The Man Who Laughs
by Victor Hugo
- First published
- 1869
- Reading level
- Easy
- Price
- Free
About the book
"The Man Who Laughs: A Romance of English History" by Victor Hugo is a Gothic novel published in 1869. Set in late 17th-century England, it follows Gwynplaine, a young nobleman disfigured as a child by royal command, his face carved into a permanent grin. Traveling with a philosopher and a blind girl he rescued, Gwynplaine becomes a carnival performer whose grotesque smile provokes laughter and desire. When his true identity surfaces, he's thrust into a cruel aristocratic world that destroyed him, forcing a confrontation between his past and present.
- Historical fiction
- Great Britain
- England
- Clowns
- Mouth
- Traveling theater
Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #12587. The Man Who Laughs on Wikipedia.
