I used to be impressed by the fact that Beethoven's state funeral was attended by 20,000 people. Then I learned that Victor Hugo's funeral procession from the Arc de Triomphe to the Pantheon was attended by 2 MILLION people.

The first globally successful writer. He celebrated progress and the people but paradoxically had the life of an aristocrat. Still France's most popular writer. Great doc.

Magnificent. Thank you very much.

Victor Hugo was just remarkable.

I was introduced to Hugo when I read "The Humpback Of Notre Dame". I was not exactly blown away by that novel. But my interest in Hugo was rekindled when I read "Les Miserables". Most people have seen the musical or they watched the various screen adaptations. But in order to get the full benefits of that great story you should read the novel. There are so many essays in the novel which discuss all sorts of interesting questions and ideas which are not always vital for the plot but which are worth reading nevertheless. Hugo was a very politically involved writer. As a German I was particularly captivated by Hugo's discussion of the battle of Waterloo and why Napoleon lost. I had never been aware of the fact that Napoleon actually has had a decent chance to win the battle, as even Wellington conceded later. The whole thing depended on the timely arrival of the Prussians on the battlefield who were led by the already 74 years old Field Marshal Blücher, who hated Napoleon with a vengeance and who had come out of retirement after Napoleon had left Elba. Napoleon had beaten Blücher soundly the day before at Ligny, and Napoleon assumed that the Prussians would retreat eastwards, never to be seen again. For good measure Napoleon sent his trusted Marshal Grouchy after the apparently retreating Prussians. But Blücher and his Prussians had actually not retreated at all along their lines of supply, but collected themselves. The old Field Marshal had been seriously wounded himself. But after he had downed a liberal dose of brandy, he and his very capable general Gneisenau restored order. Blücher gave his mostly very young soldiers a rousing pep talk - just like Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn at the Black Gate 😉 - and led his army towards the Waterloo battlefield where they arrived late in the day but just in time for assisting Wellington. Grouchy however never managed to find the main corps of the Prussians, and he never tried to join Napoleon on the Waterloo battlefield where he could have made a big difference for his emperor. Some people have pointed out that Napoleon would have won if he would have had a cellphone 😉 Blücher however became a national hero, and there is no city in Germany without a street or place named after the old guy. Most Germans have forgotten about the Napoleonic wars and how important they were for a unified German nation. When Blücher and Wellington fought against Napoleon, Germany did not even exist as a national entity. Hugo mostly discussed in his novel if Napoleon had made mistakes or if someone else was to blame. After the battle Grouchy became the popular scapegoat because he had not joined Napoleon on the main battlefield although it should have been easy to follow the sound of the cannons. Others said Napoleon's orders for Grouchy had been too ambigous. Hugo discusses all these questions, and it's obvious that they were still vitally important for Hugo and the French nation many decades after Napoleon's abdication and death. Hugo is not a neutral historian. He is very partisan, and for himself he comes to the conclusion that all these facts which he had listed, were not responsible for Napoleon's most devastating loss. Hugo claims that it was Napoleon's destiny to lose his last battle - no matter what! He had simply run out of luck and his time was over! Fate had turned against him! This narrative had actually been planted by Napoleon himself in his memoirs, and Hugo has swallowed Napoleon's hagiography. Most modern historians will probably totally disagree. But for Hugo this was a way to come to terms with what happened back then without blaming Napoleon, whom he still admired for various reasons. And I was encouraged to research an important part of history which was so important for us Europeans. I started to admire all those young Prussian soldiers, many of whom were fighting voluntarily in order to drive Napoleon out of their homelands. And old man Blücher was one of the most interesting and colorful characters of the Napoleonic wars. He was charismatic and willing to shoulder the same hardships as his young soldiers, who loved him. But he was also a hothead and not a strategic genius. His nickname was "Marshal Forward" In Germany we still have the proverb "he or she charges like Blücher", although most people don't know the origins anymore. Today it's mostly used in connection with soccer players. Anyway, Blücher had the good sense to select his generals wisely, and they helped him out with strategic problems. Hugo despised Blücher, and he has no praise at all for the old guy. But that is understandable from his point of view, considering the vital role Blücher, who had fought against Napoleon for many years, played in Napoleon's downfall even before Waterloo. If a unified German state was a good or a bad thing in the long run is a difficult question. Maybe, Hitler and the 3rd Reich would never have happened if Napoleon had been successful. But nobody could know the future back then. Hugo does much more than discussing these theoretical problems. He also gives us one of the most vivid and visceral descriptions of what had happened on the battlefield of Waterloo from the point of view of the common soldiers - and it must have been absolutely barbaric! I think that everybody who had been directly fighting and was lucky enough to survive the battle, must have developed PTSS. So far no movie or documentary about Waterloo has ever captured how terrible it must have been. But Hugo succeeds with just his words! I admire him very much! Edit: Hugo's most famous novel is called "The Hunchback Of Notre Dame" and not "The Humpback of Notre Dame" as I erroneously wrote!

