The Last Day of a Condemned Man by Victor Hugo (Book Analysis)

This practical and insightful reading guide offers a complete summary and analysis of The Last Day of a Condemned Man by Victor Hugo. It provides a thorough exploration of the book’s plot and main themes, as well as the social and political context at the time it was written and Hugo’s commitment to the abolition of the death penalty in France. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time.

This clear and detailed 27-page reading guide is structured as follows:

• Biography of Victor Hugo
• Presentation of The Last Day of a Condemned Man
• Summary of The Last Day of a Condemned Man
• Context
  • The death penalty
  • The abolitionist movement in France
• Analysis of The Last Day of a Condemned Man
  • At the root of The Last Day of a Condemned Man
  • The narrative: a monologue
  • The preface: a true plea/indictment
  • Portrait of an antihero

About The Last Day of a Condemned Man

The short novel The Last Day of a Condemned Man was first published in 1829. As its title suggests, it recounts the last 24 hours of a man who has been sentenced to death, and is written from the point of view of the man who is about to die. Through this story and the preface which accompanies it, Hugo delivers a searing indictment of the cruelty and inhumanity of the death penalty.

About Victor Hugo

Victor Hugo was a French poet, playwright, novelist and politician. He was one of the key writers of French Romanticism, and is best known for writing The Hunchback of Notre Dame and the monumental novel Les Misérables. He also led an active political life, and his stances led to his exile during the Second French Empire (1852-1870). He received an immense state funeral following his death in 1885, and was celebrated as one of the greatest French writers.