Victor Hugo, caricature by Daumier
Victor Hugo, caricature by Daumier
Hugo is truly an exceptional writer, dominating the 19th century thanks to the depth and breath of his published works. He is a poet (Les contemplations), a novelist (Notre-Dame de Paris, Les misérables), a playwright (Hernani), and a strong opponent of Napoleon III.
Victor Hugo, Notre-Dame de Paris
(1831) 
Hugo situates the melodramatic plot of this novel in a solidly documented mediaeval frame. The action takes place in Paris, during the reign of Louis XI in the late 15th century, in and around the great cathedral which gives its name to the novel. Alchemy and witchcraft blend with a complex love story where three men are in love with the same woman who loves yet another. Quasimodo, the hunchback who haunts the cathedral and who does everything to protect his beloved Esmeralda, is one of the great creations of Hugo.
The
Spider King
The conflict between the spider and the fly is a recurring image and a complex metaphor in Notre-Dame de Paris. Interestingly, there is a biography of Louis XI by Lawrence Schoonover whose title is The Spider King.
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Click
here to see some 20th century interpretations of Hugo’s characters |
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Click
here for a list of film adaptations of Notre-Dame de Paris. |
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Click
here to read Hugo’s poem, «Clair de lune».  |