Nineteenth-century literature is read by both youth and the older generation. Among the French geniuses stands Victor Hugo, who wrote several major novels. If you want to learn about the amazing story of a young man, ugly in appearance and beautiful inside, you should read the work “The Man Who Laughs” (short summary). Hugo for a long time collected historical references about England, so that the novel would not turn out to be fictional, but close to reality. It took two years to write a book. The novel is still being quoted, several films have been shot, theater scenes have been staged.
Introduction, familiarization with the heroes
If you like fascinating stories about love, hatred, betrayal - be sure to read the book written by Victor Hugo, "The Man Who Laughs." A brief summary of the first preliminary chapter will introduce the reader to Ursus and his tame wolf Gomo. A faddish healer travels and makes a living, exploring vegetation in search of new medical herbs. The habits of his pet seem completely human, and it is not without reason that Ursus gave him the name Homo, which in Latin means "man."
In contrast to these two goodies, the second chapter tells the story of the Comprachicos. These are entire estates of people doing dirty things: they redeem or steal children, and then with a scalpel they disfigure their face and body beyond recognition. Previously, this quivering topic was not raised in the literature, but it is unfair to say that the activities of these people are fiction. The first writer to portray this idea in his work was Victor Hugo. "The Man Who Laughs" is an amazing novel about the life and adventures of the royal heir, whom the Comprachicos awarded a forever frozen smile on his face. Killing a baby is a crime, they say, but you can get rid of it in a different way - change your appearance and take it away from your native land.
Part One: Sea and Night
At the southern end of Portland, eight silhouettes were visible in terrible weather. Among them it was impossible to distinguish between women and men, but one of them was a child. People who arrived from Spain left the boy, and themselves cut the ropes and went to the open sea. The abandoned kid did not know who he was, but readers can immediately guess that the child is the very “man who laughs”. The book tells about the adventures of a grown child, but for now, one task is to get out and find housing. Ghosts dream of a child, but he sees a corpse dismembered on a gallows. Having overcome half of the leagues, he was exhausted and hungry, but continued to wander. He follows the woman’s footsteps and finds her dead ... A one-year-old girl would have died in her arms if the brave fellow had not decided to take her with him. After long wanderings, the unfortunate finds the house of Ursus. The doctor does not welcome the children, but offers them food and overnight, and the next morning he discovers the boy’s mutilated face and the girl’s blindness. He gives them names - Guinplen and Dey.
The fate of the villains
The number of children abandoned by the comprachicos increased, as in England these people were awaited by terrible punishment. The captain of urki, leaving the baby, went with his crew away from land, but the worst punishment awaited them at sea: a blizzard began. He was in doubt about the correct course due to the weather, but hesitated to stop the path. The only reasonable person in the classroom, the doctor, warned of a possible death, but they did not listen to him. He accidentally discovers a flask with the name Hardquanon in the cabin - this is a surgeon, to whom a man who laughs owes his frozen smile. A summary of the book will soon reveal who the crippled boy was.
There was a ringing of a bell. Urka went to death. From a strong wind a buoy was raging, on which a bell was suspended, portending a reef. The captain performs several successful maneuvers and takes the team out of trouble. The storm ended, but there was a hole in the urka - the hold was full of water. All things were thrown into the sea, and the last thing that could be thrown into the sea was their crime ... Everyone signed on the parchment and put it in the Hardquanon flask. Slowly going under water, none of them stood up. They all died, and there, on land, a poor boy-man survived - a man who laughs. The summary does not practically convey the horror of the storm and the death of the Comprachicos, and patient readers are advised to read a good hundred pages describing the horror of the water element.
Acquaintance with the royal court
Linnaeus Clencharly is an amazing person: he was a peer, but chose to become an exile. James II is ready to take all measures against this rebellious lord. His son David was once the page of the king, but soon became the groom of the Duchess of Josiana: both were beautiful, desired, but did not want to spoil the relationship by marriage. Anna was the queen and blood sister of the duchess. Ugly and vicious, she was born 2 years before the fire in 1666. Astrologers predicted the appearance of an "older sister of fire."
