Victor Hugo Biography

Biography

1802, February 26. Victor-Marie Hugo is born in Besançon, France, to Léopold Sigisbert Hugo, an army officer, and Sophie Trébuchet Hugo. The family moves to Marseilles with his Léopold's regiment in April. In late November, Sophie goes to Paris, leaving her husband and three sons. 1803 At the year's end, Sophie takes her sons from Elba to Paris.

1807, The Hugo family is briefly reunited in Naples, where Léopold is promoted to colonel in the service of Joseph Bonaparte.

1811, Sophie goes to Madrid, where her husband remains under Joseph Bonaparte, proclaimed king of Spain by Napoleon.

1812, Return to Paris. Definitive separation between Sophie and Léopold Hugo. Abel, the eldest son, stays with his father.

1815, Léopold sends Victor and Eugène Hugo to board at the Pension Cordier where they remain until 1818.

1821, Death of Sophie Hugo. Léopold remarries, and relations between the father and sons improve.

1822, He marries his childhood sweetheart and cousin, Adèle Foucher. The couple will have five children: Léopold (stillborn, 1823), Léopoldine (1824-1843) Charles (1826-1871), Victor, or François-Victor (1828-1873), and Adèle (1830-1915).

1828, Death of General Léopold Sigisbert Hugo.

1830, Sainte-Beuve, in love with Adèle, probably becomes her lover.

1833, Hugo's lasting love affair with the actress Juliette Drouet begins.

1834, First long trip with Juliette Drouet, in Brittany.

1840, Travels to Belgium and Germany. Napoleon's ashes are brought to Paris.

1841, Election to the Académie Française.

1843, Marriage of Lépoldine. Hugo travels to the Basque region of Spain and the French Pyrenees. Trip interrupted by the decision to stay a few days in Pasaia unexpectedly. Reading the newspaper, he learns of Lépoldine's death.

1845, Hugo is made a pair de France. He is caught in adulterous flagrant crime with Léonie Biard, but the public scandal escapes the notice of Juliette Drouet. Hugo begins writing Les Misères.

1848, Elected to the Constitutional Assembly, Hugo contends that a rule of law be maintained during the June Days-the insurrection of workers who had participated in the February 1848 Revolution, but whose hopes for economic and social changes were frustrated. He opposes repressive excesses and supports the presidential candidacy of Louis Napoléon Bonaparte.

1849, Hugo is elected to the Legislative Assembly.

1851, Hugo had been objecting to the reactionary majority of the Chamber of Deputies and the president's imperialist overtures since 1851. He opposes the December 2 coup d'état, escapes arrest, and flees to Brussels, where he is joined by Juliette Drouet.

1852, Hugo leaves Brussels for Jersey.

1855, For his outspoken support of the right to free speech concerning a clumsy satire by some Frenchmen in England, Hugo is expelled from Jersey. He settles on Guernsey.

1885, Purchase of Hauteville House in Guernsey.

1859, Amnesty refused.

1861, Having recommenced work on Les Misérables, Hugo visits Waterloo for background research.

1863, Hugo's daughter Adèle leaves home, determined to live on her own.

1865, Hugo's wife is in Brussels with her sons.

1868, Birth of Hugo's grandson Georges Hugo, Charles son. Death of Hugo's wife Adèle.

1869, Charles' second child Jeanne is born.

1870, Hugo returns to Paris on September, 5, the day after the Republic is proclaimed.

1871, Elected to represent Paris, Hugo goes to Bordeaux, where the National Assembly is in session. He resigns on March 8. Upon the sudden death of his son Charles, Hugo leaves for Brussels to settle his estate. Though not initially on the Commune rebels' side, he is appalled at the bloody retaliation taken upon them, and offers protection to escapees. He is accordingly expelled from Belgium and goes to Luxembourg.

1872, Mentally ill, Adèle returns to Paris.

1873, Hugo returns to Paris. Quarrels with Juliette Drouet. Death of François-Victor.

1876, Election to the Senate. Hugo fights, in vain, against the death penalty.

1877, Hugo opposes the pending coup d'état.

1878, Hugo has a stroke. Last stay in Guernsey.

1880, The Commune rebels, whose plight was championed by Hugo, are given amnesty.

1882, Death of Juliette Drouet.

1885, Victor Hugo dies on May 22.