The man who laughs content. The man who laughs. Our old friends
Ursus, wandering around England, was once a philosopher. But after meeting a wolf in the forest, whom he named Gomo, he was drawn to a free life. Since then, this thoughtful, hunched man traveled in company with his four-legged companion on a small cart. There he had a sleeping place and even a laboratory where he created his drugs for sale. He lived on the proceeds from the performances that he himself wrote, and on the proceeds from the potions he sold. Ursus rarely laughed, and only a bitter laugh. He was a pessimist. At that time, the authorities persecuted comprachicos who specifically bought children in order to mutilate them.
Part I. Sea and night
On a chilly evening in January 1690, a child was abandoned on the shore of Portland Bay by a gang of sailing thugs. The boy reached human habitation, picking up a baby near the woman’s corpse along the way. He knocked on every house in a row to no avail. Finally, Ursus, who spent the night in his cart in a vacant lot, let him in. He was very surprised to find a one-year-old girl in the package brought by the boy. In the light of the coming morning, it turned out that the baby could not see at all, and someone had disfigured the face of the older child with an eternal smile.
Part II. By order of the king
Old Lord Clenchary emigrated to Switzerland after Cromwell's execution. The peer's mistress quickly found solace in the arms of Charles II, but Clancharlie's illegitimate son got a chance to make a name for himself at court. James II, having become king, wanted to correct the mistakes of the previous ruler, but the old man had already died by that time, his legal heir had disappeared. Therefore, the peerage with the title went to David, who was unrecognized by his father. And he found a bride worthy of him - Josiana, the king’s daughter, also illegitimate. Over time, Anne, daughter of James II, took the throne.
One day David showed his bride a freak saved by Ursus. His constantly grinning face with dyed bright red hair against the backdrop of the blind girl Deya who had grown into a beauty amused everyone around her. But it was the drowned comprachicos who were to blame for this ugliness.
Gwynplaine (the name of the freak) and Dey sincerely loved each other. Ursus was only happy looking at the adopted children. The extravagant Josiana got it into her head that Gwynplaine would be her lover. But he burned the letter from her, remaining faithful to his Deya. And the sweet girl was weakening due to an incurable illness.
Ursus's adopted son was arrested after burning the letter. In prison, someone was tortured in front of his eyes. And this man recognized him. Gwynplaine was immediately named Lord Fermain of Clancharlie, baron, marquess and peer of England. Out of surprise, having learned the whole truth about himself, he fainted and woke up already in the palace. They no longer allowed him to see Deya and Ursus, promising to bring them money.
Ursus saw a coffin being taken out of prison and decided that it was his son. And the duchess’s treacherous servant only confirmed this erroneous guess.
That same day, the freak was consecrated to the peerage of England. All Gwynplaine's good intentions to benefit the people by speaking at meetings of the lords only caused a stream of insults from the nobility. The last straw that broke the cup of patience was a quarrel with my brother David. The poor freak ran away in search of his family. But, alas, Ursus sold his cart and left somewhere. Gwynplaine was about to drown himself out of despair, but he was saved by Homo, who found the young man near the river bank.
Conclusion. Sea and night
It was the wolf who showed the way to the ship “Vograat”: on it the old man and Deya were preparing to sail. The girl was completely weak, because she missed her beloved so much. But his unexpected appearance excited her incredibly and her weak heart could not stand it. Deya died right in his arms. The shocked young man rushed into the Thames. He woke up completely alone to the melancholy howl of Homo.
The tramp Ursus appears to be a versatile person, capable of numerous tricks: he can ventriloquize and convey any sounds, brew healing infusions, he is an excellent poet and philosopher. Together with their pet wolf Gomo, who is not a pet, but a friend, assistant and show participant, they travel throughout England in a wooden carriage, decorated in a very unusual style. On the walls there was a long treatise on the rules of etiquette of English aristocrats and no shorter list of the possessions of all those in power. Inside this chest, for which Homo and Ursus themselves acted as horses, there was a chemical laboratory, a chest with belongings and a stove.
In the laboratory, he brewed potions, which he then sold, luring people with his performances. Despite his many talents, he was poor and often went without food. His internal state There was always dull rage, and the outer shell was irritation. However, he chose his own fate when he met Gomo in the forest and chose wandering over life with the lord.
He hated aristocrats and considered their government evil - but he still painted the cart with treatises about them, considering this a small satisfaction.
Despite the persecution of the Comprachicos, Ursus still managed to avoid problems. He himself did not belong to this group, but he was also a tramp. The Comprachicos were gangs of itinerant Catholics who turned children into freaks for the amusement of the public and the royal court. To do this, they used various surgical methods, deforming the developing bodies and creating dwarf jesters.
Part one: cold, the hanged man and the baby
The winter from 1689 to 1690 turned out to be truly harsh. At the end of January, a Biscay urka stopped in Portland harbor, where eight men and a small boy began to load chests and provisions. When the job was done, the men swam away, leaving the child to freeze on the shore. He resignedly accepted his share, setting off on the journey so as not to freeze to death.
