Victor Hugo
(1802-1885) was born into the bourgeoisie class and as
a young man he was a Royalist. However, by his thirties,
in the midst of Bonapartism and frequent revolts, he begins to
shift his conservative ideals towards a more liberal, Republican
school of thought.
In 1845 when he began
writing his greatest epic novel, Les Misérables,
Hugo had already been influenced by Republicanism. Thus,
by the time the novel is finished in (1862) Hugo had turned into
a Democratic Republican and his liberal ideas came to define
a large part of the book.
The publication of
Les Misérables
caused an outcry amongst the upper classes of Paris, where
Hugo was consequently largely disliked. The upper classes, to
which he still belonged, saw this book as a slap in the face.
It sympathized and favored the poor, a radical new concept
for the time, and painted a negative and disheartening image
of the upper class.
It can be said that
Hugo wrote this novel with the intent to shine a light on the
real Parisians; the lower classes who made up the
majority of Paris' population. He wanted to show the upper classes
an authentic side to the people with whom they shared the city
yet often disregarded. Hugo directed this novel to the upper
class in hopes of opening their eyes and converting them to
his liberal, Democratic Republican ways.
