Victor Hugo: Less Than Miserable
On the wall of the Notre Dame cathedral, Hugo discovered the word “Ananke,” meaning”fate” or “destiny.” Hugo’s destiny was to found a newer, deeper genre of literature. The only romanticism in France, before Hugo, was seen in the works of Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand (“Victor Hugo,” New World). As reported by Novels for Students, Romanticism is defined by placing value on emotional connections and personal interactions, whereas its predecessor, classicism, stressed the rules of literature placed during Greco-Roman eras (“The Hunchback of Notre Dame” 81). According to the New World Encyclopedia, there are four virtues to romanticism: liberty, individualism, spirit, and nature. Even though his novels were popular,
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However, this did not stop him from publishing stories referencing his own tragedies. Victor Hugo led the movement of French Romanticism by taking inspiration from his relationships, religious views, and political stances.
Hugo’s father, Major Joseph Léopold Sigisbert Hugo, was an officer in Napoleon I’s army. The constant moving from the tour allowed Victor to experience various cultures, but he was particularly attached to the legends and traditions of Spain. His mother, Sophie, was a devout Catholic whereas his father was a known atheist. Due to this and other reasons, Joseph and Sophie separated leaving young Victor in Paris with his mother. When Hugo was just seventeen, he and his brothers started the Conservateur Litteraire, a poetry magazine, and Hugo began to gain popularity. He even caught the
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Romanticism never would have expanded to the massive movement is was if not for the efforts of Hugo. His novels, poems, and plays were developed into movies, musicals, and more thusly proving that his mark on the world, much like that carving on the walls of Notre Dame, was set in stone.
Works Cited
"Hugo, Victor." Gale Contextual Encyclopedia of World Literature, vol. 2, Gale, 2009, pp. 819-823. Student Resources in Context, “http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX2507200249/SUIC?u=pl2020&xid=7ea8bf68. Accessed 13 Feb. 2018.
“The Hunchback of Notre Dame: Victor Hugo.” Novels for Students, edited by Milne, Ira Mark, and Timothy Sisler. vol. 20, Thomson Gale, 2005, pp. 80-101.
“Victor Hugo.” Magill’s Survey of World Literature, edited by Magill, Frank N. vol. 3, Salem
Press, 1993, pp. 940-951.
"Victor Hugo." New World Encyclopedia, . 26 Mar 2014, 18:52 UTC. 14 Feb 2018, (-- removed HTML --) .
“Victor Marie Hugo.”Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism, edited by Mullane, Janet and
Robert Thomas Wilson. vol. 21, Gale Research Inc., 1989, pp.