On one of the hills he saw the body of a hanged man covered in tar, under which lay shoes. Even though the boy himself was barefoot, he was afraid to take the dead man’s shoes. A sudden rush of wind and the shadow of a crow frightened the boy, and he began to run.
Meanwhile, at the lesson, the men rejoice at their departure. They see that the storm is coming and decide to turn west, but this does not save them from death. By some miracle, the ship remains intact after hitting a reef, but it turns out to be overfilled with water and sank. Before the crew is killed, one of the men writes a letter and seals it in a bottle.
A boy wanders through a snowstorm and stumbles upon a woman's footprints. He walks along them and stumbles upon the body of a dead woman in a snowdrift, next to whom lies a living nine-month-old girl. The kid takes her and goes to the village, but all the houses are locked.
Eventually, he found shelter in Ursus's cart. Of course, he didn’t particularly want to let the boy and baby girl into his house, but he couldn’t leave the babies to freeze. He shared his dinner with the boy and fed the baby milk.
When the children fell asleep, the philosopher buried the dead woman.
In the morning, Ursus discovered that a mask of laughter was frozen on the boy’s face, and the girl was blind.
Lord Linnaeus Clencharley was a "living fragment of the past" and was an ardent republican who did not defect to the restored monarchy. He himself went into exile on Lake Geneva, leaving his mistress and illegitimate son in England.
The mistress quickly became friends with King Charles II, and son David Derry-Moir found a place for himself at court.
The forgotten lord found himself a legitimate wife in Switzerland, where he had a son. However, by the time James II ascended the throne, he had already died and his son had mysteriously disappeared. The heir was David Derry-Moir, who fell in love with the beautiful Duchess Josiana, the king's illegitimate daughter.
Anna, the legitimate daughter of James II, became the queen, and Josianna and David still did not get married, although they really liked each other. Josiana was considered a depraved virgin, since it was not modesty that limited her from numerous love affairs, but pride. She couldn't find someone worthy of her.
Queen Anne, an ugly and stupid person, was jealous of her stepsister.
David was not cruel, but he loved various cruel entertainments: boxing, cockfighting and others. He often entered such tournaments disguised as a commoner, and then, out of kindness, paid for all the damage. His nickname was Tom-Jim-Jack.
Barkilphedro was also a triple agent who was monitoring the queen, Josiana and David at the same time, but each of them considered him their reliable ally. Under the patronage of Josiana, he entered the palace and became an uncorker of ocean bottles: he had the right to open all bottles thrown onto land from the sea. He was sweet on the outside and evil on the inside, sincerely hating all his masters, and especially Josiana.
Part three: tramps and lovers
Guiplen and Deya remained to live with Ursus, who officially adopted them. Guiplen began to work as a buffoon, attracting buyers and spectators who could not contain their laughter. Their popularity was prohibitive, which is why three tramps were able to acquire a new large van and even a donkey - now Homo did not need to pull the cart on himself.
Inner beauty
Deya grew into a beautiful girl and sincerely loved Guiplen, not believing that her lover was ugly. She believed that if he is pure in soul and kind, then he cannot be ugly.
Deya and Guiplen literally idolized each other, their love was platonic - they did not even touch each other. Ursus loved them as his own children and rejoiced in their relationship.
They had enough money to not deny themselves anything. Ursus was even able to hire two gypsy women to help with housework and during performances.
Part Four: The Beginning of the End
In 1705, Ursus and his children arrived in the vicinity of Southwark, where he was arrested for public speaking. After a lengthy interrogation, the philosopher is released.
Meanwhile, David, under his guise as a commoner, becomes a regular spectator of Gwynplaine's performances, and one evening he brings Josiana to see the freak. She understands that this young man should become her lover. Gwynplaine himself is amazed by the beauty of the woman, but he still sincerely loves Deya, whom he now began to dream of as a girl.
The Duchess sends him a letter inviting him to her place.
Gwynplaine suffers all night, but in the morning she still decides to refuse the duchess’s invitation. He burns the letter, and the artists begin breakfast.
However, at this moment the staff-bearer arrives and takes Gwynplaine to prison. Ursus secretly follows them, although in doing so he breaks the law.
In prison, the young man is not tortured - on the contrary, he witnesses the terrible torture of another person who confesses to his crime. It turns out that he was the one who disfigured Gwynplaine as a child. During interrogation, the unfortunate man also confesses that in fact Gwynplaine is Lord Fermin of Clancharlie, peer of England. The young man faints.
In this Barkilphedro sees an excellent reason for revenge on the duchess, since she is now obliged to marry Gwynplaine. When the young man comes to his senses, he is brought to his new chambers, where he indulges in dreams of the future.
Victor Hugo’s masterpiece “Les Miserables” remains a very popular work today, which is also confirmed by the many versions of its film adaptation and theatrical productions.
