Hernani by Victor Hugo (Book Analysis): Detailed Summary, Analysis and Reading Guide

By Bright Summaries

Unlock the more straightforward side of Hernani with this concise and insightful summary and analysis!

This engaging summary presents an analysis of Hernani by Victor Hugo, which tells the story of the titular bandit as he tries to be with the woman he loves, Donna Sol. Given that Donna Sol is already engaged to her uncle and Hernani must live life as an outlaw, their relationship seems impossible, and the happiness they have long yearned for is ultimately snatched away before they can truly savour it. Because it openly flouted the conventions of classical theatre, the play inspired a lively polemic when it was first performed, but later came to be recognised as a classic work of French drama. Its author, Victor Hugo, was one of the leading figures of the Romantic movement in France, and is known in particular for his novels Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

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This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you:
• A complete plot summary
• Character studies
• Key themes and symbols
• Questions for further reflection

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• Language: English
• Publisher: BrightSummaries.com
• Release date: Jun 20, 2018
• ISBN: 9782808010306

Book preview

French poet, dramatist, novelist and politician

Born in Besançon (eastern France) in 1802.

Died in Paris in 1885.

Notable works:

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1831), novel

The Contemplations (1856), poetry collection

Les Misérables (1862), novel

Victor Hugo was the leading figure of Romanticism in France, and his writing embodies the precepts of the movement. He was politically active throughout his life, and this is often reflected in his work. For example, The Last Day of a Condemned Man (1829) serves to illustrate the cruelty of the death penalty, while Les Misérables features overt social criticism.

During the Second French Empire (the political regime established by Napoleon III [Emperor of the French, 1808-1873], 1852-1870), Hugo was forced to go into exile, first in Brussels, then in Jersey and finally in Guernsey, where he wrote Les Misérables, among other works.

After his death in 1885, a grand state funeral was organised, and he is now widely recognised as one of the greatest French authors of all time.

A pioneering Romantic drama

Genre: drama

Reference edition: Hugo, V. (2017) Hernani. Trans. Burnham Ives, G. Germany: Jazzybee Verlag.

1st edition: 1830

Themes: love triangle, history, nobility, honour, politics, Romantic hero

Hernani is a drama in five acts which stirred up conflict between the Anciens (Ancients, meaning the supporters of classical theatre) and the Modernes (Moderns, meaning the younger generation which was in favour of innovation, including Romanticism) when it was first performed in 1830. The play marked the emergence of a new theatrical form known as the Romantic drama.

As Hugo envisaged it, the Romantic drama would grant authors more freedom than the strict rules of classical theatre. In particular, by not writing their works in alexandrines (12-syllable lines with a caesura, or break,