Victor Hugo

Anthony writes:
I am reading The Hunchback of Notre- Dame by Victor Hugo as my independent reading book.  Victor Hugo was a French poet, and novelist born on February 26, 1802.  Hugo died in 1885 at the age of 83.  Hugo is sometimes known as the greatest French poet.  Two of his most well known poems are Les Contemplations and La Legende.  The Hunchback of Notre- Dame is probably Victor Hugo's most popular piece of literature outside of France. Victor Hugo was also into politics as well as literature. Hugo was a passionate supporter of republicanism. Victor Hugo lived in France for almost his entire life, but was forced into exile under the ruling of Napoleon III. Hugo’s literature was influenced by Francois- Rene de Chateaubriand. In 1822, the year after his mother’s death, Victor Hugo married his childhood friend Adele Foucher. Victor and Adele had five children, Leopold, Leopoldine, Charles, Francois- Victor, and Adele. Leopold however, died in infancy. Victor Hugo’s first novel, Han d’Islande was published in 1823. Victor Hugo’s political views radically changed over the course of his life. As a child, Hugo was a Catholic. By the time of his exile, Hugo had become a Rationalist Deism. Hugo was seen as a hero when he returned to Paris in 1870. Hugo lost his bid for reelection to the National Assembly in 1872. In 1876, Hugo was elected to the Senate, but he got little done, and it was considered a failure. Victor Hugo was also an excellent artist. Hugo created over 4,000 drawings in his life. There are many memorials and monuments in honor of Victor Hugo.