The Man Who Laughs

Interesting Facts

• The main character of the novel, Gwynplaine, was disfigured in childhood so that his face would always express a smile. This was done by a criminal group known as the 'Comprachicos'.
• The novel raises important social themes such as injustice, inequality, and society's cruelty towards people with physical disabilities.
• Victor Hugo used the image of Gwynplaine to show the contrast between a person's external and internal world, as well as to critique a society that judges people by their appearance.
• Gwynplaine's story inspired the creation of the Joker, one of the most famous villains in Batman comics.
• The novel was written during Victor Hugo's exile on the island of Guernsey, where he spent 15 years.