In our next article, we will learn more about the biography of Victor Hugo, an outstanding French writer and poet, whose work left an indelible mark on the history of literature.
Part Six: Ursus Masks, Nudity and the House of Lords
Ursus returns home, where he puts on a performance in front of Deya so that she does not notice Gwynplaine is missing. Meanwhile, a bailiff comes to them and demands that the artists leave London. He also brings Gwynplaine's things - Ursus runs to the prison and sees the coffin being taken out of there. He decides that his named son has died and begins to cry.
Meanwhile, Gwynplaine himself is looking for a way out of the palace, but stumbles upon Josiana’s chambers, where the girl showers him with caresses. However, upon learning that the young man is to become her husband, he drives him away. She believes that the groom cannot take the place of his lover.
The Queen summons Gwynplaine to her and sends him to the House of Lords. Since the other lords are old and blind, they do not notice the freak of the newly-made aristocrat, and therefore listen to him first. Gwynplaine talks about the poverty of the people and their troubles, that revolution will soon overwhelm the country if nothing is changed - but the lords only laugh at him.
The young man seeks consolation from David, his half-brother, but he slaps him in the face and challenges him to a duel for insulting his mother.
Gwynplaine escapes from the palace and stops on the banks of the Thames, where he reflects on his former life and how he allowed vanity to overwhelm him. The young man realizes that he himself exchanged his real family and love for a parody, and decides to commit suicide. However, Homo appears and saves him from such a step.
Conclusion: Death of Lovers
The wolf brings Gwynplaine to the ship, where the young man hears his adoptive father talking to Deya. She says that she will soon die and go after her lover. In her delirium, she begins to sing - and then Gwynplaine appears. However, the girl’s heart cannot withstand such happiness and she dies in the arms of the young man. He understands that there is no point in living without his beloved and throws himself into the water.
Ursus, who lost consciousness after the death of his daughter, comes to his senses. Gomo sits next to them and howls.
1. Ursus
Ursus and the wolf Homo make a living by entertaining fairgoers. A wandering sixty-year-old philosopher practices ventriloquism, fortune telling, healing with plants, acting out comedies of his own composition, and playing musical instruments. The Guiana wolf, a breed of crustacean dog, performs different tricks and is a friend and likeness of its owner. Ursus' cart is decorated with useful sayings: on the outside there is information about the abrasion of gold coins and the dispersion of precious metal in the air; inside, on the one hand, there is a story about English titles, on the other, consolation for those who have nothing, expressed in the listing of the property of certain representatives of the English nobility.
2. Comprachicos
The Comprachicos were a community of vagabonds that existed in the 17th century, almost legally selling children and turning them into freaks for the amusement of the public. It consisted of people of different nationalities, spoke a mixture of all languages and was an ardent supporter of the Pope. James II treated them patiently in gratitude for the fact that they supplied live goods to the royal court and were convenient for the higher nobility in eliminating heirs. William III of Orange, who replaced him, set about eradicating the Comprachicos tribe.
Part one. The night is not as black as a man
The winter of 1689-1690 was very cold. At the end of January, an ancient Biscay urka landed in one of the bays of Portland. Eight people loaded chests and food onto the Matutina. A ten-year-old boy helped them. The ship set sail in great haste. The child was left alone on the shore. He resignedly accepted what had happened and set off across the Portland plateau.
At the top of the hill, the child came across decayed remains. The corpse of a tarred smuggler dangling on the gallows made the boy stop. The crows that flew at the terrible ghost and the rising wind frightened the child and drove him away from the gallows. At first the boy ran, then, when the fear in his soul turned into courage, he stopped and walked slowly.
Part two. Urka at sea
The author introduces the reader to the nature of a snow storm. The Basques and French at the lesson rejoice at the departure and prepare food. Only one old man frowns at the starless sky and reflects on the formation of the winds. The owner of the ship talks with him. The doctor, as the old man asks to be called, warns of the onset of a storm and says that we need to turn west. The shipowner listens.
Urka gets caught in a snowstorm. Those sailing on it hear the ringing of a bell installed in the middle of the sea. The old man predicts the ship's destruction. A storm blows in and tears the outer rigging off the boat and drags the captain out to sea. The Kasket lighthouse warns a ship that has lost control of its imminent death. People manage to push off from the reef in time, but in this maneuver they lose their only log-oar. On the rocks of Ortach, the urka again miraculously escapes collapse. The wind saves her from death on Aurigny. The snowstorm ends as suddenly as it began. One of the sailors discovers that the hold is full of water. Luggage and all heavy objects are thrown from the ship. When there is no hope left, the doctor suggests praying to ask the Lord for forgiveness for the crime committed against the child. People sailing on the ship sign the paper read out by the doctor and hide it in a flask. Urka goes under the water, burying everyone on it in the depths of the sea.
