Whichever lens you choose to view the life and times of Victor Hugo, one thing is certain: his literary output places him in a class of his own. Blessed with a witty intellect and an intriguing personality, this eccentric novelist and poet left an indelible mark on the French literary landscape in particular and throughout Europe by extension. He was more than a writer, as he was also an activist, politician and statesman.
the biography
Born Victor Marie Hugo on February 26, 1802, in the eastern region of Franche-Comté. Her father was General Joseph Léopold Hugo, a French army leader who fought in Napoleon’s army while her mother was Sophie Trébuchet, a Catholic whose lifestyle and choices were often at odds with those of the Victor’s father. He had two older siblings; Abel Joseph Hugo and Eugene Hugo.
Victor Hugo’s education involved a lot of travel mainly because of his father’s occupation. His childhood involved journeys from Paris to Naples, via the snow-capped peaks of the Alps, an experience that broadened his imagination and outlook at a young age.
In 1812, Victor’s mother was tired of the unpredictability of military life and wanted stability for her son, so she decided to move to Paris. Her relationship with General Hugo was further strained due to her lack of Catholic beliefs and at this point their marriage was heading for the rocks. The elder Hugo objected to his sons living with their mother and insisted on sending them to boarding school, far enough away from her influence.
At the age of 15, before he left for the boarding house, Hugo had fallen in love with a neighbour’s daughter, Adéle Foucher, and was determined to return to seek her hand in marriage after his studies.
Between 1815 and 1818, Victor Hugo studied law but always had an eye for writing and basically sought to seek a career in the literary field. He never exercised his profession.
In 1817, he took part in a poetry competition and received praise from the Académie Française. Two years later, he came out on top in another national poetry contest. Victor later married his girlfriend Adèle Foucher in October 1822.
Victor Hugo published his first novel in 1823 titled Han of Iceland, and two years later the English translation came out Hans of Iceland. He published five volumes of poetry between 1829 and 1840, including Les Orientales, in 1829; The Autumn Leaves, in 1831 and The Songs of Twilight, 1835; Inner Voices, 1837. Rays and Shadows was released three years later in 1840.
With his widely accepted publications, Hugo’s profile was on the rise within the literary community, but in 1943 his career took a different trajectory after the death of his eldest daughter, who drowned while on her honeymoon. Hugo joined politics and sought to make his voice heard in a society undergoing rapid change and political upheaval.
In 1841, he was elected to the Académie française and four years later, he was made a peer of France by King Louis-Philippe. He was then elected to the National Assembly of the Second Republic in 1848.
In December 1851, Victor Hugo fled to Brussels after leading a failed resistance to the emergence of Napoleon III. During an exile that spanned two decades and included sojourns in England, he produced some of his finest writing. He later returned to France in 1871 to welcome a hero.
Seven years later, in 1878, he fell ill and was diagnosed with stroke. He died on May 22, 1885, at the age of 83, of pneumonia. Contrary to his request to be buried as a pauper, Hugo was given a large French state funeral, his remains rested in state under the Arc de Triomphe and were interred in the Pantheon.
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Facts About French Poet Victor Hugo
1. Hugo had an insatiable appetite for sex and claimed he slept with his wife nine times on their wedding night. Details about this were found in Hugo’s diary. Well into his 70s, he remained sexually active and obviously enjoyed the thrill of multiple partners.
2. Whenever he found inspiration difficult, Hugo resorted to naked writing. He would only go back into his clothes after he was done writing for the day.
3. During the American Civil War, Victor Hugo’s book Les Misérables was published. The novel, which is recorded as one of the longest novels ever written at 655,478 words, was said to have been a favorite of soldiers at the time.
4. A Vietnamese religion with around 5 million followers sees Hugo as a Saint for reaching out to the group during the seances.
5. Her 80th birthday was a huge party! 5,000 musicians played the French anthem for him and he gathered more than half a million people who marched past his house while he sat with his grandchildren watching.