Born in 1802 in Besançon, Victor Hugo was a poet, dramatist and novelist considered to be one of the most important French writers. Politically active, he played a major role in the history of the 19th century.
As a poet, he is famous for his collections Odes et Ballades (1826), Les feuilles d’automne (1831; "Autumn Leaves") and Les Contemplations (1856). As a novelist, he met with great success with Notre-Dame de Paris (1831) and Les Misérables (1862). As a dramatist, his greatest works were Hernani (1830), Ruys Bas (1838), Le Roi s’amuse (The King's Fool), but also Lucrèce Brogia.
In response to the coup d'état by Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte on 2 December 1851, the poet and novelist settled in Belgium. He only returned to France after the Battle of Sedan in September 1870. In the meantime, he published some of his major works, including Les Châtiments and Les Misérables.
