cordier, from 1814 to 1818 he was a student of 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 his mother's death forced him to look for a source of livelihood, and he chose the craft of a writer. The poetic collection "Odes and Miscellaneous Poems" (1822) attracted Louis XVIII and brought the author an annual annuity. In the same year, Hugo married Adele Fouche, with whom he became the father of five children.

The preface to the drama "Cromwell", written in 1827, attracted general attention to Hugo, as it became a real manifesto of a new - romantic - direction in French dramaturgy. Thanks to him, as well as the story "The Last Day of the Condemned" (1829) and the collection of poems "Oriental Motives" (1829), the author gained great fame. 1829 marked the beginning of an extremely 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. Dramaturgical experiments made Hugo not only famous, but also a wealthy author. In addition, active cooperation with theaters gave 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. The tragic death of his daughter and son-in-law in 1843 forced him to abandon his active social life in favor of creative work: it was at that time that the idea of ​​a large-scale social novel arose, which Hugo conventionally called "Troubles." However, the revolution of 1848 returned the writer to the bosom of social and political activity; in the same year he was elected to the National Assembly.

In December 1851, after a coup d'état, 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 gained immense popularity, in particular, the lyric collection Contemplations (1856), the novels Les Misérables (1862, revised The Adversity), The Workers sea" (1866), "The Man Who Laughs" (1869).

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

Biography from Wikipedia

Victor Marie Hugo(fr. Victor Marie Hugo; February 26, 1802, Besancon - May 22, 1885, Paris) - French writer (poet, prose writer and playwright), one of the main figures of French romanticism. Member of the French Academy (1841).

Life and art

Childhood

Victor Hugo was the youngest of three brothers (the elders were Abel, (1798-1865) and Eugene, (1800-1837)). The writer's father, Joseph Leopold Sigisber Hugo (1773-1828), became a general in the Napoleonic army, his mother Sophie Trebuchet (1772-1821), the daughter of a Nantes shipowner, was a royalist-Voltairian.

Hugo's early childhood takes place in Marseille, Corsica, Elba (1803-1805), Italy (1807), Madrid (1811), where his father's career takes place, and from where the family returns to Paris every time. Travel left a deep impression in the soul of the future poet and prepared his romantic outlook.

In 1813, Hugo's mother, Sophie Trebuchet, who had a love affair with General Lagory, separated from her husband and settled with her son in Paris.

Youth and the beginning of literary activity

From 1814 to 1818 Hugo studied at the Lyceum 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", drama" Louis de Castro”, translates Virgil. At the age of 15, he already receives an honorary review at the Academy's competition for the poem " Les avantages des études”, in 1819 - two prizes at the Jeux Floraux competition for the poems “Verdun Maidens” ( Vierges de Verdun) and the ode "On the restoration of the statue of Henry IV" ( Retablissement de la statue de Henri IV), which marked the beginning of his "Legend of the Ages". Then he prints the ultra-royalist satire " Telegraph”, which first drew the attention of readers to it. In 1819-1821 he publishes Le Conservateur litteraire, a literary supplement to a royalist Catholic magazine Le Conservator. Filling out his own edition under various pseudonyms, Hugo published there " Ode on the Death of the Duke of Berry”, which for a long time secured his reputation as a monarchist.

In October 1822, Hugo married Adele Fouche (1803-1868), five children were born in this marriage:

• Leopold (1823-1823)
• Leopoldina, (1824-1843)
• Charles, (1826-1871)
• François-Victor, (1828-1873)
• Adele (1830-1915).

In 1823 Victor Hugo's novel The Icelander was published. Han d'Islande), which received a lukewarm reception. Well-reasoned criticism of Charles Nodier led to a meeting and further friendship between him and Victor Hugo. Shortly thereafter, a meeting was held in the library of the Arsenal, the cradle of romanticism, which had a great influence on the development of Victor Hugo's work.

