Poems

"Poems" by Victor Hugo is a compilation of verses crafted near the end of the 1800s that displays the author's skillful use of words and deep involvement with subjects such as love, sorrow, and what it means to be human. Combining earlier writings, odes, and songs, the compilation mirrors both the composer's depth of feeling and political views, charting his growth as an artist over time. Readers get a sense of Victor Hugo's background and the conditions influencing his work right from opening of "Poems". A short personal story at the start gives a summary of Hugo's life, particularly his early-life hardships in France, which included everything from the Revolution to his rise as a significant writer. Later in the book, the opening poems, starting with "Moses on the Nile," illustrate Hugo's variety of emotions and ideas by recounting the story of a baby being saved by someone important amid suffering and political conflict. "Envy and Avarice," another notable work, uses personification to depict greed and jealousy, leading to thinking about the human existence. Introducing Hugo's captivating poetry vision, the work's initial passages welcome readers to a place abounding with powerful images and emotional central concepts.