David and Josiana did not like to be shown together in public, but once they went to watch boxing. The spectacle was truly spectacular, but Josiana did not help to get rid of boredom. Only one could help her in this - a man who laughs. For all the beauty of the athlete’s body, his face was disfigured. At the sight of a buffoon, everyone laughed, but this sight was disgusting.
Gwinplen and Deya
Hugo shows the face of a man whom so far was known only by deeds. Guinplen was 25, Deia was 16. The girl was blind and lived in complete darkness. Gwynplaine had his own hell, but meanwhile he lived with his beloved, as if in paradise, they loved each other. Deya considered Guinplen beautiful — she knew perfectly the story of her salvation. She alone saw his soul, and everyone else saw a mask. Ursus, who was the named father for their two, having noticed the feelings of lovers, decided to marry them. However, the man who laughs could not touch Deia - for him she was his child, sister, angel. In infancy, they slept on the same bed with each other, but soon the innocent children's games began to develop into something more.
Wandering artists
Ursus with his children in his van called "Green Box" gave performances to the townspeople and the nobility. He began to grow rich and even hired two charming girls, Venus and Phoebe, as his assistant. All interlude the doctor, and now the director, wrote himself. One of them, called "Defeated Chaos," he created specifically for Guinplen. The audience expressed wild delight and laughter at the sight of the crippled face at the end of the lit face. Ursus watched his student, and when he noticed that Gwinplen began to look closely at others, it occurred to him that this was not what the young man needed. He and Day are better off having children. By that time, a new name was finally attached to Guinplen - "The Man Who Laughs." He was recognized on the streets, and Ursus decided it was time to go to London.
The success of the wagon of stray artists did not allow others to develop. The Green Box prevailed over church eloquence, and the church turned to the king. At the submission of Gwynplaine and Dei, the duchess often visited - now she was sitting in a place of honor alone. The blind girl felt danger in the face of Joziana and asked Ursus not to appear again. Gwynplen, on the other hand, felt attracted to the duchess: for the first time he saw a woman, besides a very beautiful woman, who was ready to answer him with sympathy. To learn about all the intricacies of a woman’s relationship with the soul of the devil and a man of the same appearance, be sure to read the novel “The Man Who Laughs” (short summary). Hugo tried to portray the character of women typical of the nineteenth century, who are often found now.
All masks removed
Since the end of the visit of the Duchess, a lot of time has passed, but Victor Hugo did not want to forget about her influence on stray artists. The man who laughs received a kind of poisoning by a woman, and he wanted to take possession of the Day. The sweet hour never came, but once, while strolling, he felt in his hands a letter and a page of the duchess standing nearby. It was written on paper that Josiana loves and wants to see Gwynplaine. The artist immediately felt something was wrong and returned to the Green Box late at night. The morning was as usual until he was spoiled by the visit of the baton. It meant complete obedience, and without uttering a word, a man who laughed obediently followed a book who laughs ... From this moment on, the book begins to tell about another story, namely, about Guinplen's stay in the royal monastery.
The reader probably guessed that the novel would not end with such a speedy death of the protagonist. Gwynplaine was taken to Southworth Prison, where he had long been expected. The half-naked prisoner raised his eyes to the crippled and exclaimed, laughing, "This is it!" The sheriff explained that the audience was not at all buffooned, but Lord Crencarly, the peer of England. Those present read a note in a corked bottle of Hardquanon, a man, a skilled plagiarist surgeon, who mutilated the face of two-year-old Fermen Klencharli. There was everything described in detail how he was abducted in infancy. Hardquanon was exposed, and Balcifedro opened his eyes to the wandering artist.