Part three. Child in the dark
A lonely child wanders through a snowstorm across the Portland Isthmus. Having stumbled upon women's footprints, he follows them, and finds a dead woman with a nine-month-old girl in a snowdrift. Together with the baby, the boy comes to the village of Weymet, and then to the town of Melcombe Regis, where he is greeted by dark, locked houses. The child finds shelter in Ursus's carriage. The philosopher shares his dinner with him and gives the girl milk. While the children are sleeping, Ursus buries the dead woman. In the light of day, he discovers that the boy's face is disfigured by an eternal smile, and the girl's eyes are blind.
Part one. The past does not die; in people reflects man
Lord Linnaeus Clencharley, a staunch republican, lived on the shores of Lake Geneva. His illegitimate son, from a noble lady who later became the mistress of Charles II, Lord David Derry-Moir, was the king's bedchamber and was a lord "out of courtesy." After his father's death, the king decided to make him a true lord in return for his promise to marry Duchess Josiana (his illegitimate daughter) when she came of age. Society turned a blind eye to the fact that in exile, Lord Clancharlie married the daughter of one of the Republicans, Anne Bradshaw, who died in childbirth, giving birth to a boy - a real lord by birthright.
Josiana, at twenty-three, never became Lord David's wife. Young people preferred independence to marriage. The girl was a cutesy virgin, smart, internally depraved. David had a large number of mistresses, set fashion, was a member of many English clubs, was a judge in boxing matches and often spent time among the common people, where he was known as Tom-Jim-Jack.
Queen Anne, who ruled the country at that time, did not like her half-sister because of her beauty, attractive groom and almost similar origin - from a mother of non-royal blood.
The envious lackey of James II, Barkilphedro, who remained out of work, through Josiana, receives a position as an uncorker of ocean bottles in the Department of Marine Finds. Over time, he enters the palace, where he becomes the queen's favorite "pet". For the favor shown to him, Barkilphedro begins to hate the duchess.
At one of the boxing matches, Josiana complains to David about boredom. The man offers to entertain her with the help of Gwynplaine.
Part two. Gwynplaine and Dea
In 1705, twenty-five-year-old Gwynplaine with an ever-laughing face works as a buffoon. He brings laughter to everyone who sees him. Along with laughter, unknown “sculptors” gave him red hair and the movable joints of a gymnast. Sixteen-year-old Deya helps him with his performances. Young people are endlessly lonely in relation to the world, but happy with each other. Their platonic relationship is pure, their love is so strong that they deify each other. Deya does not believe in Gwynplaine’s ugliness: she believes that since he is good, he is beautiful.
Gwynplaine's unusual appearance brought him wealth. Ursus replaced the old cart with a spacious “Green Box” and hired two gypsy maids. For his theater on wheels, Ursus began writing sideshows in which the entire troupe was involved, including the wolf.
Gwynplaine observes the poverty of the people from the stage. Ursus tells him about his “love” for the lords, and asks him not to try to change the unchangeable, but to live calmly and enjoy Dea’s love.
Part three. Occurrence of a crack
In the winter of 1704-1705, the Green Box performs at Tarinzofield fairground, located in the vicinity of London's Southwark. Gwynplaine is very popular with the public. Local buffoons are losing viewers and, together with the clergy, are beginning to persecute the artists. Ursus is summoned for questioning by a commission that monitors the content of publicly given speeches. After a long conversation, the philosopher is released.
Lord David, disguised as a sailor, becomes a regular at Gwynplaine's performances. One evening the Duchess appears at the performance. She makes an indelible impression on everyone present. Gwynplaine momentarily falls in love with Josiane.
In April, the young man begins to dream of carnal love with Deya. At night, the groom gives him a letter from the Duchess.
Part four. Underground dungeon
Josiana's written love confession plunges Gwynplaine into confusion. He can't sleep all night. In the morning he sees Deya and stops being tormented. The artists' breakfast is interrupted by the arrival of the staff bearer. Ursus, contrary to the law, follows the police escort leading Gwynplaine to Southwark prison.
In the dungeon, the young man participates in “interrogation with the imposition of heavy weights.” The criminal recognizes him. The sheriff informs Gwynplaine that he is Lord Ferman of Clancharlie, peer of England.
Part five. The sea and fate obey the same winds
The sheriff reads to Gwynplaine a confession written by the Comprachicos shortly before his death. Barkilphedro invites the young man to “wake up.” It was at his suggestion that the title of lord was returned to Gwynplaine. Queen Anne thereby took revenge on her beautiful sister.
After a prolonged faint, Gwynplaine comes to his senses in the court residence of Corleone Lodge. He spends the night in vain dreams of the future.
Part six. Ursus disguises
Ursus returns home, “rejoicing” at having gotten rid of the two cripples. In the evening, he tries to deceive Deya by imitating the voices of the crowd watching a non-existent performance, but the girl feels Gwynplaine’s absence in her heart.
