How lovely is the French people?

9596

How did the French celebrate the birthday of the poet Victor Hugo?

(No.6931       2008 0204)

On February 26, 1881, the French celebrated poet Victor Hugo's birthday as a national event. Representatives from various levels of local government visited Hugo's home to offer congratulations. The President of the Senate had already conveyed the regards of the French government personally the day before. In Paris, a triumphal arch was erected on Avenue d'Eylau, and people were invited to pass by Hugo's window in a procession. Despite the cold February weather, Hugo stood at the open window all day, receiving cheers from 600,000 citizens who lined up to pay tribute. Countless flowers piled up along the roads, resembling a small mountain.

On this day, all levels of schools in France, including lycees, colleges, schools, and all penalties, were ordered to be pardoned. If you were in detention for incomplete homework and facing punishment, you would be forgiven.

This kind of enthusiasm was beyond imagination. Celebrating the birthday of a "poet" and granting amnesty to all students nationwide? Such a thing would never happen in China, the United States, or even the United Kingdom. Is it because the French are particularly romantic? Are they idealists?

Victor Hugo represented the spirit of openness in France. His masterpieces like "Les Misérables" and "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame"  <Notre-Dame de Paris> still symbolize the beauty of the human soul today. 

At the age of eighty, Hugo was still embroiled in scandalous love affairs. Despite his devotion to women and good deeds associated with them, he faced continuous controversies. He had once disclosed his own misery:

"A long and honourable life; eighty years; devotion; good actions in association with women, for women, by women…………"

If we recall Lincoln's famous quote in 1863, "of the people, for the people, by the people," we would be even more perplexed.

In the midst of the openness in French spirit lies this contradiction. Hugo's works are luminous and beautiful, reserving desires and darkness for himself and not selling them to others. However, the world today seems to be the opposite—desires and darkness taking the lead, with works reflecting negativity. The positive souls can only weep under the table.

(*Reference: Victor Hugo, by Andre Maurois, translated from the French Olympio: La Vie de Victor Hugo by Gerard Hopkins, Alden Press, London, 1956*)

note:

How the Chinese people mourned Qu Yuan today....

2/03/2008
法國人怎樣為詩人雨果慶祝生日？

(問到底 No.6931 2008 0204 Monday)

*周一人物*

一八八一年二月二十六日，法國人把雨果的生日當作一件國家大事。這一天，無數各級地方政府派人來到雨果家裡祝賀。參議院主席早一天已經親自代表法國政府前來致意。巴黎市民在德埃洛大道(Avenue d'Eylau )建造了一座凱旋牌坊，而民眾都應邀在雨
果窗前列隊經過。當天早晨開始，雨果不顧二月的寒風，整天站在敞開的窗口，接受六十萬市民列隊歡呼致敬。人們送的無數鮮花，堆積在路旁，像一座小山。

這一天，全法國各級學校，包括了lycees, colleges, schools, 所有的懲罰，都明令赦免。如
果你這一天欠交功課被罰留堂，可以免罪。

這一種熱情，是完全超出想像的。為一個「詩人」慶祝生日？還要全國學生特赦？在中國、甚至美國、英國，絕對不可能發生這樣的事情。是不是因為，法
蘭西民族特別浪漫？他們是idealist?

或者是的。雨果是法蘭西開放精神的代表。他的傑作《悲慘世界》、《巴黎聖母院》等，直到今日，仍是人類美好靈魂的像徵。而同一時間，雨果雖然已經八十高壽，仍不斷被桃色事件糾纏不息。他有情婦多人，而他曾經這樣描述自己的苦惱："A long and honourable life; eighty years; devotion; good actions in association with women, for women, by women…………" 如果我們仍記得林肯在1863年那句名言："of the people, for the people, by the people"，
就會更加困惑。

而值得注意的是，法蘭西開放精神中的這種矛盾，仍是抑制之中的。雨果的作品，都光明美麗，他只把色慾和黑暗留給自己，並不賣給別人。今天的世界情況，卻是剛剛相反。色慾和黑暗上台，作品都是反面。正面的靈魂，只能在檯底下悲泣。

(參考：Victor Hugo, by Andre Maurois, translated
from the French
Olympio: La Vie de Victor Hugo by Gerard Hopkins, Alden Press, London, 1956)

note:

想想今天的中國人是怎樣為屈原追悼的？

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