The quotations of

Victor Hugo

French novelist, poet, dramatist and politician

1802–1885

38 quotes, most often on Love, History and Anti-Religion.

One resists the invasion of armies; one does not resist the invasion of ideas.
- Ideas
Hell is an outrage on humanity. When you tell me that your deity made you in his image, I reply that he must have been very ugly.
- Anti-Religion
I met in the street a very poor young man who was in love. His hat was old, his coat worn, his cloak was out at the elbows, the water passed through his shoes⁠—and the stars through his soul.
- Love
The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved, loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves.
- Love
How did it happen that their lips came together? How does it happen that birds sing, that snow melts, that the rose unfolds, that the dawn whitens behind the stark shapes of trees on the quivering summit of the hill? A kiss, and all was said.
- Love
My coat and I live comfortably togther. It has assumed all my wrinkles, does not hurt me anywhere, has moulded itself on my deformities, and is complacent to all my movements, and I only feel its presence because it keeps me warm. Old coats and old friends are the same thing.
- Friendship
Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.
William Shakespeare (1864), Part I, Book II, Chapter IV
- Music
You punch me, I punch back. I do not believe it’s good for ones self-respect to be a punching bag.
- War & Peace
There are fathers who do not love their children; there is no grandfather who does not adore his grandson.
Les Misérables (1862)In context
- Children
Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn’t every war fought between men, between brothers?
- War & Peace
To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark.
- Reading
Certain thoughts are prayers. There are moments when, whatever be the attitude of the body, the soul is on its knees.
Les Misérables (1862), A Way to Prevent War (01 December 2013), p. 145In context
- Prayer
To love beauty is to see light.
- Beauty
Hope is the word which God has written on the brow of every man.
- Hope
Have no fear of robbers or murderers. They are external dangers, petty dangers. We should fear ourselves. Prejudices are the real robbers; vices the real murders. The great dangers are within us. Why worry about what threatens our heads or purses? Let us think instead of what threatens our souls.
- Morality

Often credited to Victor Hugo

Quotes often credited to Victor Hugo that were said or written by someone else.

Whenever a man’s friends begin to compliment him about looking young, he may be sure that they think he is growing old.
Washington Irving1783–1859Often credited to Victor Hugo
- Age

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