Victor Hugo
Victor Hugo (1802-1885) was a French poet, novelist, and dramatist, the towering figure of French Romanticism and one of the most important writers France has produced. In his own country he is revered as much for his poetry as for the novels that made him world-famous.
His two great novels are Les Miserables, an epic of poverty, justice, and redemption following the ex-convict Jean Valjean through decades of French history, and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, set around the great cathedral of medieval Paris. Both combine gripping human drama with passionate concern for the poor and the outcast, and both have inspired countless adaptations, musicals, and films.
Hugo was also a major public figure who championed social justice, opposed the death penalty, and spent years in political exile. His funeral in 1885 drew millions of mourners.
His novels are long and sweeping, with many digressions. Our modern-English editions keep their power and passion while easing the prose. Read the opening free, and read or listen with a membership.
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Frequently asked questions about Victor Hugo
What did Victor Hugo write?
Hugo wrote novels, poetry, and plays. His most famous novels are Les Miserables and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. He was also one of France's greatest poets, with collections such as Les Contemplations, and an important playwright. In France he is celebrated above all as a poet, while the wider world knows him mainly for his two great novels.
Where should I start with Victor Hugo?
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame is a good first novel — dramatic, atmospheric, and somewhat shorter than his epic. Les Miserables is his masterpiece and deeply rewarding, though it is very long. Either works well as an introduction, depending on how much time you want to commit.
What is Les Miserables about?
Les Miserables follows Jean Valjean, a man imprisoned for stealing bread, across decades of his life as he seeks redemption while pursued by the relentless policeman Javert. Around them, Hugo weaves the stories of the poor, the abandoned, and the revolutionary, culminating in the Paris uprising of 1832. It is a vast, moving epic about justice, mercy, and the possibility of change.
Is Les Miserables the same as the musical?
The famous stage musical and its film version are based on Hugo's novel, but the book is far richer and more detailed. It contains whole storylines, characters, and long reflective passages — on history, the sewers of Paris, the battle of Waterloo — that the musical leaves out. Reading the novel reveals the full depth of the story the musical distils.
Are Hugo's novels hard to read?
They are long and include lengthy digressions where Hugo pauses the story to discuss history, architecture, or social questions. The human drama at their heart, though, is powerful and gripping. A modern-English edition keeps the passion and momentum while making the prose easier to follow.
When did Victor Hugo live?
Hugo was born in 1802 and died in 1885. He published The Hunchback of Notre-Dame in 1831 and Les Miserables in 1862. A prominent public figure, he spent nearly two decades in political exile and returned to France a national hero; his death was marked by an enormous state funeral.
Where can I read Victor Hugo for free?
Hugo's works are in the public domain, and older translations are freely available. Some of those translations are dated and abridged. Here you can read the openings free in clear modern English, and read or listen with a membership.
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