The Man Who Laughs

The Man Who Laughs," a tragic novel by Victor Hugo, centers on Gwynplaine, a man whose face was surgically disfigured in childhood to resemble a permanent grin, making him a grotesque spectacle. Abandoned and ostracized, Gwynplaine finds solace with a travelling carnival and a blind girl named Dea, whom he loves. The story unfolds as Gwynplaine's true identity as a nobleman is revealed, leading to his reinstatement in the aristocracy but also exposing the cruelty and injustice of the upper class.