The circus owner offers Ursus to buy the “Green Box” with all its contents from him. A policeman brings Gwynplaine's old things. Ursus runs to Southworth prison, sees a coffin being taken out of it, and cries for a long time.
The bailiff demands that Ursus and Homo leave England, otherwise the wolf will be killed. Barkilphedro says that Gwynplaine is dead. The hotel owner is arrested.
Part seven. Titan Woman
Trying to find a way out of the palace, Gwynplaine stumbles upon the sleeping duchess. The girl's nakedness does not allow him to move. The awakened Josiana showers Gwynplaine with caresses. Having learned from the queen’s letter that the young man is destined to be her husband, she drives him away.
Lord David comes to Josiane's chambers. Gwynplaine is summoned by the queen.
Part eight. Capitol and surrounding areas
Gwynplaine is introduced into the English House of Lords. The short-sighted Lord Chancellor William Cowper was short-sighted and the old and blind successor lords did not notice the obvious ugliness of the newly-made peer.
The gradually filling House of Lords is filled with rumors about Gwynplaine and Josiana's note intended for the queen, in which the girl agrees to marry the buffoon and threatens to take Lord David as her lover.
Gwynplaine opposes an increase in the annual allowance of Prince George, the queen's husband, by one hundred thousand pounds. He tries to tell the House of Lords about the poverty and suffering of the people, but they laugh at him. The lords make fun of and mock the young man, not allowing him to speak. Gwynplaine predicts a revolution that will deprive the nobles of their position and give all people the same rights.
After the meeting ends, David scolds the young lords for their disrespectful attitude towards the new lord and challenges them to a duel. He slaps Gwynplaine in the face for insulting his mother and also offers to fight to the death.
Part nine. On the ruins
Gwynplaine runs across London to Southwark, where he is greeted by the empty Tarinzofield Square. On the banks of the Thames, a young man reflects on the misfortune that has befallen him. He understands that he has exchanged happiness for grief, love for debauchery, a real family for a murderous brother. Gradually he comes to the conclusion that he himself is to blame for the disappearance of Deya and Ursus, having assumed the title of lord. Gwynplaine decides to commit suicide. Before jumping into the water, he feels Gomo licking his hands.
Hugo's personality is striking in its versatility. We can confidently say that he is one of the most widely read French prose writers in the world. His entire work is determined by his incredible love for man, compassion for the disadvantaged and a call for mercy. Victor Hugo can be called a democrat, an enemy of tyranny and violence against the individual, a noble defender of victims of political and social injustice. It is these themes that arise throughout the work of the great French writer. It is impossible to forget the one who, even before his death, wrote:
“In my books, dramas, prose and poems, I stood up for the small and unfortunate, begged the mighty and inexorable. I restored the jester, the lackey, the convict and the prostitute to their human rights."
And speaking about such a great writer, it is impossible not to remember his one of the most famous novels "The Man Who Laughs" Again, I would like to say that this novel was not chosen by chance, since this year marks exactly 145 years since the first publication of this novel, and of course, the second reason is the fact that this is one of the most beloved me books.
Hugo's work evokes nothing other than admiration and delight. This is truly a Genius, and with capital letters. In his works you can find everything that is so valuable in books: in his works the writer puts forward incredibly deep ideas that can be revealed in a new way with each subsequent reading, characters of incredible depth, realistic descriptions, stunning and rich language that helps in detailed description the historical background of the works, and of course, the magnificent dramatic endings of Hugo’s works. All this shocks, touches to the core and inspires to read his works again and again. So, let's talk in more detail about the novel “The Man Who Laughs.”
The romantic features of Hugo’s work are manifested in his undying interest in history and other countries, and in this novel he takes the reader from his native France to Foggy Albion, and from the 19th century to the 17th. You may ask why the action takes place in England and not in France? So, England was not chosen by chance; Hugo, in the preface to the novel, said that nowhere there was such a feudal system as in England. The author wanted to show as clearly as possible all the vices of the English aristocracy of that time. The author talks about everyone historical facts of that time, an example here is the story of the Comprachicos who were involved in child trafficking. They bought and mutilated children and did it just for fun.
Turning to the historical past, Hugo paints the English aristocracy of the 17th-18th centuries in an unsightly light, wanting to show that the contemporary British oligarchy, having inherited all the worst from its past, remains a force hostile to the people, civilization, and progress. Thanks to his unsurpassed ability to realistically describe every detail, we can quite clearly imagine life in England during that historical period.
The plot of the book is great. In the novel “The Man Who Laughs,” the writer traces the fate of his hero Gwynplaine, who was kidnapped and mutilated by bandits as a child and went from being a fairground actor to becoming a lord in parliament. Hugo describes in detail how main character finds a family, his development as a person, his first and only love for a blind girl - Deya. Using the example of the main characters, the author shows two worlds in the book: “the world of light” - the life of poor people and the “world of darkness” - the life of rich people. I would like to dwell in more detail on the characteristics of the main characters of the novel.
