Gan Icelander. Bug-jargal. Hugo V.

One of the most popular and readable classics of French literature, Victor Hugo (1802-1885) in the real volume is represented by his debut novels-“Gan Iceland” and “Bug-Jarkal”. Both works were created in the 20s of the XIX in when their young author has not yet crossed the thirty years of twenty years, both are interesting not only from the point of view of the evolution of Hugo himself, which affects its early giftedness, but later in creative longevity, but also in the context of the formation of such an relevant For the modern literature of the genre, as a historical novel.

the published novels found themselves at the crossroads of two eras - educational and romantic, and therefore absorbed the tradition of Gothic, ascending to the city of Walpol, and Radcliffe and M. -G. Lewis, and the lively interest of romantics in various kinds of exotic (colorful-yuzhnaya, as in the “Bug-jurgal”, or twilight-nasty, as in “Ghana Icelander”), to folk traditions and, finally, to history, which was brightly embodied in Walter Scott's work.

, who came out at the very height of “Fashion for the Terrible” in France, “Gan Icelander” is full of adventures of heroes that are either in the gloomy fortress-tedu, then in “enchanted” stoves that meet on their own The paths of the executioner and the monk, noble in their aspirations of rebels and insidious ruthless courtiers. But the title hero “Ghana of the Icelander” is a monster, or a person, or a beast, bloodthirsty and merciless - and his only friend, a giant white bear, as the reader finds out, is not the main enemies of the noble young man who went on a dangerous journey for the sake of salvation of honor and the life of a beloved girl and the old count, her father. The main evil that he has to defeat is the vulgar cunning of the enemies of the old count and his own ill -wishers.

“Gan Icelander” caused a violent discussion in literary circles, but also became a source of inspiration for other writers. The young Gerard de Nerval was so impressed by the creation of Hugo that, having enlisted the author’s resolution, he took advantage of the plot and wrote a prosaic melodrama in three actions, which the reader will find in the “Additions” section.

in the novel “Bug-Jarkal” action It also occurs in the exotic regions and also in the turning point, but this is a fracture of a completely different sense: in the 1790s, a revolution began in France, and in its overseas territories, the performances of fighters for autonomy, and then for the complete independence of the colonies, are activated. Every now and then flashing riots of black slaves pour into a full-scale uprising on the island of Santo Domingo.