The Man Who Laughs is a historical novel by Victor Hugo set in England. It follows Gwynplaine, a boy whose face is mutilated into a permanent laugh, and Dea, a blind girl, as they travel with a wandering showman. The novel explores poverty, injustice, and aristocratic cruelty, and is worth hearing for its vivid, compassionate storytelling.
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Cover of the original edition (Project Gutenberg, public domain).
Text source: gutenberg.org · The work is in the public domain.
Opening of the book
The Man Who Laughs A Romance of English History By Victor Hugo CONTENTS. Preliminary Chapter.—Ursus Another Preliminary Chapter.—The Comprachicos PART I. BOOK THE FIRST.—NIGHT NOT SO BLACK AS MAN. I.—Portland Bill II.—Left Alone
III.—Alone IV.—Questions V.—The Tree of Human Invention VI.—Struggle between Death and Night VII.—The North Point of Portland BOOK THE SECOND.—THE HOOKER AT SEA. I.—Superhuman Laws II.—Our First Rough Sketches Filled in III.—Troubled Men on the Troubled Sea IV.—A Cloud Different from the Others enters on the Scene V.—Hardquanonne VI.—They Think that Help is at Hand VII.—Superhuman Horrors VIII.—Nix et Nox IX.—The Charge Confided to a Raging Sea X.—The Colossal Savage, the Storm XI.—The Caskets XII.—Face to Face with the Rock
XIII.—Face to Face with Night XIV.—Ortach XV.—Portentosum Mare XVI.—The Problem Suddenly Works in Silence XVII.—The Last Resource XVIII.—The Highest Resource BOOK THE THIRD.—THE CHILD IN THE SHADOW. I.—Chesil II.—The Effect of Snow III.—A Burden Makes a Rough Road Rougher IV.—Another Form of Desert V.—Misanthropy Plays Its Pranks VI.—The Awaking PART II. BOOK THE FIRST.—THE EVERLASTING PRESENCE OF THE PAST. MAN REFLECTS MAN.
I.—Lord Clancharlie II.—Lord David Dirry-Moir III.—The Duchess Josiana IV.—The Leader of Fashion V.—Queen Anne VI.—Barkilphedro VII.—Barkilphedro Gnaws His Way VIII.—Inferi IX.—Hate is as Strong as Love X.—The Flame which would be Seen if Man were Transparent XI.—Barkilphedro in Ambuscade XII.—Scotland, Ireland, and England BOOK THE SECOND.—GWYNPLAINE AND DEA. I.—Wherein we see the Face of Him of whom we have hitherto seen only the Acts II.—Dea III.—"Oculos non Habet, et Videt"
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