A great human being beloved in Mexico when he wrote an op-ed criticizing the French invasion .The name Victor Hugo is well known as a man's name and many streets in cities in Mexico.

If one loves great literature, Victor Hugo is on my list. A writer with an enormous wealth of history of creativity and emotional depth of characters he flushes out with elegance with all the colors of emotions. Thank you for this documentary. ❤️ In "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," Charles Laughton played that role in the film in early movies superbly.

"Tomorrow, At Dawn" by Victor Marie Hugo Tomorrow, at dawn, at the hour when the countryside whitens, I will set out. You see, I know that you wait for me. I will go by the forest, I will go by the mountain. I can no longer remain far from you. I will walk with my eyes fixed on my thoughts, Seeing nothing of outdoors, hearing no noise Alone, unknown, my back curved, my hands crossed, Sorrowed, and the day for me will be as the night. I will not look at the gold of evening which falls, Nor the distant sails going down towards Harfleur, And when I arrive, I will place on your tomb A bouquet of green holly and of flowering heather.

With greatful heart for such a noble life.Le Miserable must be read and played all over the world as a political message to many cruel inhuman ambitious leaders. Thank you for this documentary. I’ll watch again and again to take notes of his poems and novels and other plays.

What an amazing documentary. It’s rare to find historical documentaries that are so captivating

The music is relentless and execrable.

Amazing! Thank you so much! Please keep making these!

Amazing job, many thanks!

250years after...🥰 Víctor H. I still ❤️ You .🙏🌟⭐✨‼️ Your brain still acti vates mine with the greates energy.YOU PROVIDED MINE WITH ❤️THANKS FOR EVER AND EVER. V. HUGO❤️

Your documentaries are some of the finest I have seen! Subscribed!

absolutely fascinating. i have the attention span of a nat, but i was gripped! beautifully narrated to. huge thanks 🙏

I've been in that tumbrel,a great Writer thank you for this historical enlightenment.

Extremely well presented, and I thank the people who made this

Absolutely wonderful. I learned so much.

Thank you! Translations of all the novels are easily available now. The Man Who Laughs and Ninety-Three are really wonderful and don’t get enough credit in my opinion. Hugo also has a novel from his youth not mentioned in the video called Bug Jargal (which takes place on Haiti). Like Hans of Iceland, it’s not the masterpiece like the others, but it’s still Hugo and very enjoyable.

Beautifully done!!!

His poetry was page turning, unpretentious non-fiction prose. I love when they say Madame Hugo and her boys went to live...with a garden etc..when the boys were actually full grown men still under mommas thumb.Lol Great documentary. Definitely, inspiring this stop n go poet immensely! Thx ❤

This is magnificent.

Wonderful documentary! Victor Hugo is one of my favorite writers. It's on my bucket list to visit his grave one day!

excellent... thank you I can't wait to hear and see more

This documentary is wonderful 👍👍😊😊

great documentary :) subscribed

An incredible person and gifted writer.

Thank-you so very much.

Thank you. ♥️🙏♥️

I'm just reading Les Miserables and was curious to know more about the author. Thank you so much. ❤🙏🏻

Thank you. I have really enjoyed this.

45:37--I cheered out loud when you mentioned "The Man Who Laughs". So many people DON'T know about it, and so it's an absolute treat to come across someone else who does. It's my favorite Hugo novel. I'm even working on a play adaptation of it. Thank you so much for this lovely documentary. Hugo was one of the greats, both as a writer and due to his beliefs in humanity triumphing over oppression--through words, not bloodshed. A true giant, and someone I consider as an artistic ancestor. Thanks again.

Great program. Thank you! 👍📚📖❤️

Love Victor & his works & Les Mes in particular

The background music is the central character in this documentary. Pass.

