Poems of Victor Hugo
Encyclopedia
The poems of Victor Hugo
captured the spirit of the Romantic era
. They were largely devoted to 19th century causes. Many touched on religious themes. Initially they were royalist but soon became Bonapartist
, Republican, and liberal. Hugo's poems on nature revealed a continuing search for the great sublime
.
Like many young writers of his generation, Hugo was profoundly influenced by François-René de Chateaubriand
, the founder of Romanticism and France
’s pre-eminent literary figure during the early 1800s. In his youth, Hugo resolved to be “Chateaubriand or nothing,” and his life would come to parallel that of his predecessor’s in many ways. Like Chateaubriand, Hugo would further the cause of Romanticism, become involved in politics as a champion of Republicanism, and be forced into exile due to his political stances. Between 1829 and 1840 he would publish five more volumes of poetry (Les Orientales
, 1829; Les Feuilles d'automne, 1831; Les Chants du crépuscule, 1835; Les Voix intérieures
, 1837; and Les Rayons et les ombres
, 1840), cementing his reputation as one of the greatest elegiac
and lyric poets of his time.
The passion and eloquence of Hugo's early work brought success and fame at an early age. His first collection of poetry (Nouvelles Odes et Poésies Diverses) was published in 1824, when Hugo was only twenty two years old, and earned him a royal pension from Louis XVIII. Though the poems were admired for their spontaneous fervor and fluency, it was the collection that followed two years later in 1826 (Odes et Ballades
) which revealed Hugo to be a great poet, a natural master of lyric and creative song.
Victor Hugo
Victor-Marie Hugo was a Frenchpoet, playwright, novelist, essayist, visual artist, statesman, human rights activist and exponent of the Romantic movement in France....
captured the spirit of the Romantic era
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
. They were largely devoted to 19th century causes. Many touched on religious themes. Initially they were royalist but soon became Bonapartist
Bonapartist
In French political history, Bonapartism has two meanings. In a strict sense, this term refers to people who aimed to restore the French Empire under the House of Bonaparte, the Corsican family of Napoleon Bonaparte and his nephew Louis...
, Republican, and liberal. Hugo's poems on nature revealed a continuing search for the great sublime
Sublime (literary)
The sublime is a form of expression in literature in which the author refers to things in nature or art that affect the mind with a sense of overwhelming grandeur or irresistible power. It is calculated to inspire awe, deep reverence, or lofty emotion, by reason of its beauty, vastness, or grandeur...
.
Like many young writers of his generation, Hugo was profoundly influenced by François-René de Chateaubriand
François-René de Chateaubriand
François-René, vicomte de Chateaubriand was a French writer, politician, diplomat and historian. He is considered the founder of Romanticism in French literature.-Early life and exile:...
, the founder of Romanticism and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
’s pre-eminent literary figure during the early 1800s. In his youth, Hugo resolved to be “Chateaubriand or nothing,” and his life would come to parallel that of his predecessor’s in many ways. Like Chateaubriand, Hugo would further the cause of Romanticism, become involved in politics as a champion of Republicanism, and be forced into exile due to his political stances. Between 1829 and 1840 he would publish five more volumes of poetry (Les Orientales
Les Orientales
Les Orientales is a collection of poems by Victor Hugo, inspired by the Greek War of Independence. They were first published in January 1829.Of the forty-one poems, thirty-six were written during 1828...
, 1829; Les Feuilles d'automne, 1831; Les Chants du crépuscule, 1835; Les Voix intérieures
Les Voix intérieures
Les Voix intérieures is a collection of poems by Victor Hugo published in 1837....
, 1837; and Les Rayons et les ombres
Les Rayons et les Ombres
Les Rayons et les Ombres is a collection of forty-four poems by Victor Hugo, the last collection to be published before his exile, and containing most of his poems from between 1837 and 1840.One biographer Les Rayons et les Ombres ("Beams and shadows", 1840) is a collection of forty-four poems by...
, 1840), cementing his reputation as one of the greatest elegiac
Elegy
In literature, an elegy is a mournful, melancholic or plaintive poem, especially a funeral song or a lament for the dead.-History:The Greek term elegeia originally referred to any verse written in elegiac couplets and covering a wide range of subject matter, including epitaphs for tombs...
and lyric poets of his time.
The passion and eloquence of Hugo's early work brought success and fame at an early age. His first collection of poetry (Nouvelles Odes et Poésies Diverses) was published in 1824, when Hugo was only twenty two years old, and earned him a royal pension from Louis XVIII. Though the poems were admired for their spontaneous fervor and fluency, it was the collection that followed two years later in 1826 (Odes et Ballades
Odes et Ballades
Odes et Ballades, published in 1828, is the most complete version of a collection of poems by Victor Hugo written and published between 1822 and 1828. It includes five books of odes and one book of ballads....