The friendship between Hugo and Nodier would last from 1827 to 1830, when the latter would become increasingly critical of the writer's works. Somewhat earlier, Hugo resumes relations with his father and writes the poem "Ode to my father" ( Odes a mon père, 1823), " two islands" (1825) and "After the battle" ( Apres la bataille). His father died in 1828.

Hugo's "Cromwell" Cromwell), written specifically for the great actor of the French Revolution, François-Joseph Talma and published in 1827, caused heated debate. 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 arranges receptions in their house and establishes friendly relations with Sainte-Beuve, Lamartine, Merimee, Musset, Delacroix.

From 1826 to 1837, the writer's family often lived in the Château de Roche, in Bièvre, the estate of Louis-François Bertin, editor Journal des debates. There Hugo meets Berlioz, Liszt, Chateaubriand, Giacomo Meyerbeer; composes collections of poems "Oriental motives" ( Les Orientales, 1829) and "Autumn Leaves" ( Les Feuilles d'automne, 1831). The theme of "Oriental Motifs" is the Greek War of Independence, where Hugo speaks in support of Homer's homeland.

In 1829, The Last Day of the Condemned to Death was published ( Dernier Jour d'un condamne), in 1834 - "Claude Ge" ( Claude Gueux). In these two short novels, Hugo expresses his opposition to the death penalty.

Novel " Cathedral of Notre Dame” was published in the interval between these two works, in 1831.

Theater years

From 1830 to 1843 Victor Hugo worked almost exclusively for the theatre. However, he publishes several collections of poetry during this time:

• "Autumn leaves" ( Les Feuilles d'automne, 1831),
• "Songs of Twilight" ( Les Chants du Crepuscule, 1835),
• "Inner Voices" ( Les Voix interiors, 1837),
• "Rays and shadows" ( Les Rayons and les Ombres, 1840).

In Songs of the Twilight, Victor Hugo glorifies the July Revolution of 1830 with great admiration.

Scandal during the first production " Ernani» (1830). Lithograph J.-I. Granville ( 1846)

Already in 1828 he staged his early play " Amy Robsart". 1829 - the year of the creation of the play "Ernani" (first staged in 1830), which became the occasion for literary battles between representatives of the old and new art. Theophile Gauthier, who enthusiastically accepted this romantic work, acted as an ardent defender of everything new in dramaturgy. These disputes remained in the history of literature under the name " battle for Hernani". The play "Marion Delorme", banned in 1829, was staged at the theater "Porte Saint-Martin"; and "The King is amused" - in the "Comedy Française" in 1832 (removed from the repertoire and banned immediately after the premiere, the show was resumed only after 50 years).

The latter's ban prompted 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 unheard-of actions on the part of the government. The day after the first performance, the author received a note from Monsieur Jousselin de la Salle, director of the stage at the Théâtre-France. Here is its exact content: “It is now ten thirty minutes, and I have received an order to stop the performance of the play The King Amuses himself. Monsieur Talor 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 Le National, which said: Monsieur, I have been warned that some of the noble students and artists are going to the theater this evening or tomorrow and demand the showing of the drama The King Amuses himself, and also protest against the unheard-of act of arbitrariness due to which the play was closed. I hope, monsieur, that there are other means to punish these illegal acts, and I will use them. Let me use your newspaper to support the friends of freedom, art and thought, and prevent violent speeches that can lead to a rebellion so desired by the government for a long time. With deep respect, Victor Hugo. November 26, 1832».

At the heart of the plot conflict in all of Hugo's dramas is a fierce duel between a titled despot and a disenfranchised plebeian. Such is the clash of the obscure youth Didier and his girlfriend Marion with the all-powerful minister Richelieu in the drama Marion Delorme, or the exile Hernani with the Spanish king Don Carlos in Hernani. Sometimes such a clash is brought to a grotesque point, as in the drama "The King Amuses", where the conflict is played out between the minion of fate, invested with power, the handsome and heartless egoist King Francis, and the hunchbacked freak, the jester Triboulet, offended by God and people.