Wonderful, thank you for sharing!

General Robert E.Lee,loved the novel,Les Miserable.He gave a copy to his generals,requested reading.

Amazing thank you so much

Merci beaucoup ! 💎

Music is fine in it's place. This music was more of a performance than supposed to be in the background so as to give atmosphere. Instead it was so loud it drowned it out. Consequently, it was hard to listen to the video I had turned on.

I absolutely adore Simon Schama. He is a Historian Extraordinaire! The Queen of England has bestowed a Knighthood on him and he is now and forever known as Sir Simon Schama. I was disappointed not to see him in this documentary. He is simply the best. I am disappointed that he was not mentioned in the description. He deserves mentioning.

Would it be possible to turn down the the background music a little bit, I would rather hear what you are saying, rather than the tune. Thank you.

This man has been a great influence on my life !!!! Thanx Ya'll >>>> J D

The ideas in hunchback were astounding.

a great human

Still can’t read Les Mis -which I’ve read at least 4 times- without weeping at the story about the trial of the man w the mistaken identity of being Jean ValJean- and the story about his laying out Cosettes clothes before she leaves to marry Marius- the memories of her childhood flooding back…

This channel is gold🌝

Merci beacoup!

Do one on Shirley Jackson!

Reading the Victor Hugo: A Biography by George Robbs and it's the best!!!

C’est un IMMENSE chufoteur, vraiment j’adore la manière qu’il le chufote aussi, quel technique développé, sophistiqué et exceptionnel qu’il l’émène. Wow!

The hidden hand Hugo was a Freemason that's how he managed his career.

I’m a number 1 fan of Msr Hugo

Very nice. Well done.

Excellent lecture, many thanks. The voice of the narrator sounds familiar. Is it Sir Simon Shama speaking?

Thanks for doing this most amazing documentary! But please! Please stop playing music in the background! It’s very distracting and annoying. Just stop it!

Great video, thank you very much , note to self(nts) watched all in it 46:32

👍👍👍👍👍

3rd or 2nd best French writer of all time in my opinion. I still think Proust and Dumas might edge Hugo but all 3 are certainly on the mount Rushmore of French writers.

Thank you for depciting this interesting documentary. I can't find the mention of his famous novel 'The tale of the two cities'. Did I skip it, or was is forgotten to be mentioned?

the novel Bug Jargal not even mentioned.... such a pity.

Sofia u be fine

Гюго Виктору я посвятил свой роман. другие дочерям - Адель и Леопольдине. и Шарлю. достойная семья.

Another wonderful documentary, but please note that it is Académie française, not français. A detail perhaps, but for this great institution for the French language it is important that we at least spell its name right.

Cuz hope doing well

The background music is very annoying

Your french must be good, musn't?

I must not repeat what I know in French.

A man for all seasons; when 79 years old, he had an 19 year-old girlfriend!!!!

Попробуйте намекнуть об этом французскому интеллектуалу, обида и прекращение общения гарантированы. Но, это больше восприятие А.С. Пушкина, его идентичности.

Some of my ancestors.

They helped shape modern-day france.

LO DE 🇨🇵 LA FRAC

Informative, but terrible sound

Pourquoi me placer des choses en anglais?

The Prussians got rid of Napoleon One et Trois

this is nearly great, the annoying piano is somewhat off putting to the flow.

terrible audio

Made it to 4:16 before the music got to me.

Im Jake Lloyd ma faka

Mon Français n’est pas mal

Could you please make a slight effort to pronounce Victor Hugo’s name correctly?

Yay!!! Anti-church: I’m in 👍🏼🤓 Though hilariously- “anti church- married in a civil ceremony” two minutes later narration mentions “his god-father”- the anti-church parents gave their kids “god parents” 🤦🏻‍♀️…😂🤣😂🙄

😂😂😂

From what I've read, "boisterous sexual activity" is a euphemism for what could be termed marital rape on their wedding night.

Of course they had to cover that fact that He died as A Muslim and he wrote a poem describing prophet Muhammad. The French government covered up that they feared many French will his thoughts about islam His beautiful poem is called L’AN NEUF DE L’HÉGIRE

Greatest mind ever, but this is boring af man.

poor presentation

Not worth my time to even comment!

Boring production

TURN OFF THE GARBAGE MUSIC.

Can't stand it. I want the content, but it's utterly destroyed by the GARBAGE MUSIC. bailing ....