The purpose of this website is to inform you of Victor Hugo's best selling novel, Les Misérables. It includes some of the novel's most important characters, symbols that you should watch and keep in mind throughout the book, themes and motifs, and other resources for a better explanation of the story, or for a better understanding as to what Victor incorporated into his novel, and why. These important details will also make the book easier or more enjoyable for you, the reader.
Victor Hugo (1802-1885)
![Picture](/uploads/1/7/2/8/17285372/829316824.jpg?346)
Victor Hugo was born in 1802. He lived in France most of his life and like Jean Valjean from Les Misérables, he once lived in poverty. After his mother died in 1821, Victor refused to accept any type of financial help from his father, thus causing him to go into poverty for a year. After a year in poverty, he won a pension from Louis XVIII. The pension was 1000 francs per year for one of his volume verses. After that, Victor became a known hero in France and a favorite head of state. This links greatly to Jean Valjean who was a hero to so many people in Les Mis and a great mayor too (when he became Mayor Madeline of course). Then, in 1822, he married Adele Foucher who also became the mother of his kids. Later on, in 1830, Victor became one of the leaders of a group who wanted to loosen the hold of classical literature in France. These were Romantic Rebels. During the years 1830-1845 Victor wrote six plays, four verse volumes and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and because of this, he became known as the greatest writer in France. After the 1848 Revolution, Victor was elected deputy to the Constitutional Assembly. Moving on to 1851, this was when Victor tried to rally workers against the new Emperor. He not only failed at that, but he risked being executed and as a result, he escaped to Brussels. He spent the next decade in exile with his family and his new wife, Madame Drouet. Eventually, Victor published Les Misérables in 1862. He actually began thinking about the novel in 1829, but didn't really get anywhere with it until he witnessed something that just made the plot of the novel. In 1845, he saw a man being arrested for stealing bread on the streets of Paris, and this is what triggered the start/purpose of the novel. It was his best selling novel. People battled to grab his book in the bookstores, and they hung portaits of Cosette, Jean Valjean, Marius, and Fantine all throughout Paris. It's still even good enough to be read today. Sadly, Victor died in 1885 at the age of 83 and it effected millions of people throughout France.