Les contemplations: Autrefois, 1830-1843

by Victor Hugo

"Les contemplations: Autrefois, 1830-1843" by Victor Hugo is a collection of poems published in 1856. This work explores love, joy, death, and grief through versified autobiography. The collection serves as a tribute to Hugo's daughter Léopoldine, who drowned in 1843—an event that divides the work into two parts: "Autrefois" (Before) and "Aujourd'hui" (Today). Through memory and mourning, Hugo experiments with poetic form to channel profound loss, moving from youthful romance through sorrow toward mystical contemplation and renewed hope.