Victor Hugo and People of Small Stature: A Strange Chinese History

Le Temps, a respected Swiss daily, offers a fascinating deep dive into the historical and cultural underpinnings of Victor Hugo's "L'Homme qui rit" (The Man Who Laughs). This chronicle, penned by an expert in Rabelais and cultural history, moves beyond a simple literary review to explore the darker, more curious aspects of historical practices that informed Hugo's grotesque characterizations.

The piece highlights Hugo's meticulous research, particularly his engagement with Duckett's "Dictionnaire de la conversation et de la lecture." It pinpoints a specific entry on "Nain" (Dwarf) that reveals ancient Eastern traditions of deliberately stunting human growth for entertainment or other purposes. This detail, presented with a sense of historical discovery, underscores how Hugo tapped into obscure knowledge to craft his famously unsettling narratives.

From a Swiss perspective, particularly within the intellectual milieu of Le Temps, this exploration serves as a reminder of the enduring power of literature to unearth and interpret historical oddities. The article frames Hugo's work not just as fiction but as a lens through which to view historical attitudes towards human difference and exploitation. The focus on the "Comprachicos" and the deliberate disfigurement of Gwynplaine resonates with a broader European cultural consciousness grappling with its past.

What makes this story uniquely interesting from this perspective is the juxtaposition of high art with historical accounts of human manipulation. It’s a commentary on how societal fascination with the 'other' or the 'monstrous' has manifested across different eras and cultures. The article implicitly suggests that understanding these historical practices enriches our appreciation of Hugo's genius and the complex tapestry of human history he so vividly portrayed.