Man's Loyalty to Values in Revolutionary France
Pros:
Hugo's most dramatic ending, truly shows Hugo's pureness of soul, and an inspiring read
Cons:
superfluous political harangues
The Bottom Line:
Not the greatest of Hugo's novels, but a must read for anyone who enjoys life on earth.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
Taking place in revolutionary France in 1793 (hence the title of the book) Ninety-Three is Hugo’s last and most political of his novels.
But don’t misunderstand, Ninety-Three is not about the French revolution, it is merely the subject, the backdrop of the novel. The theme of the novel, also the underlying theme in all of Hugo’s works, is man’s adherence to values.
By delineating the path of several characters, Hugo shows that man’s loyalty to values is the great equalizer. No matter our background, our wealth, nor our power or prestige, all man can be great if certain values are held as an absolute, never to be compromised, no matter the circumstance, no matter the outcome.
Also one of Hugo’s shortest works, the action is intense, the situations are unparalleled and the ending is by far the most dramatic ending in all of literature.
Hugo is notorious for his historical digressions, and Ninety-Three is no different. However, in Ninety-Three, the digression and lecture in the middle of the book, is almost completely superfluous, and it seems that Hugo is simply trying to show off his knowledge and expertise when it comes to the French Revolution (once you read the book, you’ll know EXACTLY what part I am referring to). Also, by the time of this book, Hugo knew his place was secured in literary history, and consequently, his inflated ego made him feel as if he could write almost anything with external praise.
Although all of Hugo’s books touch the political stage in one way or another, the level of political discourse in Ninety-Three is unparalleled, as mentioned above. The main political discussion near the end of the book portrays Hugo’s own vision of an ideal society, however ambiguous and contradictory that may be. Nevertheless, through this discussion, Hugo shows that he has an ideal to which he holds, resembling his likeness to the characters in the story.
It’s interesting to note that most of us enter an age of post-adolescent idealism, but then let external influences, other people, and the desire to fit in rid us of our ideals as we grow older. Published in 1874, when Hugo was the ripe old age of 72, Ninety-Three shows us that this never happened to Hugo, which is truly an inspiration.
With the above said, Ninety-Three is not one of Hugo’s greatest works, not because it is a bad book, quite the contrary, it is because other works by him are so grand, most notably The Man Who Laughs and Toilers of the Sea. Nevertheless, this book is a must-read for anyone who still believes in happiness and each and everyone’s capacity to live a great life on earth.