) which revealed Hugo to be a great poet, a natural master of lyric and creative song.
Published during Hugo's lifetime
- Odes et poésies diverses (1822)
- Nouvelles Odes (1824)
- Odes et BalladesOdes et BalladesOdes et Ballades, published in 1828, is the most complete version of a collection of poems by Victor Hugo written and published between 1822 and 1828. It includes five books of odes and one book of ballads....
(1828, a collection of poems written between 1822 and 1828) - Les OrientalesLes OrientalesLes Orientales is a collection of poems by Victor Hugo, inspired by the Greek War of Independence. They were first published in January 1829.Of the forty-one poems, thirty-six were written during 1828...
(1829) - Les Feuilles d'automne (1831)
- Les Chants du crépuscule (1835)
- Les Voix intérieuresLes Voix intérieuresLes Voix intérieures is a collection of poems by Victor Hugo published in 1837....
(1837) - Les Rayons et les OmbresLes Rayons et les OmbresLes Rayons et les Ombres is a collection of forty-four poems by Victor Hugo, the last collection to be published before his exile, and containing most of his poems from between 1837 and 1840.One biographer Les Rayons et les Ombres ("Beams and shadows", 1840) is a collection of forty-four poems by...
(1840) - Les ChâtimentsLes ChâtimentsLes Châtiments is a collection of poems by Victor Hugo that fiercely attack the grandeur of Napoléon III's Second Empire.- Historical background :...
(1853, a collection of poems attacking Napoléon III) - Les Contemplations (1856, dealt with the death of his daughter and the pain of exile)
- La Légende des sièclesLa Légende des sièclesLa Légende des siècles is a collection of poems by Victor Hugo, conceived as an immense depiction of the history and evolution of humanity....
(Part One 1859, recounting man's struggle throughout history) - Les Chansons des rues et des bois (1865)
- L'Année terribleL'Année terribleL'Année terrible is a series of poems written by Victor Hugo and published in 1872. They deal with the Franco-Prussian War, the trauma of losing his son Charles, and with the Paris Commune...
(1872, about the Franco-Prussian WarFranco-Prussian WarThe Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
, the death of his son Charles, and the Paris CommuneParis CommuneThe Paris Commune was a government that briefly ruled Paris from March 18 to May 28, 1871. It existed before the split between anarchists and Marxists had taken place, and it is hailed by both groups as the first assumption of power by the working class during the Industrial Revolution...
) - L'Art d'être grand-pèreL'Art d'être grand-pèreL'Art d'être grand-père is a substantial book of poems by Victor Hugo, published in 1877. They were among the last he wrote....
(1877, about being the guardian of his orphaned grandchildren) - La Légende des sièclesLa Légende des sièclesLa Légende des siècles is a collection of poems by Victor Hugo, conceived as an immense depiction of the history and evolution of humanity....
(Part Two 1877) - Le PapeLe PapeLe Pape was a political tract in verse by Victor Hugo, supporting Christianity but attacking the rigid organization of the Catholic Church. Although written in 1874-5, it was not published until 29 April 1878, two months after the beginning of the papacy of Leo XIII...
(1878, a condemnation of Pius IX) - La Pitié suprêmeLa Pitié suprêmeLa Pitié suprême is a long poem in fifteen sections, by Victor Hugo, published in February 1879 but in fact written in 1857-8....
(1879) - Religions et religionReligions et religionReligions et religion was an 1880 political tract by Victor Hugo supporting belief in God but attacking organized religion....
(1880) - L'Âne (1880)
- Les Quatre Vents de l'esprit (1881)
- Final part of La Légende des SièclesLa Légende des sièclesLa Légende des siècles is a collection of poems by Victor Hugo, conceived as an immense depiction of the history and evolution of humanity....
(1883)
Posthumous collections selected from Hugo's manuscripts
- Toute la LyreToute la LyreToute la Lyre is a posthumous collection of poems by Victor Hugo.While the title is Hugo's, and had been previously announced, the selection was in fact made by Paul Meurice on the basis of the author's notes, and appeared in two instalments, in 1888 and 1893, with a revised version in 1897.The...
(1888, 1893, 1897, 1935-1937) - Les Années funestes (1898)
- Dernière Gerbe (1902, 1941, the title is not Hugo's own)
- Océan, Tas de pierres (1942)
- Le Verso de la page (1960)
- Œuvres d'enfance et de jeunesse, 1814-20 (juveniliaJuveniliaJuvenilia is a term applied to literary, musical or artistic works produced by an author during his or her youth. The term often has a retrospective sense. For example, written juvenilia, if published at all, usually appear some time after the author has become well-known for later works.The term...
, 1964)