So, Gwynplaine- a poor child disfigured by the Comprachicos in childhood, who was “lucky” to encounter the injustice and troubles of this world. In this novel, a physically disfigured child symbolizes the tragedy of oppressed humanity, cruelly crippled by an unjust social order. It is in this character that all the democratic views of Hugo himself are embodied. The very tragedy of this character, in my opinion, is that because of his appearance he was not taken seriously (to be precise, because of his smile, which was a consequence of the actions of the Comprachicos). Neither in the world of the poor, nor in the world of the rich (especially) was he perceived as a person. For those around him, he was just an actor with a terrible appearance.
Ursus(the man who sheltered Gwynplaine with little Deya) - is the bearer of protest, the desire for social justice inherent in the people. Sharing the sufferings and misfortunes of the people, he reflects their thoughts and aspirations, moral greatness and perseverance.
And of course, we should remember such a bright character as Deya. She is beautiful, and she is beautiful not only externally (despite her blindness), but her most important virtue is spiritual beauty and purity. Deya's spiritual richness and moral greatness are fascinating. Their touching and pure love with Gwynplaine cannot leave anyone indifferent. And the tragic end of their happiness simply brings tears to my eyes (this was the first book that caused such a storm of emotions that I could not hold back my tears).
This novel is truly philosophical. Victor Hugo touches on such eternal questions as:
- The external ugliness of a person and his internal (spiritual) beauty - is their harmonious existence possible?
- The contrast between good and evil ( eternal question, which worries us to this day)
- How many troubles and tragedies, losses and misfortunes the human soul can withstand and much more.
Speaking about Hugo's language, one can agree that it is somewhat complicated. But more exact word in relation to Hugo's style - floridity. But, despite this, having read at least one of his monologues, we understand that thanks to this feature, the author reveals the full depth of the characters’ feelings.
And to sum up, I would like to mention a few of my favorite quotes from this greatest work:
- If a person, exhausted by a cruel mental storm, frantically resisting the onslaught of unexpected disasters, not knowing whether he is alive or dead, is still able to treat his beloved being with careful care - this sure sign a truly beautiful heart.
- The most difficult task is to constantly suppress in your soul the desire for evil, which is so difficult to fight. Almost all of our desires, if you look closely at them, contain something that cannot be admitted.
- The main thing in love is habit. All life is concentrated in it. The daily appearance of the sun is a habit of the universe. The universe is a woman in love and the sun is her lover
The work is simply magical. Everything about this novel is beautiful: the long lyrical digressions, the author’s florid language, and the incredibly deep characters. But you need to read this creation carefully, because even the smallest details in the descriptions were created by the author so that we could enjoy this masterpiece!
In the article we will talk about the summary of “The Man Who Laughs”. We will look at the main points of the plot, talk a little about the author and his idea, and also understand the essence of this work.
about the author
Victor Hugo is the author of The Man Who Laughs. He is a French writer, playwright and even prose writer. This man is rightfully considered a key figure in French romanticism. The future genius of the word was born in a city with the romantic name of Besançon. During his childhood, he often changed his place of residence due to his parents' moves. I visited Marseille, the Elbe, Italy, Corsica, and Madrid. In his youth he loved to study and organize various receptions. In his adult years he wrote and was interested in theatrical art.
The beginning of the story
By nature, Ursus is a very versatile personality. Hidden within him is a philosopher, healer, poet, street walker, speaker, etc. He travels from place to place with a wolf and a small cart. He uses homo not only as a draft force, but also as a full-fledged being. A homo can perform in front of guests, collect money with a mug in his mouth. Somehow Ursus writes a good play, thanks to which people trust him and begin to buy various drugs.
Character of the main character
Victor Hugo in The Man Who Laughs summary we consider in the article) describes in detail the character of the hero. This man was a little gloomy and deep in thought. He had his own philosophy, which inspired negativity. Ursus laughed quite rarely, but even when he did, his laughter was bitter. He hated aristocrats, believing that their power was pure evil. Despite this, Ursus actively pretended to be an ardent admirer of this class. There were even inscriptions on his cart confirming this.
He always tried to avoid trouble, although it was a time of persecution of the Comprachicos. If previously every aristocrat had a dwarf or a jester, now it was not so easy to find one. Comprachicos were scoundrels whose conscience allowed them to buy healthy children and disfigure their appearance surgically. But they were also not averse to finding freaks from childhood, who were already ugly and funny. Very often these people were turned to in order to forget about the unwanted heir. At the same time, the scammers considered themselves Catholics and zealously defended their faith.
Boy
So, let's begin the summary of the book “The Man Who Laughs.” The events of the winter of 1690 unfold before us. It's a cold January evening outside. An ancient ship is moored in a small bay and people are being loaded onto it. Among all the figures, one is clearly different, since it belongs to a child. The boy in rags is about to follow the rest of the people, but at the last moment the leader throws off the plank that served as a ladder. The ship quickly departs, and the boy is left alone in the cold in Portland Bay.