Josiana and Gwinplen
Recently, a soldier found a corked bottle off the coast and took it to the admiral of England. Balkyfedro showed the find to Anna, and she immediately had the idea to harm her beautiful sister. Josianu was going to marry Gwynplaine. Balkidfedero's insidious plan was a success. He personally made sure that in the Green Box, Josiana saw the performance of Gwynplaine. Just think that the peer of England is a man who laughs. The summary of the novel may not reveal the relationship at the royal court, so readers may wonder why it was worth crippling the baby, when his affiliation with high society was exposed twenty years later. When Gwynplaine woke up after a swoon from surprise and asked where he was, they answered him: "At home, my lord."
Gwynplaine walked up and down the room and could not believe everything that was happening. He was already imagining himself in his new position, when he suddenly had the thought of Daya, but he was forbidden to visit his family ... A man who laughs, longed for his father and lover to rest with him in royal chambers, and not huddled in a wagon . The palace was like a gilded dungeon: in one of the hundreds of rooms, Guinplen found a beautiful woman sleeping on a luxurious bed - it was a duchess. The beauty beckoned him with kisses and spoke sweet words. She wanted to see her lover in Gwynplaine, therefore, as soon as she received a letter from Anna ordering the marriage of the new peer of England and the Duchess, Josiana drove the subject of her passion away. As it turned out, the Queen’s sister had two husbands: Lord Crencarly and Rear Admiral David Derry-Moir.
"Green Box" without the main actor
As soon as Gwynplaine was taken away by the wand-bearer, Ursus followed him. Exhausted by guesses and expectations, the doctor was even glad that he would get rid of his adoptive children - Deia would die from longing after her lover. Ursus returns to The Green Box and arranges the performance of Defeated Chaos, imitating the voices of the public and Guinplin. Even the blind Deya easily determined that there was neither a crowd of people, nor the main actor ...
Wouldn't a loving father follow his son, who was arrested in the early morning for some reason? Ursus speculated that the wand-bearer stole Guinplen as a rebel who offended the queen. In fact, the doctor could not even suspect what fate the man who laughs received. The summary may not reveal this touching moment when Ursus received Guinplen more than a pupil or partner. He yelled with the words “they killed my son!” When he saw the executioners carrying out the coffin to the sound of the bell. Soon the Green Box was visited by a bailiff ordering Ursus to leave England for keeping a wild animal - a wolf. Balcifedro confirmed that the person who was laughing was really dead, after which he allocated a small amount for the speedy fees of the owner of the wagon.
Adoption of Gwynplain in the House of Lords
In the evening, the solemn oath of Lord Crencarly took place. The ceremony took place in a mysterious hall in the twilight - the organizers of the event did not want the members of parliament to learn that now one of them is a man who laughs. The summary of the chapter "Life is worse than oceanic storms" brings the main idea of ​​the author: even such an outwardly disfigured man as Guinplen, a kind and fair heart, and an unexpected change of his position from buffoon to peer did not change his soul. The Lord Chancellor voted to increase the annual award to the king - everyone, except the former wandering artist, approved this proposal, but another refused. Now Rear Admiral David Derry-Moir also protested with the new England peer, who challenged everyone present. Gwynplaine's fiery speech about his past annoyed members of parliament: a young man tried to warn greedy Lords and expressed his hatred for the king, told how ordinary people die at the expense of nobles. After such words he was forced to flee.
"The Man Who Laughs": a summary of the chapters of the last pages of the book
Guinplen seemed to have lost everything. He took a notebook out of his pocket, wrote on the first page that he was leaving, signing with Lord Clencharli, and decided to drown himself. But suddenly he felt that someone was licking his hand. It was Homo! Gwinplen found hope that he would soon be reunited with the one with whom he had suddenly been separated. Maybe a wedding of two hearts would soon take place, and Ursus would wait for his grandchildren - such a sentimental writer came up with the ending, but not Victor Hugo. A man who laughs begins to pay for his sins, just steps away from happiness ... The wolf ran to the Thames, and Guinplen followed him - there he met his father and Dei dying of a fever. Both are waiting for a meeting in heaven, because the lover does not experience separation and drowns in water.
