Victor Hugo

 The novels The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831), and Les Miserables (1962) are his most famous works. In France, Hugo is renowned for his poetry collections such as Les Contemplations (The Contemplations) and La Legende des siecles (The Legend of the Ages). Hugo was in the forefront of the Romantic literary movement with his plays Cromwell and his drama Hernani. His work was the inspiration behind many musical compositions, such as the opera Rigoletto, Notre-Dame de Paris, as well as Les Miserables. Hugo created more than 4,000 drawings in his lifetime, and campaigned for social causes, such as the abolishment of capital punishment. While Hugo was a strong royalist as a child, his views changed over the years. Hugo was a passionate republican. He was senator and deputy in the politics. His work touched on a wide range of the political and social concerns as well as the aesthetic trends of his time. His stance against absolutism and his literary status earned him the status of an icon of the nation. He was honoured by his burial in the Pantheon.