ProjectWorkbookonP58VictorHugoisoneofthemostfamousFrenchwritersofthenineteenthcentury.Hewrotenovels,poems,andplays.HewasasimportanttoFrenchliteratureinthenineteenthcenturyasShakespeareistoEnglishliteratureinthesixteenthcentury.VictorHugo(1802-1885)HewasveryinvolvedinthepoliticsofhisdayandwrotemanystoriesshowingbowdifficultlifewasforpoorpeopleinFranceatthattime.HismostfamousbooksareLesMiserablesandTheHunchbackofNotreDame.巴黎圣母院ChristopherReeve(1952-2004)HewasanactorinfilmsandbecamefamouswhenheplayedSupermaninaseriesoffilmsaboutthatcartooncharacter.However,disasterstruckwhenhefelloffhishorseandbecameparalyzedfromtheneckdown.Hebravelytriedtocopewithhisillnessandtohelpotherswiththesamecondition.Hegavemoneyforresearchintohisconditionbutalthoughheimproved,ChristopherReevewasneverabletowalkortakepartinfilmsasanordinaryactoragain.SimaQian(about145BC-87BC)SimaQianwasoneofthefirstimperialhistorianswhotriedtowriteacomprehensivehistoryofChina.Hecollecteddocumentsofpeoplewhohadworkedforearlieremperorsandreportedtheirconclusions.HeshowedthattherecanbetwointerpretationsofthesameReignwhenhereportedtwodifferentideasaboutthemethodsandachievementsofEmperorQin.EventuallyheoffendedtheHanEmperorWuwhenhesupportedadisgracedgeneral.Forthisoffencehewaspunishedanddisgraced.Insteadofcommittingsuicidetosavehishonour,SimaQiancontinuedhisworkonthehistoryofChina.Hiswritingshavebeeninvaluableforlaterscholars.VincentvanGogh(1853-1890)VincentvanGoghwasDutchbutlivedmostofhisadultlifeinFrance.HebecameapainterandmetmanyimportantImpressionistpainterssuchasMonetandPissaro.Hehadaverydifficultpersonalitywhichmadeitdifficultforhimtogetonwithothers.Hecutoffthelowerhalfofhisleftearandgivetoaprostitute.AshegrewolderVincentbecamemoreandmoreoddandheputallhisfeelingsandemotionsintohispaintings.Heusedintensecoloursandviolentbrushstrokestomakehispaintingsverypowerfulandemotional.Yetheonlysoldonepaintinginhislifetime.Nevertheless,hehasbecomeoneofthemostimportantofthePost-Impressionistpainters.FredericChopin(1810-1849)ChopingrewupinWarsaw,PolandbutmovedtoFrancein1831.Helivedtherefortherestofhislife.Hewasaverygiftedpianistwhoearnedhislivingasaperformerandteacher.Howeverhewasalsoatalentedcomposerandwrotemanyimportantballadesandrondosforthepiano.HisambitiousstyleofplayingandcompositioninfluencedmanyothercomposerssuchasDebussy,Liszt,TchaikovskyandRachmaninov.Hediedoftuberculosis(TB)whenhewasattheheightofhisfame.
VIP
