Victor Hugo

In 1884, just months before his death, Hugo visited the massive construction site of The Statue of Liberty. He was said to be impressed and said "The idea, it is everything.".

He won a seat in the National Assembly in 1871, but soon resigned out of frustration with the political process.

In 1848, he announced his candidacy for president of the French Republic, but he got very few votes.

Had a mistress, Juliette Gauvain (aka Juliette Drouet), for 50 years, although he had many other affairs. He escaped sentencing for adultery in 1845 by royal pardon. His wife, Adèle, became involved with critic Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve shortly after their marriage, although the nature of the relationship is uncertain.

Although Hugo was fascinated by poems from childhood on, he spent some time on the polytechnic university of Paris until he dedicated all his work to literature. He was one of the few authors who were allowed to reach popularity during lifetime and one of the leaders of French romance. After the death of his daughter 'Leopoldine' in 1843 he started a career in politics and became member of the Paris chamber where he fought for left ideas.

His brother, Eugène, went mad when Hugo married Adèle Fourcher, whom the brothers had known since childhood and whom Eugène was secretly in love with. He died at Charenton Asylum on 20 February 1837.

Children: Léopold (16 July - 10 October 1823); Léopoldine (28 August 1824 - 4 September 1843); Charles (4 November 1826 - 13 March 1871); François-Victor (28 October 1828 - 26 December 1873); Adèle (24 August 1830 - 21 April 1915). Some biographers give Charles's birth date as 3 November 1826, and Adèle's as 28 July 1830. Adèle's unrequited love for an English soldier was the basis of the film The Story of Adele H (1975).