In 1841 Hugo was elected to the French Academy, in 1845 he received a peerage, in 1848 he was elected to the National Assembly. Hugo was an opponent of the coup d'état of 1851 and after the proclamation of Napoleon III as emperor was in exile. In 1870 he returned to France, and in 1876 he was elected senator.

Death and funeral

Victor Hugo died on May 22, 1885, at the age of 84, from pneumonia. The funeral ceremony of the famous writer lasted ten days; about a million people took part in it.

On June 1, the coffin with the body of Hugo was exhibited for two days under the Arc de Triomphe, which was covered with black crepe.

After a magnificent national funeral, the ashes of the writer were placed in the Pantheon.

Artworks

Quasimodo(hero of the novel " Cathedral of Notre Dame”) - Luc-Olivier Merson. Engraving from Alfred Barbu's book " Victor Hugo and his time» (1881)

Like many young writers of his era, Hugo was greatly influenced by François Chateaubriand, a well-known figure in the literary current of romanticism and a prominent figure in France at the beginning of the 19th century. As a young man, Hugo decided to be " Chateaubriand or none", and also that his life should correspond to the life of his predecessor. Like Chateaubriand, Hugo would promote the development of romanticism, would occupy a significant place in politics as the leader of republicanism, and be exiled because of his political views.

The early-born passion and eloquence of the first works brought Hugo success and fame in the early years of his life. His first collection of poetry, "Odes and Miscellaneous Poems" ( Odes et poesies diverses) was published in 1822, when Hugo was only 20 years old. King Louis XVIII granted an annual allowance for the writer. Hugo's poetry was admired for its spontaneous fervor and fluency. This collection of works was followed by the collection "Odes and Ballads" ( Odes and Ballades), written in 1826, four years after the first triumph. It presented Hugo as a great poet, a true master of lyrics and song.

Cosette- the heroine of the novel Outcasts". Illustration by Emil Bayard

The first mature work of Victor Hugo in the genre of fiction, "The Last Day of the Condemned to Death" ( Le Dernier jour d'un condamne), was written in 1829 and reflected the sharp social consciousness of the writer, which continued in his subsequent works. The story had a great influence on writers such as Albert Camus, Charles Dickens and F. M. Dostoyevsky. 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 harbinger of his magnificent work on social injustice - an epic novel " Outcasts» (Les Miserables). But Hugo's first full-fledged novel will be the incredibly successful Notre-Dame de Paris (« Cathedral of Notre Dame”), published in 1831 and quickly translated into many languages ​​throughout Europe. One of the effects of the novel's appearance was the subsequent attraction of 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 the old buildings, which immediately thereafter began to be actively preserved.

"The Man Who Laughs"

"The Man Who Laughs"(French L "Homme qui rit) - one of the most famous novels of Victor Hugo, written in the 60s of the XIX century. The starting point in the plot of the novel is January 29, 1690, when a child is abandoned in Portland under mysterious circumstances.

Hugo began work on the novel in July 1866 in Brussels. In a letter to Lacroix's Parisian publisher, Victor Hugo suggests the title of the work " By order of the king", but later, on the advice of friends, stops at the final title" The man who laughs».

• The French Post issued postage stamps dedicated to Victor Hugo in 1933, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1985.
• House Museum of Victor Hugo in Paris.
• Monument at the Sorbonne by Laurent Marqueste.
• House Museum of Victor Hugo in Luxembourg.
• Bust of Hugo by Auguste Rodin.
• Monument to Hugo in the Hermitage Garden. The author is Laurent Marquest, the bronze bust was created in 1920. Gift of the City Hall of Paris to Moscow, established on May 15, 2000.
• V. Hugo street in Kaliningrad.
• Victor Hugo Street in Tver, approved by the decision of the Tver City Duma on September 20, 2011.
• A crater on Mercury is named after Victor Hugo.
• Hugo is canonized in the Vietnamese Cao Dai religion.
• Metro station Victor Hugo in Paris on the 2nd line.

