Victor Hugo has long been hailed as France’s premiere novelist and the two books in this volume, ‘The Hunchback of Notre-Dame’ and ‘Les Misérables, ‘ are his two crowning achievements. Published in 1831 and 1862 respectively, these two novels solidified Hugo’s standing as the country’s leading literary light and the books would later inspire countless adaptations; for both the stage and screen.
We begin with ‘Hunchback’ (originally titled ‘Notre-Dame de Paris’). This Gothic novel tells the tale of the Romani girl, Esmeralda, whose bewitching looks draws the unwelcome attention of the Archdeacon of Notre-Dame, the sinister Claude Frollo. Frollo is the guardian of the cathedral’s deformed bell-ringer, the hunchback Quasimodo, who is ordered to kidnap Esmeralda so that Frollo can possess her. When Quasimodo is captured in this attempt and sentenced to be publicly flogged for his crime, Esmeralda steps in and offers him relief, setting the stage for a dramatic and deadly conflict between the young soldier Phoebus, Esmeralda, the now-infatuated Quasimodo and the dastardly Frollo. It is a classic tale of power run amok and the perils of obsession.
Next, we present ‘Les Misérables, ‘ perhaps one of the greatest novels ever written. In it, we are introduced to Jean Valjean, the physically powerful but wretched bread thief who manages to escape his bonds and flee, pursued by the tireless policeman Javert, a single-minded lawman who has sworn to bring Valjean to justice. Along the way, we meet the tragic young mother Fantine, who has turned to a life of prostitution to support her daughter Cosette only to fall into disgrace, disease and death. When Fantine dies and Cosette is entrusted to the now-rich and secretive Valjean, the plot turns on how Cosette will be able to live her life; either on the run with her adopted father or in the arms of her true love, the revolutionary student Marius.
These two novels represent the very height of French literature. Victor Hugo’s twin achievements, ‘The Hunchback of Notre-Dame’ and ‘Les Misérables, ‘ are presented here in their original and unabridged formats, as translated by Isabel F. Hapgood.
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Victor Hugo was a French Romantic author, poet, playwright, illustrator and politician. Hugo’s sixty year career established him as a national treasure and his works have been adapted numerous times to the stage and screen. Born into a military family, Hugo had a tumultuous early life, moving from place to place with his mother and brothers. He began writing and publishing poetry when he was still in school. Upon graduation, he began a literary magazine with his brothers, married his childhood sweetheart Adèle Foucher and began publishing both novels and poetry collections at a furious rate. His early success encouraged Hugo to branch out into writing for the theatre and soon he became one of the country’s most venerated playwrights as well. Already a much-admired poet and novelist, Hugo surpassed himself in 1831 with the publication of’The Hunchback of Notre Dame.’ The immense popularity of the novel even forced the French authorities to restore the much-neglected cathedral. Growing more and more involved with social justice issues as he grew older, Hugo published the groundbreaking novel ‘Les Misérables’ in 1862, which highlighted the plight of the poor and destitute. An unprecedented success, ‘Les Misérables’ had an enormous impact on French society and the book remains Hugo’s crowning achievement. Hugo joined the Académie Française, then the Parliament and finally the National Assembly, but he was forced into exile for opposing Napoleon III. After Napoleon fell from power in 1870, Hugo returned to France and eventually became a member of the Senate, never flagging in his fight for social justice. Victor Hugo died of pneumonia in 1885 and his funeral became the event of the year, with over two million mourners joining the funeral procession. Today, Hugo is revered as a towering figure in French letters. His works have inspired countless authors and have resulted in dozens of adaptations, including motion pictures, plays, musicals and even animated features. As a titan of both the publishing and political worlds, Hugo’s literary and social legacy cannot be overstated.
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