1993

Author: (French) Victor Hugo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: This book is one of the World Literature Collections. The author fully utilizes his strengths to vividly depict the unique social landscape of that era. The work is realistic and touching, with a plot, rich content, and expressive, colloquial language. It is a colorful portrayal of the diverse social dynamics, serving as an excellent textbook for understanding the world. The primary significance of this book lies in its objective and impartial historical perspective, showcasing the fierce struggle between capitalism and feudalism, as well as between the republican and royalist forces during the French Revolution. History has proven that overthrowing an old social system is an extremely arduous task, as Robespierre, the character in the novel, aptly states: "Driving out foreign enemies takes only fifteen days, but eradicating monarchy requires eighteen hundred years." Another important significance of this book is its reflection of Hugo's persistent humanitarian ideals. Set against the backdrop of the bourgeois revolution in the 18th century, the book portrays the struggle between the National Convention during the Jacobin period and the counter-revolutionary forces of the Vendée.