He managed to crawl out of a deep bay with steep slopes. As a result, a huge territory stretched out in front of him, covered with snow-white snow. He didn't know what to do, so he took the first turn. It was the right decision, since he went towards the English Isles. He walked for a long time until he came across a gallows with a corpse. The deceased was covered with a thick layer of resin. This was done on purpose so that the body could survive longer and be a terrifying example for others. The child was very cold, and he saw that his shoes were lying near the corpse, but he did not dare take them.
He looked at the corpse for a long time, as it was impossible to take his eyes off this terrible sight. He was distracted by a strong gust of wind that shook his body sharply. This scared the boy, and he quickly ran away from there. He managed to safely cross a rather dangerous place, namely the Isthmus of Portland, represented by steep cliffs. Finally, the child saw smoke ahead, which meant that there were people nearby.
Fate of the ship
We continue our consideration of the summary of the chapters of “The Man Who Laughs” by the fact that the above-mentioned ship was overtaken by a snowstorm. People have been struggling with natural force for a long time, applying all their efforts. But this turned out to be in vain, since after the elements subsided, it turned out that most of the Comprachicos died, along with the captain. In addition, the ship was holed and was sinking. After the survivors realized that they could not get out on their own, since the land was far away and the ship was on the verge of a flood, they decided to write a confession. Everyone signed the document and put it in a bottle, the neck of which was carefully tarred. They threw the bottle into the sea with hope in their eyes.
On my way
So, the content of “The Man Who Laughs” is gradually revealed to us. The snow storm, by the way, raged not only at sea, but also on land. The boy wandered through the snow, trying to follow barely noticeable human footprints. What saved him was that he heard some sounds in the distance. While walking, he found a dead woman, next to whom a frozen but still alive baby was crying. The boy decided to take him with him, having previously wrapped him in his jacket.
Finally, from the content of the novel “The Man Who Laughs” we learn that the boy finds a small town. He notices snow-covered roofs and light in the windows. A child enters a city that is still getting its last hours of sleep. He starts knocking on different doors, looking for warmth and a corner, but for some reason no one opens for him. The content of the book “The Man Who Laughs” continues with the fact that the child finds a wasteland where Ursus has settled with his wolf and cart.
Meeting
The boy knocked on the house, almost no longer hoping that someone would open for him. At this time, Ursus was getting ready to have dinner, and his food, by the way, was quite meager. He absolutely did not want to share with anyone else, but the advice did not allow him to leave the child in the cold. He let the boy in, then changed him into warm, dry clothes. He also gave him his dinner, hoping to at least get some milk. However, it turned out that the guy had a baby hidden under his jacket. Naturally, he got the milk.
The next morning, the man realized that the baby was a blind girl, and the boy was terribly disfigured - an expression of laughter was frozen on his face.
Meet Lord Clancharlie
We continue our consideration of the summary of “The Man Who Laughs” by Victor Hugo. The reader is introduced to Lord Linnaeus Clencharley, whom the author calls “a living fragment of the past.” Like many people, he recognized the rights of the republic, but did not go over to the side of the monarchy after Cromwell's death. At heart he remained an ardent republican, and therefore there was no place for him in society. He went into self-imposed exile on Lake Geneva. He still has a mistress in England. A beautiful girl who did not miss her goal and became the mistress of King Charles II. Her illegitimate son, David Derry-Moir, grew up and began to build a nest for himself at court. For some time they completely forgot about Lord Linnaeus.
Peripeteia
It is impossible to retell “The Man Who Laughs” without delving into the intrigues at court, so let’s delve a little deeper into this topic. Although they forgot about Clancharlie, they still left him the peerage and title. He got married in Switzerland. Soon a son was born, and therefore a legal heir. James II, after ascending the throne, decided to correct the mistake of the previous king. Clancharlie himself had already died of natural causes by that time. It's interesting that his rightful heir simply disappeared. At the same time, David became Lord Peer, who in addition received a beautiful bride and the king’s illegitimate daughter, Josiana.
We continue to retell the summary of “The Man Who Laughs” by Hugo. The plot of the novel takes us through several years. At this time, the king's legitimate daughter Anna became Queen of England. It was known that David and Josiana were in love, and the whole court admired the sophistication of their relationship. But at the same time, none of them was in a hurry to get married, since both valued their freedom too much. Note that if the girl was 23 years old, then David was 43 years old by this time.
The Duchess was quite depraved, despite the fact that she remained a virgin. She would have long ago acquired lovers if she could find worthy ones. The only thing holding her back was her own pride. Josiana was proud to be Queen Anne's sister. But the stupid and not very beautiful queen could hardly stand the company of her beautiful sister.
