He is known as the most important of French Romantic writers. During his lifetime, in fact, he earned the favor of the common people and of heads of state, influenced France's transition from dictatorship to democracy, and established himself as the greatest writer in the country.

Victor Hugo was born on February 26, 1802, in Besançon, France. His father, an army general and carpenter's son, had risen quickly among Napoleon's citizen troops. But his mother chose to raise her sons away from army life, moving to Paris to do so.

Hugo's natural writing ability and inner drive surfaced early. By the time he was 17, he had already written tragedies and poetry, translated Virgil, and founded a review with his brothers. Soon after, he published a poetry collection that earned him a pension from King Louis XVIII. He published his first novel, Han d'Islande, in 1823. His fame as a writer truly soared in 1831, when he published Notre Dame de Paris, more commonly known asThe Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Hugo's writing style was lyrical, passionate, rich, versatile. He could write on nearly any theme and in any literary form. He was a master of imagery; every work reflects his vivid imagination and creative touch.

In 1822, Hugo married Adele Foucher. The couple had five children together. Unfortunately, their devotion to their children did not carry over into their own relationship; both Hugo and Adele became involved in extramarital relationships within 10 years.

Later in life, Hugo became involved in politics, supporting the republican form of government. He eventually was elected to the Académie Française, the Constitutional Assembly and to the Legislative Assembly. When Napoleon III overturned the republic in 1851, Hugo attempted to rally the workers of Paris against him. The attempt failed, and Hugo fled with his family to Brussels. He spent the next 19 years in exile on the islands of Jersey and Guernsey. During these years he wrote his masterpiece, Les Misérables.

Hugo returned to Paris in 1870, when the Franco-Prussian War brought down the empire. He continued advocating social justice until his death on May 22, 1885. Hugo had requested a simple burial, but was given a national funeral. More than 2 million people attended the service and the processional to the Panthéon, where Hugo is buried alongside France's great citizens.