Victor Hugo

Novelist & Poet

February 26, 1802 Besançon, France

May 22, 1885 Paris, France

Adèle Foucher

Victor Hugo was a renowned poet, novelist and playwright of the Romantic Movement in 19th century France. He is considered by many as one of the greatest and best-known French authors of all times. He was also a political statesman and human rights activist, although he is primarily remembered for his literary creations like poetry and novels. In France, he is most revered for his poetry followed by his novels and dramas. Some examples of his outstanding poetry are ‘Les Contemplations’ and ‘Les Legende des siecles’. His most popular novels are ‘Les Misérables’, ‘Notre-Dame de Paris’ (‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’), and ‘Les Travailleurs de la Mer’. His work explores the political and social issues of his time and his books have been translated to several foreign languages. He also produced more than 4,000 beautiful drawings. He grew up embracing the Catholic Royalist faith followed by his mother but gradually became a freethinking republican in the events leading to the French Revolution. He was the foremost supporter of the Romantic Movement in France and campaigned for social causes like the abolition of capital punishment. He also helped to establish the Third Republican and democracy in France.