The Man Who Laughs 1869 is a novel by Victor Hugo Written while Hugo was living in exile on the island of Guernsey The Man Who Laughs is set between the 17th and 18th centuries in England a time of political unrest and class conflict in which he identified parallels to France of the 19th century Although the novel was largely panned at the time it has since been recognized as one of Hugos greatest works The Man Who Laughs has inspired over a dozen adaptations in film theater and comics including a 1928 American silent film that served as source material for the Joker in the original 1940 issue of Batman quotAgain the child set himself to sweep away the snow The neck of the dead woman appeared then her shoulders clothed in rags Suddenly he felt something move feebly under his touch It was something small that was buried and which stirred The child swiftly cleared away the snow discovering a wretched little bodythin wan with cold still alive lying naked on the dead womans naked breastquot Abandoned by a group of Comprachicos criminals who buy and capture children for the purpose of mutilating them and forcing them to work as beggars or performers the young Gwynplaine wanders the English coast alone During a storm he discovers an infant girl and her dead mother lying in the snow and endeavors to save the child Left with no choice but to rely on strangers Gwynplaine joins a carnival run by the merciful Ursus a man with a pet wolf Horrified at first by the boys disfigurement...
