Victor HugoVictor HugoNovelist, poet, and dramatist, Novelist, poet, and dramatist, the most important of French the most important of French Romantic writers . In his Romantic writers . In his preface to his historical play preface to his historical play CROMWELL (1827) Hugo CROMWELL (1827) Hugo wrote that romanticism is the wrote that romanticism is the liberalism of literature. Hugo liberalism of literature. Hugo developed his own version of developed his own version of the historical novel, the historical novel, combining concrete, combining concrete, historical details with vivid, historical details with vivid, melodramatic, even feverish melodramatic, even feverish imagination. imagination.

Hugo's father was an officer in Hugo's father was an officer in Napoleon's army, an Napoleon's army, an enthusiastic republican and enthusiastic republican and ruthless professional soldier, ruthless professional soldier, who loved dangers and who loved dangers and adventures. After the adventures. After the marriage of his parents had marriage of his parents had collapsed, he was raised by collapsed, he was raised by his mother. He began in early his mother. He began in early adolescence to write verse adolescence to write verse tragedies and poetry, and tragedies and poetry, and translated Virgil . At the age of translated Virgil . At the age of sixteen he noted: "Many a sixteen he noted: "Many a great poet is often / Nothing great poet is often / Nothing but a literary giraffe: / How but a literary giraffe: / How great he seems in front, / How great he seems in front, / How small he is behind! small he is behind!

Victor Hugo lead an extraordinary life during Victor Hugo lead an extraordinary life during a crucial turning point in world history. Huga crucial turning point in world history. Hugo's literary works and later, his political careo's literary works and later, his political career weilded great influence and eventually caer weilded great influence and eventually catapulted his reputation around the world britapulted his reputation around the world brining him much controversy. He spent much ning him much controversy. He spent much of his life in France with the exception of his of his life in France with the exception of his 19 year exile, but his poetry , novels , and pla19 year exile, but his poetry , novels , and plays touched the lives of people from around tys touched the lives of people from around the globe and continues to attract new admirhe globe and continues to attract new admirers. ers.

More Strong Than TimeMore Strong Than Time Since I have set my lips to your full Since I have set my lips to your full

cup, my sweet, cup, my sweet, Since I my pallid face between your Since I my pallid face between your

hands have laid, hands have laid, Since I have known your soul, and all Since I have known your soul, and all

the bloom of it,the bloom of it, And all the perfume rare, now buried And all the perfume rare, now buried

in the shade; in the shade; Since it was given to me to hear on Since it was given to me to hear on

happy while, happy while, The words wherein your heart spoke The words wherein your heart spoke

all its mysteries, all its mysteries, Since I have seen you weep, and since Since I have seen you weep, and since

I have seen you smile, I have seen you smile,

Your lips upon my lips, and Your lips upon my lips, and your eyes upon my eyes your eyes upon my eyes

Since I have known above my Since I have known above my forehead glance and gleam forehead glance and gleam

A ray, a single ray, of your A ray, a single ray, of your star, veiled always, star, veiled always,

Since I have felt the fall, upon Since I have felt the fall, upon my lifetime's stream,my lifetime's stream,

Of one rose petal plucked Of one rose petal plucked from the roses of your days; from the roses of your days;

I now am bold to say to the I now am bold to say to the swift changing hours, swift changing hours,

Pass, pass upon your way, for I Pass, pass upon your way, for I grow never old, grow never old,

Fleet to the dark abysm with all your fading flowers, Fleet to the dark abysm with all your fading flowers, One rose that none may pluck, within my heart I hold. One rose that none may pluck, within my heart I hold. Your flying wings may smite, but they can never spill Your flying wings may smite, but they can never spill The cup fulfilled of love, from which my lips are wet; The cup fulfilled of love, from which my lips are wet; My heart has far more fire than you can frost to chill, My heart has far more fire than you can frost to chill, My soul more love than you can make my soul My soul more love than you can make my soul

forget. forget.