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The Last Day of a Condemned Man

The Last Day of a Condemned Man

ClassicsLiterary Fiction
Published
2002
Language
English

Synopsis

Deeply shocking in its time, "The Last Day of a Condemned Man" is a profound and moving tale and a vital work of social commentary. A man vilified by society and condemned to death for his crime wakes every morning knowing that this day might be his last. With the hope for release his only comfort, he spends his hours recounting his life and the time before his imprisonment. But as the hours pass, he knows that he is powerless to change his fate. He must follow the path so many have trod before him--the path that leads to the guillotine.

Prose complexity
7/10

Vibe

SadMelancholicDark
Morally Grey

Genres

Classics Literary Fiction Philosophy Drama Historical Fiction Politics & Society Psychological Thriller

About the author

V
Victor Hugo

Victor-Marie Hugo (1802-1885) was a French poet, playwright, novelist and essayist, and the leading figure of French Romanticism. Born in Besançon, he is best known abroad for the novels Les Misérables (1862) and Notre-Dame de Paris (1831), published in English as The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. In France his standing rests first on his poetry, including Les Contemplations and La Légende des siècles. Politically he moved from youthful royalism to committed republicanism, spent the years of the Seco...

Characters

The Condemned ManProtagonist
All characters in The Last Day of a Condemned Man

Frequently asked questions

  • Is The Last Day of a Condemned Man connected to Victor Hugo's other works?

    This novel is considered a precursor to Hugo's later, more extensive social critiques, particularly in its exploration of justice and human suffering, themes he would develop further in Les Misérables.

  • What inspired Victor Hugo to write The Last Day of a Condemned Man?

    Victor Hugo was deeply moved by witnessing a public execution and was a vocal opponent of capital punishment. This experience directly fueled his passionate and detailed portrayal of a condemned man's final moments.

  • Does The Last Day of a Condemned Man have any adaptations?

    There have been several adaptations of this work, including a notable 1926 French silent film titled 'La Dernière Journée d'un Condamné' and a 1952 Spanish film adaptation.

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