The History of a Crime The Testimony of an Eye-Witness

"The History of a Crime" by Victor Hugo is a chronicle from the 1800s that reveals the coup on December 2, 1851, when Louis Bonaparte seized power by getting rid of the National Assembly. The story centers on different leaders' viewpoints and pulls in themes such as treachery, the fight to save democracy, and the moral problems of those resisting dictatorship. The setting is built at the start with the environment around the coup, focused on the shock felt by republican leaders arrested at home. The crisis is shown through conversations and thoughts of major people, including a well-known leader as they deal with what the main man does next. As the arrests happen early in the morning, the remaining leaders gather to plan and to protect the nation. Hugo crafts a story that captures the political mess and the battle between being responsible and staying safe.