Hugo et Zola à l’heure de la négligence des démunis au Nigeria

Abstract

This article examined two novels written by two French writers of the 19^th century Victor Hugo and Emile Zola. Using the novels titled Les Misérables and Germinal, the article analysed the crisis facing humanity in the face of endemic poverty in Nigeria. By revisiting the two literary giants, Victor Hugo and Émile Zola, the paper gave highlight on how the themes of poverty, injustice, and human dignity presented in Les Misérables and Germinal find a disturbing echo in Nigerian reality, inviting reflection on the role of literature as a social mirror and catalyst for change. The analysis of the two novels serves as a reflection to review the Nigerian government’s inaction and its neglect of the conditions of workers who continue to suffer. The article concluded that the two 19^th century novels have their place in the 21^st century as they are still relevant today with regard to the plight of workers and children in Nigeria.