Hugo is to France what Charles Dickens is to England. He was a great literary figure during the nineteenth century who helped to expose the abuses, unfairness and difficulties of life for the working classes and the poor.

Victor Hugo was born in 1802. His father was a general in Napoleon's army, so the family travelled all around Europe during Victor's childhood.

Victor was a very clever boy. He was writing and publishing books of poetry when he was only seven years old!

At the age of 17, he started a magazine which reviewed books and poetry.

He then entered the army and was awarded the Legion of Honneur, France's highest military award.

Victor Hugo became interested in politics. He was particularly interested in trying to make life better and more equal for the poor.

He thought that a Republic would help to pass laws that would be fairer for poor people, so he supported a Revolution against the Emperor in 1848 . Hugo fought in the streets of Paris with students, Parisians and poor people to try to bring a Republic to France.

However, the revolution failed and the Emperor remained in power. Because of this, Hugo was looked upon as a traitor, tried for treason and sent into exile in 1851. He had to stay away from France for nearly twenty years.

During this time, Hugo concentrated on his writing, producing works that were not only great literature, but also very popular. Today, his stories are still popular with people all over the world and have been reproduced in movies and tele-movies.

Two of Hugo's most famous novels are "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "Les Misérables".

"The Hunchback of Notre Dame" tells the story of Quasimodo the bell ringer of Notre Dame de Paris who fell in love with the beautiful gipsy princess, called Esmeralda.