Les contemplations: Aujourd'hui, 1843-1856

by Victor Hugo

"Les contemplations: Aujourd'hui, 1843-1856" by Victor Hugo is a collection of poems published in 1856. This autobiographical work spans 158 poems across six books, divided into two parts: "Autrefois" (Before) and "Aujourd'hui" (Today). The collection explores themes of love, joy, death, and grief, centered around the drowning death of Hugo's daughter Léopoldine in 1843. Through verse, Hugo chronicles his journey through mourning, moving from youthful romance and early happiness toward darker contemplations of loss, mystical faith, and ultimately hope beyond suffering.