Most of the forty-one poems of
Les Orientaleswere composed in a fever of inspiration during the thirteen months from November 1827 to November 1828. Having become a successful, prolific writer, and the leader of the second generation of Romantics after the appearance of his literary manifesto, the preface to his play
Cromwell, Hugo no longer depended for financial support on his pension from the king, or on the support of the conservative monarchists. The preface to
LesOrientales, dated January 1829, expresses a joyful sense of freedom and independence: “Tout a droit de cité en poésie … Il n’y a pas de fruit defend” [Every topic has a legitimate place in poetry … There is no forbidden fruit there]. Whatever deity the poet chooses to worship is legitimate in art. And “ce…
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Citation: Porter, Laurence M.. "Orientales". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 05 May 2011 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=11217, accessed 26 November 2024.]