Hugo's works in other art forms

Victor Hugo started painting at the age of 8. Now private collectors and museums have about 4,000 works by the writer, they are still successful and are sold at auctions). Most of the works were written in ink and pencil between 1848 and 1851. He made sketches with pen and black ink on plain paper. Delacroix said to Hugo: "If you became an artist, you would outshine all the painters of our time" (Delacroix made costume designs for Hugo's first play "Amy Robsart").

Hugo was familiar with many artists and illustrators, the brothers Deveria, Eugene Delacroix, so his close friend was Louis Boulanger. Admiration for the writer and poet resulted in a deep mutual friendship, visiting Hugo's house every day, Boulanger left a lot of portraits of people grouped around the writer.

He was attracted by fantastic plots, inspired by all the same poems by Hugo: "Ghost", "Lenora", "Devil's Hunt". The lithograph "Night Sabbath" was masterfully executed, where devils, naked witches, snakes and other "evil spirits" appearing in Hugo's ballad rush in a terrible and swift round dance. A whole series of lithographs was inspired by Boulanger's novel Notre Dame Cathedral. Of course, one cannot exhaust the work of Boulanger with the all-encompassing influence of Hugo. The artist was inspired by the stories of the past and present, the Bible, Italian literature... But the works inspired by the art of Hugo remain the best. The talent of the writer was akin to the artist, in his work he found the most faithful support for his quest. Their devoted friendship, which lasted a lifetime, was the subject of admiration for contemporaries. "Monsieur Hugo lost Boulanger," said Baudelaire upon learning of the artist's death. And in a review of the “Salon of 1845” (a brochure published in the same year with a volume of about 50 pages, signed by “Baudelaire-Dufay”). Baudelaire gives the following characterization of Louis Boulanger: “we have before us the last fragments of the old romanticism - this is what it means to live in an era when it is believed that the artist has enough inspiration to replace everything else; this is the abyss where Mazepa's wild leap takes him. M. Victor Hugo, who killed so many, also killed M. Boulanger - the poet pushed the painter into the pit. And meanwhile, M. Boulanger writes quite decently - just look at his portraits; but where the hell did he get a degree as a historical painter and inspired artist? Is it not in the prefaces and odes of his famous friend?

In March 1866, the novel "Toilers of the Sea" was published with illustrations by Gustave Dore. “Young, gifted master! Thank you,” Hugo writes to him on December 18, 1866. - Today, in spite of the storm, an illustration to "Toilers of the Sea" that is in no way inferior to it in strength has reached me. You have depicted in this drawing a shipwreck, a ship, a reef, a hydra, and a man. Your octopus is scary. Your Gillette is great."

Hugo Rodin received an order for a monument in 1886. The monument was planned to be installed in the Pantheon, where the writer was buried a year before. Rodin's candidacy was chosen, among other things, because he had previously created a bust of the writer, which was received positively. However, Rodin's work, when it was completed, did not meet the expectations of customers. The sculptor depicted Hugo as a mighty naked titan leaning on a rock and surrounded by three muses. The nude figure seemed out of place in the tomb, and in the end the project was rejected. In 1890, Rodin revised the original design by removing the figures of the Muses. A monument to Hugo in 1909 was installed in the garden at the Palais Royal.

The most famous illustrator of Hugo's books is perhaps the artist Emile Bayard ("Les Misérables"). The emblem of the musical "Les Misérables" is a picture in which the abandoned Cosette sweeps the floors in the tavern at Thenardier's. In the musical, this scene corresponds to the song "Castle on a Cloud" ( Castle on the cloud). A cropped version of the picture is usually used, where only the head and shoulders of the girl are visible, often a waving French flag is woven into the emblem in the background. This image is based on an engraving by Gustave Brion, who in turn was based on a drawing by Emile Bayard.

In the USSR, his books were designed by P. N. Pinkisevich, the last book illustrated by A. I. Kravchenko, a well-known master of engraving, was “Notre Dame Cathedral” (1940). Also famous are the illustrations of the contemporary French artist Benjamin Lacombe ( Benjamin Lacombe) (born in 1982). (Victor Hugo, Notre-Dame de Paris, Part 1 - 2011, Partie 2- 2012. Editions Soleil).