Hugo's "Intestine of the Leviathan
Image taken from: http://corckscrew-balloon.com
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Image taken from: http://corckscrew-balloon.com |
Images taken from: http://corckscrew-balloon.com
Sewers as a Source of Pride
Since the early 1800's Parisians have found a source of pride in the sewers of Paris. The drawing on the left depicts an early sewer on Saint-Denis Street in 1810. Although the figures shown in the drawing are not tourists, the fact that an artist was inspired to draw the sewer is a testament to its popularity. Many drawings like this have been found from the first half of the 19th century.
The representation here does not show great details of how the sewers were arranged, however it is its depiction as the main subject of the drawing which describes the sewers' growing significance in the lives of Paris citizens.
Tourism in the Sewers
Hugo's use of the Paris sewers seems to be an arbitrary choice of escape. However, by 1858 sewers were being used not only as a waste disposal system, but also as a tourist attraction (see image). By the end of the 19th century, the sewer tourist industry became so large that the sewers were outfitted with mechanized carts for the tourists. Perhaps it was the growing attraction to the sewers which enticed Hugo to use them in his novel.
Below are some images of how the tours were organized in 1892 and later in 1914.