A screen version of the novel "The Man Who Laughs." Movie Summary
The outstanding work of Victor Hugo was filmed four times: in the USA, Italy, twice in France. The first film was shot in 1928, half a century after writing the novel. Black and white silent movie lasts 1 hour 51 minutes. Director Paul Leni missed some scenes, but tried to convey the main idea of ​​the novel "The Man Who Laughs", however, the ending was happy. The skillfully applied make-up and outstanding play of actors Conrad Feydt, Olga Baklanova, Mary Filbin and Cesare Gravina amaze the audience from the first minutes.
The next film was shot in 1966 in Italy, the premiere took place on February 3. The music for the hour and a half movie was written by composer Carlo Savina. Five years later, in France, Jean Kershbron shot an amazing picture with actors Philippe Boucle and Dolphin Desier.
The last film to date, "The Man Who Laughs," was staged with the participation of the great French actor Gerard Depardieu in the role of Ursus. The long-awaited premiere took place on December 19, 2012, while the trailer appeared on the network much earlier. Not all viewers were satisfied with the picture: the characters of the main characters are not fully disclosed, and their appearance does not correspond to that described in the book. The role of Guinplen was played by the handsome Marc-Andre Gronden, while the Day was not so charming, unlike the heroine of Hugo. "The Man Who Laughs" is a great novel, but director Jean-Pierre Amery was unable to accurately portray the writer’s main idea.
Reader's Notes
Victor Hugo does not attend schools, and he is included in the university program only in some universities. Literature connoisseurs do not spare time on the compendiums of read works, including the novel "The Man Who Laughs." A summary for the reader's diary can be represented by a retelling of each piece.
In two preliminary chapters, Hugo introduces the reader to the doctor Ursus and says a few words about the comprachicos. The first part of "Night and the Sea" consists of three books, each of which has several chapters. The writer talks about the kidnapping of the boy and the payment of the comprachicos for deadly sins - everyone drowns, and the boy finds salvation in the house of Ursus. A blind girl, Deia, who is picked up by the brave Gwynplaine, a man who laughs, also becomes a member of their family.
The summary of the part "By Order of the King" can be conveyed in several sentences. The new Ursus family makes a living by giving appearances. Guiplen and Deya become adults, and father wants to marry them. Countess Josiana interferes with family happiness, who attends performances and falls in love with a disfigured young man. The film "The Man Who Laughs" perfectly conveys the relationship of this fatal woman with the unfortunate: she lures him, bewitches him, but soon loses interest. In the same book, Gwynplaine learns that she is a distinguished person and becomes a member of parliament, but life in the castle is alien to him and he returns to the Green Box, where Dei is dying of fever in his arms. Then the person who laughs also dies. The content of this part conveys the idea that no matter how outwardly ugly an individual may be, he may have a pure soul and a big loving heart.
The story of the same name by an American writer
Half a century later, following Hugo, Jerome David Salinger writes his novel. "The Man Who Laughed" talks about the events of 1928. A forty-year-old man recalls his childhood, as after school he and other children remained in an entertainment class with student John Gadsudsky. The young man drove the guys to New York Park, where they played football and baseball. On the way, he entertained schoolchildren with fascinating stories about a noble robber to whom Salinger picks up an interesting pseudonym. The man who laughed covered his face with a pale scarlet mask of poppy petals so that ill-wishers could not see his features. John secretly met with a wealthy girl Mary Hudson, with whom he soon had to leave. It turned out that another thing followed this sad event - the death of a noble robber at the hands of enemies. The story is dominated by red, which is a danger signal, and the word "blood" occurs exactly ten times, so the quick-witted reader can immediately guess the sad ending.