Smiling Man

Author: (French) Victor Hugo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: This is a long novel written by Hugo in 1869. The novel is set against the backdrop of British society in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, from the reign of James II to that of his daughter, Queen Anne. Through the tragic fate of Gwendolyn and others, Hugo reflects the sharp contradictions between the two opposing classes at the time: the vast majority of the people lived in poverty and hardship, while a small group of aristocrats lived in extreme luxury and moral corruption. Hugo utilized rich historical documents to vividly depict the unequal social landscape of Britain at the time, exposing the hypocrisy and ugliness of the ruling class. It is worth reading. This book is a rather typical Romantic novel, with a strong legendary flavor and an engaging storyline. At the beginning, readers are taken to the desolate coast of England, troubled by a child abandoned by a pickpocket and threatened with death. From there, the legendary life of the protagonist unfolds. He is the son of a noble who supported the republic during the British bourgeoisie revolution. During the restoration period, he was betrayed by the king to child traffickers and underwent disfiguring surgery, becoming a grotesque, smiling face. He finally escaped the shadow of death, drifted into the streets, and made a living by performing. Ursus and Otho are as close as friends. Ursus is human, and Otho is a wolf, and they share a deep bond. The man gave the wolf a name, and it is likely that the man also named himself. He felt that the name "Ursus" suited him well, and he also thought it was a good name for the beast to be called "Otho."