David could have had more fun. He loved to take part in the cruel games of aristocrats, although he himself was not by nature cruel person. Note that he was the first to begin compensating victims for damages. He also loved to watch boxing matches or cockfights. Often dressed as a commoner to walk around London and talk to ordinary people. He was even known there as Jim-Jack-Tom.
The work “The Man Who Laughs” by Victor Hugo in the second part of the book tells that the queen, Josiana and David were watching each other. To do this, they hired the same man, named Barkilphedro, who reported to each about the others. He was originally a servant of King James, but then gained access to the chambers thanks to Josiana. She later got him a job that actually existed in the English Admiralty. He had to uncork ocean bottles. However, Barkilphedro was very cunning, although he seemed to be a sweet and courteous person. He hated Josiana, who commanded him casually and coldly, and was preparing to deal her a crushing blow. As we know, any evil must be avenged.
Our old friends
We continue to retell the summary of “The Man Who Laughs” and return to Ursus and his children. So, one day David, in order to entertain his bride, decided to show her Gwynplaine - the same boy with a disfigured face. He also showed the girl Deya - that little girl wrapped in Gwynplaine's jacket. She grew up and turned into the most beautiful girl. Ursus adopted the children.
For more than 15 years they traveled the roads and amused the people, who paid very well for the ugliness of Gwynplaine. The guy was 24 years old and quite smart, since Ursus passed on all his knowledge to him. 16-year-old Deya and Gwynplaine were in love with each other. Their feelings were pure and immaculate. They have a new green van. The wolf was replaced by a donkey. Ursus was even able to hire two gypsies to take part in performances and help around the house.
London
Gwynplaine traveled with Ursus to London, where they continued to perform. They settled in a small hotel, the courtyard of which was turned into a stage. Very quickly they ruined the local booths. They even sued them, but Ursus managed to resolve everything even to his own benefit. Tom-Jim-Jack was a fan of these street actors.
Once upon a time, a very beautiful woman, who was of noble origin. Gwynplaine's ugliness truly struck her, and for some reason she decided that only he was worthy of becoming her first lover. Note that the young guy was also struck by the beauty of the woman. A few days later, while he was walking around the city, a page boy approached him with a letter from the Duchess. After reading it, Gwynplaine understood the impulse and desire of the duchess, but did not betray his beloved.
At the same time, Deya grew weaker every day. Ursus thought she had a heart problem. Any shock could destroy her. One day, a baton-bearer came to the actor, who performed the functions of a modern policeman. The person touched by the rod had to follow the rod-bearer meekly and without any questions. That day Gwynplaine was taken away, but Deya did not understand anything, since she was blind. Ursus decided to hide this from her, so that misfortune would not destroy her.
Jail
Ursus followed the “man who laughs.” He was taken to prison, but no one showed up there overnight. The young man was taken to the dungeon, where the man was tortured. He was crucified, and a lead plate pressed on top of him. Seeing the young man, the man began to laugh terribly. Immediately the judge rose and proclaimed that Gwynplaine was Lord Fermain of Clancharlie, peer, marquis and baron.
This all happened according to the plan of Barkilphedro, who received a bottle with a note. There the Comprachicos admitted what they had done to the boy and who he really was. The order for this was given by King James II. The child was mutilated by someone named Hardquanon. It was he who was tortured in the dungeon. The queen and the treacherous Barkilphedro realized that Josiana was engaged not to Lord Clancharlie himself, but to his title, which means she would need to marry this freak. The two accomplices were overjoyed that they were able to take revenge on the beautiful Josiana.
Castle
The next day the guy woke up in the palace. They explained to him how dramatically his life would change now. At first he wanted to visit Ursus and send him money, but he was not allowed. Barkilphedro said that he would take him the money himself. All night the young man reveled in the power and money he received, and only in the morning he remembered Dey.
Ursus returned home and decided to pretend that Gwynplaine was with them, but he failed to deceive Deia. Later Barkilphedro came and said that the young man was dead and they needed to leave England immediately.
Gwynplaine wandered around the palace, wanting to find a way out of it. As a result, he found a luxurious bathtub in which a beautiful woman was sleeping. She woke up and the guy recognized the duchess. She began to seduce “the man who laughs” in every possible way, and he gave in. But then a letter suddenly arrived that Josiana would have to become his wife. This cooled her ardor for the new toy, and she left.
Soon the lords were assembled, before whom Gwynplaine was to speak. However, in the end he was laughed at, even though he tried to talk about the unfortunate people of England. David received him well, but in his speeches the guy offended his mother, and David challenged him to a duel. Gwynplaine decided to flee London. He looked for Ursus and Deja, but they were nowhere to be found. Having decided to commit suicide, he felt that someone was licking his hand. It was Homo. He brought the guy to Deya and Ursus. The girl perked up a little, but died from shock in the guy’s arms. He got terribly angry. Beside himself with grief, he walked to the edge of the deck...
Having woken up, Ursus saw no one near him except Homo, who was looking at him with pitiful eyes.